Today we’d like to introduce you to John Thompson.
Hi John, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My name is John Michael Thompson, I’m from Glennville, and I’m the owner of Thompson Boatworks.
This whole thing actually started back in 2016 when I graduated high school. I jokingly asked my dad for a boat.
Of course He told me no.
But instead of just shutting me down, he said, “I won’t buy you one, but I’ll help you build one.” Looking back, that was probably the best “no” I’ve ever gotten.
So we got to work in the garage—me, my dad, and my brother. My dad’s built cabinets his whole life, so he knew what he was doing. I didn’nt. But in learned quick.
In 2017, we finished our first boat—an 18-foot fishing boat. It wasn’t perfect, but it floated… which is kind of the main goal.
After that, I went off to college at Georgia Southern and got a nursing degree. While I was there, I built another boat just for myself to fish out of.
One day, I had it down at the coast, and a guy came up and asked if he could buy it. I told him it wasn’t for sale. He said, “Can you build me one just like it?” I said sure… and he handed me a down payment right there on the spot.
That’s when it kind of hit me—this might actually be something.
So I started Thompson Boatworks. I made a website, posted on Facebook and Instagram… and that first year, I sold a grand total of… one boat.
Not exactly taking over the world yet.
But it picked up. The next year I sold two. Then ten. And now, in my fourth year, I’ve sold 21 boats—and I’m hoping to hit around 30 by the end of the year.
At one point, my mom decided I had taken over her garage enough, so I got kicked out. Luckily, my granddad stepped in and let me use his old feed and seed building. That’s where I work now, and I owe a lot to him for giving me the space to grow.
Today, all my boats are built out of composite, fiberglass, and resin—no wood. I use a process called vacuum infusion, which basically means the boats are lighter, stronger, and built to last forever
I build three main types: a 21-foot, an 18-foot deep V, and an 18-foot flat-bottom. They’re rated for 60 to 150 horsepower, and each one takes me about 35 days to build.
Right now, I’m backed up about 13 months… which is a good problem to have—but it also means I stay pretty busy.
My boats are now running in places like Louisiana, Maryland, Florida, Georgia, South and north Carolina, which is pretty crazy to think about considering this all started in a garage.
At the end of the day, I give a lot of credit to my dad for teaching me, my granddad for giving me a place to work, and honestly… that first guy who handed me a check.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely has been a roller coaster ride.
Year one I sold one Boat
Year two I sold two
And year three it took off a little bit and we sold over 10
Was ready to give up many times but it paid off to keep going
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We specialize in building custom boats. We don’t limit the customers options to the models we have. We will build exactly what you want. This process is slower, but it’s what makes us unique. The Cabentry skills I learned from my dad enable me to start from scratch and create almost any type of shape or design.
The thing that sets me apart is the one on one relationship I have with each customer. We become friends and then they become part of the Thompson Boatworks family.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Well, I graduated from nursing school at Georgia Southern in Savannah. I passed my boards and accepted a job in the emergency room in Statesboro Georgia.
I had a couple weeks before I was supposed to start at the hospital. During this time I had one of the first boats I had built, parked in a yard just south of Savannah. A local man saw the boat and tried to purchase it. I told him no, but I could build him one just like it. He wrote me a check that day. I went home and called the hospital to tell them that I wasn’t going to take the job. The next day I took a big risk, and I started Thompson Boatworks.
I still keep my license up-to-date, but I haven’t looked back since.
Pricing:
- Most Boats leave the shop in the 55 to 65K range
- Super custom builds can get up around 80 to 90 K
- Super simple builds can be around 50 K
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Thompsonboatwork.com
- Instagram: Thompsonboatworks_
- Facebook: Thompson Boatworks
