The 19 Formula Vee is one of dozens of open ûand cuddy recreational boats being made by ûthe former commercial builder.

Like many small-boat manufacturing companies located in the Pacific Northwest, Alumaweld Boats was started by an avid fisherman who was convinced he could improve upon the types of boats available to him and his fishing pals.

Unlike many of his competitors, Willy Illingsworth’s company has successfully expanded into the recreational market. Twenty-five years and 12,000 boats later, it continues to produce 500-600 boats per year in a 60,000-square-foot factory set in the isolated farmlands of southwestern Oregon.

The famed Rogue River, a haven for salmon and steelhead fishermen, is only minutes away, however. …