Why Brazda’s Brands

Three of our new-boat brands—Pioneer, Bulls Bay and Avenger—are all assembled in South Carolina by a family-owned company. The emphasis of the owners, Roy McSwain and Mike Holmes, is always on quality over quantity. No shortcuts, no compromises. The fourth new-boat brand, Mitzi Skiffs, also are built by a small company and are specially designed for the close-in shallows of local waters.

Used boats offered for sale here are given a thorough inspection by our certified technicians before going on our lot, including any periodic or interval service that is due. Used boats remain the property of their owners, who set prices and respond to offers made through Brazda Marine.

Pioneer – From bow to stern, hull to hardware, every Pioneer is designed and built for endurance. Hulls are capped while still in the mold, which means each boat sits in the mold for at least 24 hours. The deck is bonded to the hull for a seamless strength that withstands rough waters and any sort of impact. The bond is permanently watertight. Every surface is full-finished fiberglass, even the bilge. The laminates used in Pioneer boats are a blend of bi-axial, quad-axial and proprietary iso-based resin, as well as top-quality gel coat—giving excellent strength for weight. The foam flotation system built into every Pioneer puts dense, closed-cell foam in 90 percent of the space between the hull and deck, making each boat virtually unsinkable. In addition, the ride is quieter, and the boat feels more solid underfoot.

Bulls Bay – If Pioneer boats are the premier line of the family business, Bulls Bay offers a way to step into a new boat, with a new motor, rather than settling for a used boat. The same dedicated craftsmanship goes into every Bulls Bay that goes into the Pioneer line because they’re built in the same factory by the same people. The owners of the company figured out how to build the lineup with minimal tooling and lower upfront labor costs, and then passed the savings to customers. Named for the low-country shallow-water bay between Georgetown and Charleston, S.C., Bulls Bay boats offer classic lines along with great fishability, durability, and rideability.

Avenger – A low-profile bay boat originally built in Louisiana, the Avenger name has been popular in Louisiana for 40 years, with some of the originals still in use by fishing guides there. These Carolina Composite boats were reintroduced with improvements and adaptations that make them more fishable and highly useable. The line features a modernized hull design and an offset transom that opens the back deck for more fishing room. The redesign also allows for flotation in the setback, which helps performance—no squat like some shallows boats with big engines tend toward. The redesign also included enlarging the storage boxes, and a few style improvements that make the boat appealing to the fisherman as well as to the cruising family.

Mitzi Skiffs – Based in Bailey, N.C., these boats are designed and built on the principle that you don’t have to spend a fortune to have a great shallow-water skiff. Tom Mitzlaff began the line when he couldn’t find the fly-fishing boat he wanted, so he built it. Clean, simple layout; shallow draft; quiet moving through the water; inexpensive to own and operate. The lineup is all-composite, wide-bottomed, ranging in length from 15 to 17 feet, with options on equipment and layout.