WELCOME TO RIVER DAVES PLACE

Eddie Martinez is the real deal

Brennan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2018
Messages
122
Reaction score
200
So I bought my 2007 Nordic Thor from Highline a few years back and have loved it. When I bought the boat it had just undergone an open bow conversion from Nordic so the front was brand new. This is the only part of the boat I didn’t love. The bow was just a perfect square, no cup holders, no handles, no speakers and no style. Fast forward two years and my 2007 white interior is starting to get a little tint to the top of the seats and starting to age. I figure it’s time for updating.



I text Eddie from Martinez interior since I have had him do prior work on my HTM and ask him what month do I have to drop my boat off to guarantee it will be done by summer. I get that everyone wants big upgrade projects done by summer so I figured I’ll get a head start. Eddie tells me to drop it by octoberish and that’s plenty of time. So I drop off my boat at end of October and give him some basic ideas for interior, show him pictures of styles I like. I tell him I hate the bow. He suggests expanding the open bow without compromising hull strength. Additionally my fiberglass engine hatch was a very dark color so in the summer it got so extremely hot you couldn’t touch it, let alone lay on it. I asked him to add high back seats to the front and eliminate the individual back seats and make a bench which is more friendly for my kids, but still Keep the sporty look. I don’t have an artistic mind so when he asks for a little creative freedom with the interior, I tell him to have at it.



Fast forward to December, I see him pumping out boats on social media that are bad ass and I’m patiently waiting my turn. December comes and I start getting phone calls from him asking for my preference on a few things and he explains why some design ideas can or won’t work. The next month and a half Eddie sent me weekly, sometimes daily updated pictures of how the work was going and progress made as well as asking feedback. Needless to say I was floored with the work he was putting in.



Flash forward to yesterday, I go check it out as it’s about finished and ready to get some gel coat repairs and blemishes next(also at Martinez). Boat looks amazing. Open bow now comfortably fits several kids or adults and has some style to it. Stitching and materials used on the hatch is awesome. Eddie even adjusted the driver seat height and distance from the steering wheel so it was more driver friendly. It’s now easier to see over the bow and isn’t too low as the previous seat. He shaved off some of the right arm of the drivers seat to make the throttle controls much more comfortable. Eddie was able to keep the fiberglass. Inserts from my old low back seats and reuse them in the new seats keeping the Nordic logo.



Can’t say enough about my experience with Eddie. Would highly recommend him. My boat is one week from being fully done and in plenty of time For summer as promised.
 

Attachments

  • 239DAC67-F4B0-4E12-A7EE-FF53DB5D7156.jpeg
    239DAC67-F4B0-4E12-A7EE-FF53DB5D7156.jpeg
    118.3 KB · Views: 371
  • E990D091-B3B3-472B-BB9E-EB48B52B36E9.jpeg
    E990D091-B3B3-472B-BB9E-EB48B52B36E9.jpeg
    108 KB · Views: 379
  • 57BEE38E-030C-46E9-9DF7-FA5AC92477BE.jpeg
    57BEE38E-030C-46E9-9DF7-FA5AC92477BE.jpeg
    144.6 KB · Views: 379
  • F10E8CE2-AFD1-4FAC-A74A-8D635B914A5E.jpeg
    F10E8CE2-AFD1-4FAC-A74A-8D635B914A5E.jpeg
    216.2 KB · Views: 364
  • BA0394E7-EFB9-4B51-9765-6052C8BCE5CE.jpeg
    BA0394E7-EFB9-4B51-9765-6052C8BCE5CE.jpeg
    245.8 KB · Views: 359
  • CB22EB4A-76F3-4829-A2A9-22B53EB1F2B7.jpeg
    CB22EB4A-76F3-4829-A2A9-22B53EB1F2B7.jpeg
    248.4 KB · Views: 355
  • C48F89F8-CD48-4D06-9E45-1EB10FAD1EF9.jpeg
    C48F89F8-CD48-4D06-9E45-1EB10FAD1EF9.jpeg
    204.9 KB · Views: 352
  • 5AE9DBA3-DF16-44C0-BB2D-B36DF790E871.jpeg
    5AE9DBA3-DF16-44C0-BB2D-B36DF790E871.jpeg
    326.7 KB · Views: 350
  • 7C4B8E4A-225B-4799-9CE7-61BE2B12D173.jpeg
    7C4B8E4A-225B-4799-9CE7-61BE2B12D173.jpeg
    148.4 KB · Views: 341
  • 5FED212B-A7FA-4789-889C-C7E5AC741164.jpeg
    5FED212B-A7FA-4789-889C-C7E5AC741164.jpeg
    246.8 KB · Views: 328
  • 1CFCE38B-E4E5-476C-B1B6-FAF150CEE265.jpeg
    1CFCE38B-E4E5-476C-B1B6-FAF150CEE265.jpeg
    247.8 KB · Views: 323

Shlbyntro

Ultra Conservative
Joined
May 27, 2018
Messages
7,744
Reaction score
22,543
I have nothing bad to say about Eddie or his company's work. I miss working with him
 

02HoWaRd26

DCBroke
Joined
Dec 19, 2007
Messages
11,750
Reaction score
27,759
Came out bitchen bud. The very front did he leave a pocket or opening for storage at all? The part i miss bad about my old boat vs new was the nose storage. Sand spikes and ropes in there and easy to access from outside the boat while on beach. So could get the stuff out or put away from the beach.
 

Brennan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2018
Messages
122
Reaction score
200
Came out bitchen bud. The very front did he leave a pocket or opening for storage at all? The part i miss bad about my old boat vs new was the nose storage. Sand spikes and ropes in there and easy to access from outside the boat while on beach. So could get the stuff out or put away from the beach.

ya all the seats lift up and there is storage underneath.
 

Singleton

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Messages
18,135
Reaction score
23,513
Nice upgrade.
looks like a completely different boat.
My interior needs an update, but choices are limited these days.
Eddie does good work when he gets your boat in, but IMO suffers from the ‘over promise under deliver on the completion date’ that almost all boat shops have. Dropped in October, done in February seems a ton long for being at a shop, unless you knew the first couple months no work would get done.
 

old rigger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2007
Messages
2,642
Reaction score
6,557
Is he related to the legendary Eddie Martinez upholsterer from the 1950's on? He just passed last month. When my dad was a kid he was the guy to go to for interiors or if you couldn't afford him you'd go to TJ for a imitation of his work. My dad went to TJ.
 

Brennan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2018
Messages
122
Reaction score
200
Nice upgrade.
looks like a completely different boat.
My interior needs an update, but choices are limited these days.
Eddie does good work when he gets your boat in, but IMO suffers from the ‘over promise under deliver on the completion date’ that almost all boat shops have. Dropped in October, done in February seems a ton long for being at a shop, unless you knew the first couple months no work would get done.

I brought the boat in knowing wait time was going to be a little bit. I wanted to have the bot physically on site so when it was my turn there were no delays. That being said, I brought Eddie my cover and he made sure he took care of it during the wait. I don’t boat October through February anyway so it worked perfect. As for the new boat look, absolutely right. Might have to keep this boat a little longer than originally planned
 

t&y

t&y
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
15,692
Reaction score
27,526
That is badass. I had them do some interior repairs and gel work on my old Carrera. Boat came out looking almost new (I didn't have the bank account for a complete redo). Good experience all around.
 
Top