Be aware these boats are *very* heavy. Craig had understated the weight
of my 10' tender by 60# and it turned out it was too heavy for the mast/
boom I had. He then overcharged me when he picked up the boat for return.
Beware. I don't recommend doing business with this company.
John


In Gould 0738 wrote:
This line of boats is becoming fairly well known in the Pacific NW.
Sometimes, these small ventures fail to get off the ground but this
particular firm is doing well with a unique product.

Here's a punfully awful synopsis of the company's general produt line
and current activities:

*******************

"Wart's Hoppening" at Bullfrog Boats?


One of the many "good guys" in the boat business here in the Pacific
Northwest is Craig Henderson, the king frog in the small but rapidly
expanding manufacturer kicking out a steady stream of "unsinkable"
Bullfrog boats. We're seeing more Bullfrogs everywhere we look, so we
assumed business must be hopping. To avoid leaping to a conclusion, (
and possibly appearing all wet as a result) we jumped in the trusty
terrestrial speedster. Kicking it into gear, we bounded up the freeway
to Henderson's pad, nestled among the ponds and pastures north of
Bellingham.

We've seen more than a few boat factories over the years, but the
Bullfrog industrial complex is one of the more informal and relaxed.
One could mistake it for an ordinary country barn. It is not easily
"spotted" from the road.

When a visitor arrives, the official Bullfrog Boats greeter hurries
enthusiastically into the parking lot. Talk about first class service!
The greeter waits patiently for the driver's door to open and then
plants a big, wet, welcoming kiss on the surprised caller. Once out of
the car, a visitor is led into the building by the same happy-go-lucky
character- a big brown dog.

It was pleasing to discover that sales are springing to new heights at
Bullfrog. Craig Henderson seldom misses a boat show and he runs a
steady advertising campaign. "Bullfrog" is a quality boat, and product
integrity combined with excellence in customer service is earning
Henderson a growing following among NW boaters.

"A lot of it is word of mouth," said Henderson. "A year or so ago, I
sold a 10-foot yacht tender to a member of a yacht club over on the
Olympic Peninsula. His friends were so impressed that I just delivered
six more to members of the same club. They came over and ordered them
together, I gave them all Bullfrog shirts, and it was a lot of fun."

Bullfrogs have a rather unique anatomy, both the amphibians and the
boats. Bullfrog boats are built with aluminum bottoms for strength and
durability. Unlike a boat with an inflated bottom, a Bullfrog can be
dragged across a gravelly beach without fear of compromising
structural integrity. The most visible characteristic of a Bullfrog is
the topsides construction. Sections of molded, polyethylene tubing are
bolted together and filled with closed cell floatation foam. The
polyethylene is non-abrasive, and won't mar the finish when coming
alongside a fiberglass yacht.

"The boat actually works just perfectly without the foam," said
Henderson. "But it's a Coat Guard requirement, and even if it weren't
required I like to take a 'both belt and suspenders' sort of approach
to boat building. When you need a boat that will take absolutely
anything, you need it then and there."

The 10' yacht tender continues to be Bullfrog's largest seller. The
tender comes standard with a rotary helm, cushioned aluminum seats,
bow rails, backrests, and more. The boat weighs 282 pounds, is rated
for 3 persons or 589 pounds, has a 5'6" beam, and is designed for
motors up to 20HP. "We've been using Honda outboards fairly
exclusively, lately" said Henderson. "They have proven to be very
reliable, and that reliability is part of the experience we want our
customers to enjoy."

We had to agree that a good engine was certainly important. It would
be rather embarrassing for a Bullfrog to be "toad" back to the dock.

Bullfrog offers a 13-foot "Sport Tender" for larger yachts, as well as
15, 17, and 21-foot sport and utility boats.

"We're getting some attention from the Department of Homeland Security,
" said Henderson, (quickly proceeding to clarify that the Department
is considering the purchase of some Bullfrog Boats). "We are now one
of the vendors approved by the GSA, so federal agencies can buy
Bullfrogs."

Back in the not-so-secret portion of the Bullfrog factory, an exciting
new product is taking shape. We got a look at the partially completed
hull #1 of Bullfrog's new flagship model, a 27-footer with a "cuddy
cabin". "We'll be debuting this model at the fall boat shows" said
Henderson. "It will make a good dive boat, workboat, small charter
boat, or police boat. With a pair of high HP outboards, this boat will
be able to overtake almost any boat on the water, and especially so
when the going gets rough. This boat will be able to run incredibly
fast in conditions where most boats will be forced to throttle back."

Things are going swimmingly at Bullfrog. The firm appears to be well
into a "ribbeting" saga of success. If you believe in fairy tales, do
watch out for that big wet kiss from Craig Henderson's greeter: it may
be the first step in a process that turns your dinghy into a Bullfrog.
Oh well, all is not lost. Odds are, you'll live hoppily ever after, (
or at least until you croak).

There is, (of course), additional information about Bullfrog on the
web. www.bullfrogboats.com