Red Bay Boats: Podcast Interview With Conor & Tom McLaughlin:

 
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Red Bay Boats is a family business in Cushendall that has built over 1000 boats and 'shipped' to 30+ different countries around the world. 

After reading a book on boat building Tom McLaughlin dropped out of school to restore an old rotten rowboat. 

Since then, Red Bay have made boats used by the royal family, anti-pirate authorities, ferries, tour-guides and fishermen. 

His son Conor — now a master-boat builder himself — works full-time in the family business and is responsible for building and delivering their bespoke vessels as far as Svalbard; an island 500 miles north of Norway. 

In today's episode we caught up with Tom and Conor on their boat for this Father's day special to talk about:

  • The fascinating link between the North Coast and Scotland (which is closer to Cushendall than Ballymena)

  • What it's like to work so closely with family

  • How they "make memories" for their customers

  • The camaraderie of the local sailing community

  • And the challenges/successes they've experienced along the way.


This fascinating episode — set to the soundtrack of the North Coast waves — shares the story on an incredible family carrying on Northern Ireland's shipbuilding legacy and having a lot of fun along the way. 

You'd be daft to miss it!

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  • One thing most people don't know about you: Tom didn't finish school. Instead, he bought a book on how to build a boat. Conor helmed one of our boats around during the Round Ireland RIB raid at the age of 18.

  • Favourite Quote: We don't make boats, we make memories

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Say hello at:

Email: matthew@bestofbelfast.org
WhatsApp: +447873636003
Website: https://bestofbelfast.org

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How To Listen

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Thanks again to Conor & Tom McLaughlin for taking the time to share their story with us.

See you next time.

— Matt

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Matthew Thompson