Company owner says design meant for recreation has attracted military, police

By Janet Parmer - The Press Democrat - Friday, August 19, 2005

Moose Boats is tweaking the concept of the sport utility vehicle by labeling its supercharged, rugged M2 vessel a sport utility boat, or SUB.

Company owner Roger Fleck is selling most of the heavy-duty aluminum catamarans to military and law enforcement clients, but he originally designed them for the recreational boating market.

Since it was founded in 2000, Moose Boats , based at the Port Sonoma Marina, has hand-built 17 vessels, and the majority are being used for high-profile assignments.

The plan was for the first two to be displayed at recreational boat shows, but the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks created unexpected demand for Moose Boats for patrol and security functions.

"9/11 was pivotal for us," Fleck said. "It put a lot of interest in port security."

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Blog Tags: Antiterrorism, Counterterrorism, Force Protection, Homeland Security, Maritime Security, Port Security