A good example are the boats you see out on Elliott Bay every day -- Coast Guard SWAT teams protecting our waterfront. And they're doing it aboard homegrown boats, built right here in Puget Sound.

Safe Boats International could be the poster child for the new economy -- the Homeland Security economy.

They build fast, durable boats, and they finally convinced the Coast Guard that the boats are perfect for guarding our nation's vulnerable coastline.

"What the difficulty was, was in getting the Coast Guard, who is so used to awarding contracts back on the East Coast, to recognize what we have out here on the West Coast," said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington).

Sen. Murray was instrumental in getting the Coast Guard more money for its growing role in homeland security. And now the Coast Guard is spending a big chunk of that money -- $145 million -- on Safe Boats, built right here in Port Orchard.

Add that to its Navy and Marine contracts, and the boat builder's immediate future is secure.

"I think the most important thing is jobs for the community, jobs for these people so they can provide for their families," said Safe Boats president Bill Hansen.

Safe Boats figures it can build most of the government boats with its existing workforce, but it has made some new hires of people who were desperately looking for work.

Darrin Hansen used to work in the aerospace industry. But he could see the writing on the wall, and jumped at the chance to work in an industry that's growing.

Meanwhile, Sen. Murray says the company is going to continue to expand and grow, and "bring manufacturing, a manufacturing base back to Puget Sound, which is so critical."

Safe Boats is under contract to build 700 boats for the Coast Guard over the next seven years. The company may hire another 30 to 40 people to help with the business.