Episode 74 - Harlan Orrin The Wood Craftsman Behind Legendary Performance Boats

Harlan Orrin is a true legend in the West Coast performance boating world, with more than 60 years of hands-on experience designing and building molds, hulls, and custom wood decks. His roots in boat building trace back to World War II, when his father and uncle built wooden boats for the US military, an early influence that shaped Orrin's lifelong path.

From an early interest in drafting and sheet metal fabrication, Orrin got his start in 1957 at Mandella Boats after his uncle Ernie purchased the company. In just four years, they built 54 boats, and during that time Orrin even built Rayson-Craft founder Rudy Ramos his first race boat. From there, he went on to start his own company, Orrin Boats and did work with many of the most iconic builders in the industry, including Sanger, Hallett, Eliminator, Aqua Craft, Scarab, Tige, and Commander, contributing to numerous iconic and race-winning boats.

Known for innovations like the original Sanger bubble deck design and his unmatched craftsmanship, Orrin built his career designing by eye and experience rather than modern CAD tools. He also recreated the legendary "Banzai" drag hydro using only photos and historical references. Today, at 90 years old, he's still actively designing, restoring, and installing wood decks continuing a lifetime legacy in performance boating.

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