Aluminum RIB and tender manufacturer Highfield Boats is going on tour with cruising couple Billy Swezey and Sierra Growth, creators of the video blog Tula’s Endless Summer. While between boats, the couple embarked on a U.S. road trip they call the Dare to Explore Tour. They’re driving a truck camper with a custom-built Highfield Patrol 540 in tow from Florida to Maine, and documenting their adventures and DIY experiences on their YouTube channel.

“After getting to know Sierra and Billy and their dog, Jetty, for more than two years as they lived aboard, worked on and voyaged in their 40-foot sailing catamaran, we are excited to be a part of this new adventure,” said Tom Watson, general manager of Highfield Boats USA.

For the road trip, Highfield Boats supplied the couple with the 540, which has a T-top, an SUS 700 console and bolster, a Honda BF100 outboard motor and a custom trailer. 

“One of the main reasons we got a truck camper was to be able to tow a boat behind it, and the new Highfield Patrol 540 has been a breeze to tow because of its light weight,” Billy said. “The performance of the Patrol 540 has been amazing so far.”

He continued, “A few of the things that have really impressed me are:

  • How well the boat handles choppy conditions
  • The impressively low fuel consumption of the 100hp Honda outboard paired with the Patrol 540
  • The speed we can cruise at in comfort (20-25 knots)
  • How quickly the boat gets up out of the hole and on plane
  • And all of this with the ability of the boat to carry up to 12 people.”

Billy added, “We have been wakeboarding and surfing off the back of the Patrol 540 and the stern tower on the boat makes it perfect for that. We have been clamming and fishing off the RIB and have also been doing a TON of exploring along the bays, oceans, and lakes of the East Coast. We look forward to taking the Patrol 540 to find some remote surfing and kiteboarding spots as we head further north as well as exploring some of the islands off the coast.”

At press time, since picking up the Highfield RIB in Georgia, the couple had traveled to the Outer Banks (including a ferry ride to Ocracoke Island, North Carolina); Lake Anna in Virginia; Ocean City, Maryland; and Long Island, New York.

Watch Tula’s Endless Summer on YouTube to follow the adventure. 

highfieldboats.com