Welcome to Fibrecraft Manufacturing!

I’m Vince Potgieter, and my journey into boat building happened almost by accident. It began during a casual chat with a friend who had acquired two famous boat moulds at a liquidation sale, the Tug 10 and Tug 20. When I asked him how the boatbuilding business was going, he surprised me by asking, "Do you want it?" He was planning to go sailing for five years and wanted to offload his business responsibilities. A week later, he called to see if I was seriously considering his offer. We struck a deal, and just like that, I became the owner of Fibrecraft Manufacturing.

I’ve always had a passion for boating and fishing. Growing up in Pietermaritzburg, I would cast a line into ponds, rivers, and dams wherever I could find them and into the sea at Rocky Bay on the KZN South Coast during family holidays. I would wake up at the crack of dawn to fish on the pier at Rocky Bay so that I could watch the ski boat launches. I have had an unexplained inborn passion and interest in boats and fishing since I can remember. My first boat was an original Dave Oelofsen ‘Ski Vee’ I acquired in 1992. This boat was renovated and remodelled three times over the years. This early love for boating naturally led me to take on the additional responsibility of the boat-building business.

At Fibrecraft Manufacturing, we started by continuing the production of the Tug 10 and Tug 20 models, which are well established in the local recreational fishing market. However, I soon realized the potential for expansion and innovation. This led to the creation of a number of new models.

Fibrecraft Manufacturing operates from a shed on my farm/small holding outside Pietermaritzburg, which helps keep overheads low. This setup allows us to focus on quality and innovation without the burden of high operational costs. Our boats to date have been distributed locally through Natal Power Boats in Durban, PMB Trailer and Boat, and Natal Caravans & Marine in Pinetown. I will be looking to expand the dealer network in the future.

While boat building is a labour of love for me, driven more by passion than profit, Fibrecraft Manufacturing is dedicated to delivering high-quality boats that meet the needs of our customers. We’re focused on rejuvenating and growing the Tug and Getaway models and serving the marine fraternity with pride.

I would like to thank the following people, in no particular order, for their input, support, and sharing of knowledge with me to date in my boat-building adventure:

Phillip Whitehorn (PMB Trailer and Boat) Reggie Chetty (Reggie’s Boating) Shaun and Nick (Natal Power Boats) Bill Harrison (Natal Caravans and Marine) Dave Pitts (Pitts Marine)

Thank you for visiting our website. We look forward to helping you find or build the perfect boat for your adventures on the water.

Best regards,

Vince Potgieter