BREMERTON, Wash. — The first time Port Orchard's Chris Mogavero took the wheel of a Safe Boat was while he was stationed in Texas as a member of the U.S. Coast Guard.
"We could take that boat out and push it to its limits, and maybe past those limits, and she would get you home every time," he said.
Now, Mogavero works for Safe Boats as a training specialist. One of his jobs is to conduct thorough test drives to ensure that each boat meets its high standards before it reaches its new owner.
"Every boat that comes out of our factory is going to go to the water and we're gonna take it and we're gonna shake it down, push it to its limits to make sure that all the equipment on board is gonna work as advertised," he said. "Make sure there's no problems, no flaws and make sure the customer is getting the best possible boat out there."
With precision and expertise, Mogavero puts the boats through various maneuvers and tests to guarantee that they are seaworthy and ready for any adventure.
"We don't want a customer to have any kind of issues with that boat," he said. "A happy customer keeps us happy. We want to make sure they get home at the end of the day."
For Mogavero, being back home and working on the water has brought his career full circle.
"After 20 plus years in the Coast Guard, I still have a heart to serve. Working here at the factory and working at Safe Boats, I think most everybody here at Safe Boats feels the same way. We want to build a vessel that's going to get that crew out and back safely and have a successful mission," he said. "So, we need to make sure that the boats that we turn out can handle all the stresses and all the bad weather that nature can throw at you."
Chris Mogavero knows the work he does for Safe Boats is important. But it's also a whole lot of fun.
"All my friends are jealous, all my buddies that I retired with or served with, they're like, 'You got the best job ever.' And I said, 'Yeah, I have to concur,' Mogavero said. "This is the most fun you can have and get paid for."
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