Tony Lind could skin a beef by age 5. Growing upon a small farm outside Kent, Washington, he got to work early in the family business: custom farm slaughter, butchery, and meat processing. That was, of course, punctuated by frequent mornings in the duck blind and afternoons in the bass ponds.
When Tony was 14, his father added asphalt patching to the Lind Family enterprises. When he wasn’t hunting, fishing, schooling, or playing pitcher and quarterback, he was working. Despite clocking a 92-mph fastball in his first semester at Central Washington University, Tony found himself in the swamps and sloughs more than he did the ballfields or lecture halls. He dropped out before he could flunk out. With a brief career in taxidermy, he kept working with his father and brother before branching off into his own paving business at 31.
Tony and his crew have put down asphalt up and down Washington State and in municipalities and military bases across the country. He now employs 26 people, many of whom come fishing with him frequently. In 2016, Tony purchased a 33-foot Ocean Sport—the first iteration of Jim Lindell’s legendary long-range adventure designs. But then he saw the third iteration. He and his partner Tammy witnessed the Lindell Yachts 42 at the Seattle Boat Show and he promised her they’d own one someday—heck, it practically had his name written all over it.
And they did. Three years ran by in their 42’ model before Frank brokered a deal to sell it while the shop began construction on Tony’s brand-new 46’ custom yacht. More deck space means more friends can come along and fish.
“It’s really fun to get to be a part of the boat build,” Tony said. “It's kind of a unique opportunity. I don't think you could go to Viking and get to hangout in their shop and watch what they do. Those things don't happen.”
“There’s not enough things I can say about how great the guys are at Lindell,” he continued. “Mark is a pleasure. Brian is great, Frank is great. Everyone there. They’re not my boat builders; they’re my buddies.”
There are, of course, no great men without great women. Tammy Kahne and Tony have been together for two decades. Their shared love for wild places has led them hunting and fishing far and wide. But there’s no place they’d rather be than out on their boat.
As much as anything though, Tony is all about the hard, precise work that goes into a Lindell Yacht: “If I thought there was a better boat, I’d go buy that.”
We hope you enjoy our Lindell Anthem film featuring Tony: Fish Hard, Rest Easy.
