The
Early Days
In 1945 with his mustering-out pay from the
U.S. Army, George Ensley, Sr. established Ensley's Radio Company.
The original location, a small room above the grocery store in downtown
Aurora, N.C., was rented for $12 a month. Armed with his training
from the Army as a radio operator and telephone lineman, he set about
selling and servicing electronics.
In those early days house radios were the primary equipment sold and serviced
by Ensley's, but as the electronics industry evolved so did his business. It
wasn't long before local yachtsmen and fishermen began to request communication
and navigation equipment for their vessels. As a result the marine electronics
business was born in eastern North Carolina. Eventually house radios faded
into the past and marine electronics became Ensley's primary focus. 
The
company changed locations several times as opportunities dictated. From Aurora,
it moved to Morehead City, N.C., Key West, Fla., Savannah, Ga., Bayboro, N.C.,
and finally to New Bern, N.C., where it is today. (At the start of the Korean
War, Ensley was called on to keep the McKay office in Savannah open.) Ensley's
Radio Co. has been at its present location between the Neuse and Trent rivers
since the mid-60's. The area has grown considerably in terms of both commercial
and recreational business. Sincethe early 60's Ensley's has been closely aligned
with boatbuilders in the area, providing marine electronics equipment, consultation,
service and installation, as needed.
Hatteras Yachts and Ensley's Radio Co. have worked in concert
since the early 60's when the boats were trucked from High Point, N.C., and
assembled in Morehead City. Hatteras was just starting out and relied heavily
on our 20 years of experience in the marine electronics field. We have outfitted
hundreds, if not thousands, of Hatteras Yachts and are widely recognized
as the expert on marine electronics and applications involving Hatteras Yachts.
Ensley's is the company Hatteras calls on when experience and expertise are
needed.
Over the years we have served many boatbuilders, shipyards and consumers, and
we continue to do so. It is not uncommon for us to be called in for consultation
when new designs are on the drawing board. Our expertise is considered to be
among the best in the industry and our longevity proves it. We literally have
customers all over the world who continually rely on our services year after
year.
