COLLEGE FUND

40 ft Express Sportfish....an evolving "Custom"

Built in 2000 by the Luhrs Corporation in St. Augustine, Florida, this stout design has been evolving rapidly since Captain Aaron found her in 2021. With twin large diesels, huge fuel tanks and all the modern electronics and safety gear he can throw at her, she's refreshed. With a growing list of added touches of varnished mahogany and natural teak, she's also nodding to seafaring tradition, balancing modern function with a classic look and feel.

40 feet long, 15 feet wide
Twin Yanmar 420 hp diesel engines
567 gallons of fuel
200 gallons of fresh water
Full bathroom
Loads of shaded seating
Fusion sound system with Bluetooth
USB charging ports
2 Garmin GPS Chartplotters
2 fixed mount and 1 handheld VHF radio
Rupp tournament outriggers
Floor, transom and portable fish storage coolers

What's with the name?

So, this young man took it upon himself to apply to all five federal service academies during high school. He worked his tail off, checking all the right boxes and making good decisions. He enlisted the help of family and friends, and listened to what they had to offer.

He ultimately chose the United States Military Academy at West Point, and will complete his studies there with a degree in Electrical Engineering and Cyber-Defense in May of 2023. That same day, he will commission into the Army as a Second Lieutenant. We couldn't be more proud of him.

And did you know that West Point is "free"?? Mind you, there's a minimum of 5 years Active Duty and 3 years Reserve service required, but there is no need for, you guessed it, the College Fund!

What's Next on College Fund?

Projects are invisible and visible on College Fund, and never-ending. A smaller project that just came up is replacing a freshwater pump.

Winter '22-'23 will see a complete engine overhaul on one side, ensuring reliability and efficiency for years to come.

A cool one we're looking at is adding natural teak "covering boards" around the entire fishing cockpit. Old-school and classy, in our opinion.

A larger one that we're trying to figure out is the installation of hard poly-carbonate windows at the front and part of the sides to knock down wind and spray.

05 DEC 2022 Update!

Woohoo - signed a contract with Marine Canvas of Charleston, another fantastic Veteran Owned Business, to create the three-sided cockpit enclosure I've been dreaming of. Now we'll be able to control airflow and stay out of the spray. Very excited.

While at the dock, I also figured that I'd replace the tattered galley floor in the cabin. Problem is, it looked so good that I had to keep going. The 22 year old nasty carpet is out (NOT a fun job) and the new flooring going in. Nice visual and functional update. (see pic at left)

But, not everything goes as planned, right? Well, the engine work that was planned for this month has been pushed out to February. Frustrating, we'd hoped to be breaking in the new work by then, but that's the way it goes. The world is still having labor and supply issues, and College Fund isn't immune from them.

And, still, always forward. So, marketing, getting the word out, business cards, stationary, printed materials, a growing web presence. All happening right now.

Stay tuned. We'll try to keep this updated.