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Boat Builder Merges New Business With Old Charity

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 8, 2008

Updated: 01/07/2008 11:34 pm

DADE CITY - A startling white 36-foot catamaran represents the fusion of Hans Geissler's business sense and humanitarian heart.

Geissler, 66, left the boat-building industry in 1994 to run Morning Star Fishermen, the Dade City charity that promotes fish farming as a solution to world hunger.

His quest to end hunger, however, brought him back to boats a year ago, as he reformed G-Cat Multihulls and opened shop in the Dade City Business Center. "It's a for-profit company aiding a nonprofit company," he said.

His resurrected company's small staff spent much of last year building the catamaran that sits in a 5,000-square-foot warehouse.

The 6,500-pound energy-efficient craft isn't complete, but Geissler has plans for it. In May, he'll take it on a 1,700-mile trip from St. Petersburg to Nicaragua as part of his Race Against Hunger.

Geissler plans to move to a 15,000-square-foot warehouse in the business center and build catamarans. He'd like to turn out one or two boats a month. Some profits from sales will go to Morning Star, the 11-acre fish hatchery and training center outside Dade City, where students learn how to raise tilapia.

Todd Leskanic

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