OU Boats Trips

To create a truly great fishing boat, you not only need to master the art of boat building, you have to understand fishermen, and the ocean. Mirage founder Ken Fickett began his career as a boy working afternoons in one of South Florida’s last traditional wooden boat shops. Sweeping up, caring for tools and acting as a gofer, he learned boat building from one of the best. Much of what he helped craft were working vessels for commercial fishermen, who’s livelihood and very lives depended on boats that could bring home the catch in weather fair or foul. These early years taught the importance of product integrity, practical design and quality workmanship. It’s a lesson that remains paramount to the Mirage philosophy some 50 years later. Today, Mirage employs sophisticated composite construction techniques that the company pioneered in both the marine and aviation industries. This results in boats that are stronger, lighter and better performing. They run farther on less fuel, ride drier on sophisticated hull designs and last longer thanks to our insistence on premium materials and meticulous assembly. We thrive on innovation, but also honor the timeless traditions of the shipwright.  Form follows function in designs ruled by the principles of utility and functional simplicity rather than cup-holder count or a fascination with gimmick-laden add-ons. As a result, each boat we produce is a hand-crafted masterpiece built to the specifications of an individual owner. We invite you to visit us at our yard in Gainesville, Florida, where you can meet the craftsmen who proudly continue our nation’s tradition of manufacturing excellence, and witness first hand the workmanship and attention to detail that has earned the Mirage name the respect of some of the most experienced fishermen on the water.