2007 Competitors

Marshall Jessen and George Heyl

McClellanville, SC and Wadmalaw, SC

Marshall and George won the Challenge in 2003, 2005, and 2006. Their time last year was 1:42:04.  They are fierce competitors and excellent rowers.  Keep an eye on this team.

Willie and James Murphy

Goose Creek, SC

James was only 13 years old when he and his father competed in their first Challenge nine years ago. They have placed first in the Workmanship category the last three years and came in second overall in 2006 with a time of 3:10:20. Willie is an architect and James is enrolled in the American College of Building Arts. 

Bill Hussey and Eric Peabody

Charleston, SC and Mt. Pleasant, SC

This team won the Challenge in 1998 and broke the World Record in 2004 with a time of 1:47:12. They are back this year after a two-year hiatus.  They are experienced boat builders and excellent rowers.  Bill owns Bill’s Custom Woodworking and Eric is a trim carpenter.

Skip and Casey White

Murrells Inlet, SC

Skip is a veteran competitor with five years under his belt.  This is the second year building with his son Casey.  They placed 5th in 2006 with a time of 2:27:25.  Skip is a general contractor and boat enthusiast.  Casey grew up helping his father build houses and now owns a contracting business.

Keith Singleton and Doug Dow

Daniel Island, SC and James Island, SC

This duo, competing for the 4th time, placed 3rd overall in 2006.  They accomplished this feat by winning the rowing race and placing 3rd in the building category with a time of 1:51:20. Keith and Doug are employed at Sea Island Boat Works.

Richard and Dan Nickel

Orangeburg, SC

These brothers are competing for the 5th time and have placed in the top three in the Workmanship category the last two years. They grew up sailing with their parents and now build bridges for a living.

Alex Poole and Dan Skerman

Georgetown, SC

Alex built this skiff with teammate Willie French at the Belfast, Maine Competition held in July 2007.  Those two presently hold the World Record title with the winning time of 2:58:02.  That wasn’t enough for Alex, who was determined to compete in Georgetown Challenge and recruited Dan as his teammate.  Dan was inspired to build “by world renowned boat builder Willie French”.   

Ted and Ryan Huminski

Florence, SC and Greenville, SC

This father and son team is competing for the first time.  Ted, a metallurgical engineer,   enjoys sailing, fishing, construction and golf.  Ryan teaches science at the Hughes Academy in Greenville and enjoys building “’most anything”.

Bill Gower and Rick Heurich

Georgetown, SC and Oxford, NJ 

Bill works with Keller Williams in the real estate field.  He is also a boat captain and once owned a B&B here in Georgetown.  Rick is a carpenter craftsman and has built 21 vessels from the keel up.  This is their first attempt at the Challenge.

Matthew and Sarah Jackson

Raleigh, NC and Milwaukee, WI

Matt and Sarah are brother/sister/best friends and are competing for the first time.  Matt’s Eagle Scout background and Sarah’s manufacturing engineering experience should help.  They have built a practice boat.

Chad and Kathleen Langville

Milwaukee, WI

Chad competed for the first time in 2006 with his sister Amy.  This year he asked his Mom to be his teammate. Chad knows his mom will be a great partner since she’s the one who introduced power tools to both him and Amy at a young age. They do not plan on winning, but building the boat in under 4 hours will be a memory they will both cherish.

Amy Langville and Bobby Boyd

Charleston, SC and Raleigh, NC

Amy is a Mathematics Professor at the College of Charleston.  She enjoys boats, boating and boatbuilding and participated in 2006 with her brother Chad.  Bobby is an aerospace, electrical and computer engineer, and particularly enjoys building subwoofers and speakers.

Jon Speckman and Walt Przygocki

Charlotte, NC and Denver, NC

Jon, a professional trainer and consultant, claims he knows nothing about boats but loves building challenges.  Walt is a college professor who loves boating and was roped into competing by his brother-in-law, Jon.  This is their first attempt at the Challenge.

Rick Shackelford and Fred Edgerton

Columbia, SC and Seneca, SC

Rick owns Slatestone Creek Studios where he designs and fabricates cases and exhibits for small museums around the Southeast.  Fred, an educator for twenty years, is no stranger to woodworking.  He has built several houses and also enjoys canoeing and kayaking.  This is their first attempt at the Challenge.

Gavin and Bob Pflaumer

Wilmington, NC and Salisbury, MD

Gavin, competing for the third time, attends Cape Fear Community College and is a graduate of the Boat Building Program there.  This year he talked his father, Bob, into building with him.  Bob is a retired correctional officer who enjoys fishing and boating and is currently building his own home.

Dan Singletary and Al Langston

Charleston, SC and Seneca, SC

Don, a hotel manager, enjoys cabinet making and woodworking.  This his first attempt at building a boat and he is grateful to have Al as his teammate.  Al has built two skiffs, one at the Wooden Boat School in Brooklin, Maine and the other at the North Carolina Maritime Museum Boat Building Program.