Winter is “boat show” season across Florida. Scores of folks “oohhh” and “aaahhh” over the fresh fiberglass and chrome. You get closer for free by visiting the place in Central Florida where boats are made.

Rolls of fabric-like fiberglass is the start of a million dollar yacht.

"We want to share the boat building [process], what we do,” said Frank Stoeber, the fleet captain with Regal Marine Industries.

On 65 acres near the Orlando International Airport, Regal Marine Industries first started making boats in 1969.

"We think it's really kind of neat we can produce things here in Central Florida," Frank said as the walking tour gets underway.

Getting close to the process is easy Monday through Friday with free factory tours.

"We would show you the process as it would make sense. We follow a logical step-by-step."

When on dry land, Capt. Frank leads tours from how raw materials come together to form hulls, decks, cabins and ultimately, a sweet ride.

Boats starting at 19 feet will take three weeks to produce. Yacht’s stretching more than 40 feet will take three months.

"We have more complexity than General Motors. We have more models,” Frank said proudly.

Tours at Regal begin as rolls of fiberglass are rolled out to form hulls.

"The fiberglass is a cloth. The resin is a thermal set plastic. When it is catalyzed with an agent, it goes from a liquid to a hard surface,” the captain explained.

Visitors can walk right up to most of the 500 employee's work stations, visit the paint shop, upholstery cutting and sewing building and finally stroll past cement ponds where engines are tested after being placed on board.

Lastly, the boats with cabins get rained on to test for leaks.

"I jokingly say that if we rain on them, they will grow and get bigger themselves."

After a float test, the boats are wrapped and prepared for transport to dealers in North America and Europe.

"All of it is assembled in the United States,” Frank concluded.

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