WSR_January/February 2009_Issue

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o r l a n d o ,
f l o r i d a
SURF@SURF EXPO
september 24-26, 2009
s u r f e x p o . c o m
8
|
8 0 0 . 8 4 7 . S U R F
WATERSPORTS RETAILER
january
/
february
2009
•
A
SUPPLEMENT
TO
WAKE
BOARDING
MAGAZINE
W A T E R S P O R T S
The Official Newsletter of the
Water Sports Industry Association
a
O
HOW THE SUMMIT
IS PROVING
ITS VALUE
Rusty Malinoski’s Hyperlite
Marek wakeboard is just
one of the products making
their debut at the 2008 Surf
Expo.
THE FEBRUARY 2009 EVENT OFFERS TOP SPEAKERS, IN-DEPTH
STRATEGIES AND THE BEST NETWORKING OF THE YEAR.
by Chris Tauber
L
et’s work together!”
It’s a eureka moment
as Larry Meddock
blurts out a possible
slogan for the Water Sports
Industry Association’s 2009
Summit in the Snow. “Yeah,
I like that,” he says. “Maybe
that’s our theme. At the end of
the day, this industry is about
the people trying to make their
businesses work.”
That sentiment holds true in
the best of economic times and
WATERSPORTS RETAILER
the worst. As the WSIA looks to
bring together manufacturers,
dealers and notable figures for
its annual Summit gathering in
Park City, Utah, on February 9
to 11, it’s clear that the market
challenges are tough. That’s
why building relationships for
future success is more important than ever, and why working together will be the driving
force of the 2009 Summit.
Now the WSIA is making
a special push to attract more
dealers to join the boat companies, gear brands, media and
more already represented in
force at the Summit. As Correct
Craft President and CEO Bill
Yeargin says, “In tough economic times, it is important to
have every edge. The Summit
gives dealers the chance to pick
up information that can pay for
their trip many times over.”
Incorporating that concept
into the “Let’s work together”
idea, here are four reasons that
industry leaders offer on why
the Summit is worth the time
and money.
1. Learn from experts outside
the industry.
From the beginning, the
Summit has prided itself on an
exceptional roster of speakers
from the most recognized companies in the world. Attendees
raved about the inaugural
Summit in 2007, which featured
speakers from Harley-Davidson,
Continued on page 6
1
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
NEW PRODUCTS
Dear Water-Sports Industry:
Each time I sit down to write these
letters, I have to look into my crystal
ball and project into the future about
60 days, since this is how long it
takes to get this newsletter to print
and distributed to you.
Predicting the future can be a
daunting task. I have been in this
industry a long time and there are a
few things I know for sure. This is
the job and the sport in which I chose
to make my living. The industry has
always been fun, but not without its challenges. The one thing
I can always count on: It is and always will be cyclical. So what
do we do in a down market? You can quit if you want to, or you
can stay the course in the most exciting sport on the planet
and plan your strategies for a strong boat show and selling
season.
This is where I think the WSIA can help. The ’09 Summit
in the Snow is well on its way to bringing you some of the very
tools you may be looking for. We are putting together the best
possible lineup of speakers to educate and motivate you and
your dealership. We are going to start with Bob Negen from
WhizBang! marketing and sales training. Bob knows what it
takes to make it in these difficult times and has the credentials
to prove it. He knows that selling is more about relationships
than price or product. He can help you!
Rolex Executive Vice President Doug Meine is also going
to speak. Remember, nobody needs a Rolex … but everybody
wants one. He will share how Rolex has consistently been able
to survive in the most challenging economic times.
Our morning speakers are going to be none other than
Peter Townend (“PT”), the surf industry legend, and Bastien
Renard of Nike. PT was a member of the Bronzed Aussies in
the ’70s and won the surfing World Championship in 1976.
He has remained a marketing agent and consultant in action
sports for 30-plus years and has been involved with a number
of major action-sports brands, including marketing his son Tosh
Townend, one of the best skateboarders in the world.
Renard, responsible for launching Nike 6.0, is going to
bring you into the world of Nike, the number-one name in
sports. He will share with you how the company views the
world of water sports and what Nike is doing in these challenging times. All of these speakers have volunteered their time
to help make an impact in the world of water sports. We hope
you are inspired to attend this year’s conference in February.
The 200-plus member WSIA thinks it can help you find
your sales groove for ’09 if you will join us at the Summit in the
Snow. For me, quitting is not an option, and I hope you agree.
We’re looking forward to seeing you February 9-11, 2009, in
Park City, Utah!
WSIA President
www.wsia.net
We can accomplish together what none of us can do alone.
2
Moomba Outback V
The all-new Outback V is
extremely driver-oriented in every
respect. The Outback V, which
measures just under 20 feet, has
gained in width and depth, featuring higher gunwales and a wider
beam than its predecessor. The
deck layout has ample seating
for the length. The hull design
features a drop-V keel that allows
slalom and wakeboarding all in
one boat. The new stringer design
improves the structural rigidity.
It includes an Indmar 325 hp
V-8 engine, a new driver seat with
riser seat, and a cockpit area
that puts all gauges and switches
within the driver’s reach. In addition, the new battery-saver ignition switch acts as a kill switch
for all nonessential powered
elements when the boat is turned
off. Other features include doubletracking fins, four-blade CNC
prop, a one-piece nonskid swim
platform with improved platform
mounting and nine stainless-steel
cup holders. It also features the
most sought-after standard features. The tower folds to standard
garage height.
For more information, visit www.
skierschoice.com.
Kwik Tek AirHead Outrigger
The 89.5-by-76-inch Outrigger
is one of the liveliest towables
because of the air pocket underneath. Two oversized topside
neoprene panels protect
elbows and
knees. The
two inflated
fins on the
perimeter really
help riders stay
on top. Six
deluxe handles with neoprene
knuckle guards provide a great
grip for one, two or three riders.
The heavy-duty Kwik-Connect and
Boston valve provide quick and
easy rope hookups, inflating and
deflating.
For more information contact
www.airhead.com.
Liquid Force Phillip Soven
Pro Board and Binding
Adding to its already
extensive high-performance line of wakeboards and bindings,
Liquid Force is proud
to release the all-new
Phillip Soven Pro Model
wakeboard, the S4, and
the Soven Pro Model
binding.
The S4 is a new
and improved highperformance version of
the PS3, designed to be
a consistently smooth
and forgiving ride with
more firepower behind
it than its predecessor. The S4 features a
progressive three-stage rocker
for more pop, a double-concave
to quad-V hull design for faster
rail-to-rail action, an all-new fin
configuration for more control and
easy release off the wake, and
variable edge rails.
Along with Phillip’s new board,
Liquid Force also designed an
all-new boot. The Soven boot
features the Liquid Liner 2, which
gives the rider the ultimate
support and comfort. It also
features dual ankle-cuff
tightening straps to dial
in the perfect fit for the
rider.
For more information
visit www.liquidforce.com.
WATERSPORTS RETAILER
Sportsstuff Introduces
Doables
Sportsstuff introduces its new
towables, called Doables. These
first “controllable towables” put
the rider more in control than ever
before, with the ability to slalom,
spin and do a combination of moves in a
straight-line boat
pattern. One
of the Doables
is the Lulu. It
includes the
patent-pending
VEER towing
system and Tiger
Tooth fins. The
Lulus are oval and
have no front or back
– they are towed from the bottom
of the tube. They slalom, spin and
are perfect for combo moves. The
Lulus take practice but it is worth
it. There are three models in the
Lulu series: the Lulu PVC (opening
price point), and the fully covered
Lulu 1 and Lulu 2.
For more information visit www.
sportstuff.com.
Nautique Byerly Icon Edition
Nautique announces that it will
begin selling a limited number of
the customized Byerly Icon Edition
Super Air Nautique 210 boat.
Byerly’s custom-designed Super
Air Nautique 210 Icon Edition is
decked out with a variety of exclusive features. Byerly’s signature
logo is located throughout this
210. It also sports detailed pieces
in metallic fury red and jet black.
This 210 even includes LED cup
holders and LED grab rails that
illuminate in fury red. Additionally,
Byerly’s personal signature is
inlaid on the back of the boat and
his logo is embroidered on the
upholstery.
For more information visit www.
nautiques.com.
WATERSPORTS RETAILER
Monster Tower Cargo
Bimini Rack
This unique two-in-one product
offered by Monster Tower means
your Bimini top not only gives you
shade, but also storage on top
for up to three wakeboards or
one inflatable. Two sizes fit any
brand of wakeboard tower, and
it is adjustable for all
tower configurations.
It is made of jet black
Sunbrella fabric and
stainless-steel fittings,
with super-tough nylon
clamps. It tilts for
easy loading, and
bungees hold
boards in place.
For more information visit www.
monstertower.com.
Malibu Wakesetter VLX
The 2009 Wakesetter VLX
deck and hull were completely
reshaped and feature a new
gelcoat design. The color areas
are customizable with 25 Malibu
colors. Along with the VLX’s exterior changes, there is powerful
performance behind this redesign.
The chine lines have been
straightened to perpetuate tight
controlled turns under power.
The strakes are sharp at the front
of the boat and flat in the back
for a great combination of water
displacement at wakeboarding
speeds. The hull transitions have
been reshaped to change the flow
of water beneath the boat and
sculpt a better wake-sports wake.
This wakeboard boat offers
push-button personal presets for
setting wake size and shape and
boat speed in one easy-to-access
profile. Those interested in slalom
can opt for Malibu Boats 21-foot
Diamond hull to satisfy both sides
of their water-sports personality.
And for big wakes you can throttle
the VLX back to a wakeboard clip.
The Wakesetter VLX has a
new hand-wrapped dash. Two
banks of MUX switches with LCDs
join the available Malibu Rockford
Fosgate stereo system controls,
and traditional 5-inch Medallion
gauges.
For more information visit www.
malibuboats.com.
2009 CWB Zeus Boot
The Zeus is constructed with the
patented Switch Hinge and a new
revolutionary suspension system
that is totally concealed, allowing
for easy entry and zero heel lift.
The suspension system provides
a custom adjustment to the hinge.
This boot features an innovation that allows the rider to
customize the fit and function plus the preferred flex
of the boot. The HLS heel
strap holds your ankle back
and down. The industry-first 6-Plate is
25 percent
lighter and
stiffer,
and it
creates a
smaller footprint, allowing more stability and
board control. An articulated toe
wrapped in Lycra provides superb
comfort. A new removable toe
stiffener allows the rider to customize the firmness. A
fourth upper lace loop
is optional for higherend support. Available
in sizes S to XXL.
For more information visit www.ridecwb.
com.
Benny G Series
Straight Line’s Benny
G handle and rope are
designed specifically
for performance, with
anti-roll arms for quicker spin
response, cushy EVA grip and
pencil floats for rider visibility. The
rope has a 100 percent nonstretch
yellow Dyneema core with a black
urethane coating for an extremely
soft, flexible and durable covering.
Combined, they make for a 90-foot
total riding length, with various removable
sections down to a 72-foot riding
length.
For more information visit www.
slsports.com
MasterCraft Introduces
MariStar 255
MasterCraft unveils the MariStar
255. At 25 feet, 5 inches, the
twin-point MariStar 255 offers a
completely new, modified deepvee hull. While great for towing,
it is meant to hit the big waters,
providing a dry ride.
With its 102-inch beam, the
MariStar 255 offers room enough
for 18. Up front is the infamous
MasterCraft pickle-fork bow that
is laced with chic touches like
billet aluminum speaker grills and
pull-down armrests.
The back features the largest
wraparound interior in its class.
Features include an observer’s
seat that can face forward or
backward, a cushy cockpit, a head
that is fully equipped with a vacuflush toilet and freshwater sink, a
six-speaker luxury sound system
that is satellite-radio ready, contoured seat backs and integrated
polished grab handles.
The transom walk-through
set in the middle of an oversized
sun pad will entice most to make
their way to the water. It features
an integrated step-down and an
oversized boarding platform. It
comes with a standard 90-gallon
fuel tank.
For more information visit www.
mastercraft.com.
3
WAKE AWARDS
Night of a Thousand Stars
WSIA and WakeBoarding magazine recognize wake’s
best and brightest at Surf Expo
By Eric Michael
W
ith Surf Expo in full
swing, the eyes of
the entire watersports industry
focused on the stage as the WSIA
announced the winners of its
annual Leadership Awards on
Sept. 13. The event took place in
conjunction with WakeBoarding
magazine’s gala Wake Awards,
which are presented by Rockstar
Energy Drink, at the Orange
County Convention Center in
Orlando, Florida. With more than
1,000 buyers, exhibitors and
media in attendance and fueled
by free-flowing libations, there’s
absolutely no better time or place
to recognize our most progressive
players.
WSIA President Jim Emmons
and Executive Director Larry
Meddock presented honors
in six categories to recognize
manufacturers and retailers who
performed above and beyond
the pack in 2008. The winners
— Liquid Force, Ronix, Nike 6.0,
Performance Ski & Surf, EVO
Gear and Active Water Sports
— each represent the type of
innovative vision and commitment
to excellence that are pushing
Liquid Force
4
the water-sports industry into the
future.
After the applause for the
Leadership Awards winners
subsided, the fifth annual Wake
Awards took off. The event, which
has become the most prestigious
honor in the industry for professional athletes, celebrates the
most accomplished wakeboarding
and wakeskating performances
of the past year, as voted by a
50-member panel of experts.
Highlights included a repeat for
Rusty Malinoski as Wakeboarder
of the Year, a Legend Award
honor for Zane Schwenk, and the
video unveiling of Danny Harf’s
Wakeboarding Move of the Year
— a switch toeside 1260.
For video clips of the ceremony, visit mywake.tv. To offer
feedback on the event, please
e-mail comments to editor@
wakeboardingmag.com.
WSIA LEADERSHIP AWARDS
Manufacturer of the Year:
Liquid Force
Buzz Brand of the Year:
Square One – Ronix
Best Ad Campaign:
Nike 6.0
Retailer of the Year:
Performance Ski & Surf
Breakout Retailer:
EVO Gear
Promotion of the Year:
Active Water Sports
WBM WAKE AWARDS
Rail Master:
J.D. Webb
Best Wake Rider:
Danny Harf
“On Point” Award:
Harley Clifford
Best Women’s Wakeboarder:
Nicola Butler
Photographer of the Year:
Josh Letchworth
Best Video Performance —
Wakeboard:
Rider: Danny Harf
Editor and producer: Sean Kilgus
Best Video Performance —
Wakeskate:
Rider: Danny Hampson
Zane Schwenk
Editor: Brandon Parker
Producer: Scott Byerly
Best Video:
Push Process – Oakley / 1242
Productions
Director: Justin Stephens
Executive producer: Matty
Swanson
King of Wake:
Phillip Soven
Queen of Wake:
Nicola Butler
The Legend:
Zane Schwenk
Move of the Year — Wakeskate:
Stu Shinn – Wake-to-wake backside bigger spin
Move of the Year — Wakeboard:
Danny Harf – Switch toeside 1260
Best Wakeskater:
Nick Taylor
Best Wakeboarder:
Rusty Malinoski
Philip Soven
WATERSPORTS RETAILER
Danny Harf
Nicola Butler
Nike
Rusty Malinoski
Oakley/1242 Productions
WATERSPORTS RETAILER
EVO Gear
J.D. Webb
Stu Shinn
Nick Taylor
Square One (Ronix/Radar)
Active Watersports
5
COVER STORY
cont’d from page 1
Surf Expo and the National
Boating Safety Advisory Council
(and which featured lots of
fresh powder on the slopes).
As a result, attendance grew
for the 2008 Summit, which
showcased speakers from
Starbucks, Penske and Fuel TV.
Continuing that tradition,
this year’s Summit gathers
together a set of speakers
that exists nowhere else in
the water-sports industry. The
business leaders scheduled to
attend include Douglas Meine,
executive vice president of
Rolex; Peter Townend, longtime surf-industry icon; Bastien
Renard of Nike 6.0; and entrepreneur expert Bob Negen of
WhizBang! Training. “These are
people who know how to be
successful in many economic
conditions,” Meddock says.
The Summit setting allows
attendees not just to listen to
the keynote address, but to drill
down to take-away details in
the afternoon workshops and
casual one-on-one talks after
the official sessions and in the
mornings on the mountain.
Bob Negen, WhizBang! Training
2. Sit down with the people
important to your business.
Consider Park City neutral
territory. While competing
brands are represented among
the WSIA organizers and the
Summit attendees themselves,
the meals, networking and
snowboarding are times when
competition is put aside in the
interest of growing the industry. They are also when the selling stress of Surf Expo and the
6
boat-show season dissipates so
that people can instead focus
on big-picture strategies for the
coming year and trends worth
riding.
Also, with many brands
scaling back or eliminating their
dealer meetings in these times,
the Summit is an important
chance to touch base, face to
face — manufacturers, dealers,
reps and other vendors — so
that every side can appreciate
what challenges each is dealing
with. “This camaraderie and
communication are invaluable
for the industry,” says Buzz
Watkins of Sail & Ski Center in
Austin, Texas, who has not yet
been to the Summit but sees
the difference it can make.
“In tough times, it will be very
helpful to learn how others
are coping with similar circumstances.”
Granted, dealers across
the country are looking to
shore up sales while lowering
expenses. A recent report by
Spader Business Management,
for example, cited boat dealers
having cut expenses 9 percent
in the first three quarters of
2008 alone. A harder line on
budgets means dealers will
have to carefully watch more
than ever what and where they
choose to invest. The Summit
can be a wise choice when
there’s potential for better
terms from manufacturers and
vendors, new advice on how to
increase the soft-goods sales
in your showroom and better
tools for how to turn your website’s traffic into stronger sales
leads.
3. Discover the importance
of relationships with
customers.
Speakers ranging from
Harley-Davidson Steve Piehl to
Rolex’s Meine share a common
theme. “I’ve been a big proponent of the business philosophy
that you’re not selling a product, you’re selling a relationship,” Meddock says.
The brands that thrive often
do so when the customer
Key Summit Dates
Jan. 18: Deadline for early-bird discounts
Feb. 9: Summit kicks off in Park City with industry dinner and
keynote speaker
Feb. 10: Full day of Summit activities, including breakfast
speakers and afternoon breakout sessions, plus second
industry dinner and keynote speaker
Feb. 11: Final events of Summit, including breakfast speakers
and afternoon breakout sessions
For more information and to register, visit the Water Sports
Industry Association’s website at wsia.net.
feels that the sales staff truly
appreciates his business and
is attentive to his specific
requests, and when the customer receives prompt, courteous attention in the years after
he buys the product concerning
warranties and service. Brands
can also foster relationships
between customers, as HarleyDavidson and Nike do so well
in sponsoring events and offering ways for brand loyalists to
connect. It becomes not just a
dollars-and-sense arrangement,
but an emotional connection.
That’s especially important
for brands that cater to the
recreational and luxury market,
as the water-sports industry
does. “I like a line I heard once
from Porsche: ‘Nobody needs
a Porsche but everybody wants
a Porsche,’” Meddock says.
“Rolex deals with that too. The
same thing is true with boats;
nobody needs an $80,000
wakeboard boat, but lots of
people want them.”
To make that business work
requires a better understanding
of how to build an emotional
connection with customers
through effective relationships.
Learn this at the Summit, and a
dealer can start putting plans in
place to effectively enhance his
business.
4. Recharge for the 2009
season.
Speaking of emotions,
everyone in the industry has
been on an intense ride from
Surf Expo through the boat
shows; with the Wall Street
roller coaster looming, it all
can be unbelievably draining.
The WSIA has made sure the
Summit is both beneficial to
business and a well-deserved
breather for attendees and their
families. Spouses and children
are welcome to attend, with
special discounts extended for
accommodations and lift tickets.
Mornings through early
afternoons are blocked off as
time for attendees to enjoy the
offerings of Park City — from
the Olympic-class ski runs and
snowboard pipes to the historic
town. Afternoon sessions are
held literally steps away from
the bottom of the slopes, so
WATERSPORTS RETAILER
INSIDE THE INDUSTRY
WSIA and Fuel TV Team Up
to Produce TV Commercial
Peter Townend, 1976 World
Surfing Champion and board
sports marketing guru
people can head in, grab a hot
chocolate and sit down in full
snow gear. Many people arrive
the weekend before or stay a
night or two after the Summit
closes to take full advantage of
the travel costs and make the
trip a true getaway.
In the relaxed atmosphere
comes an abundance of nopressure networking opportunities, whether it’s a late-night
dinner in town with a group
of colleagues or a shared ride
up a ski lift where business
ideas and business cards
are exchanged. With just the
right number of attendees —
enough that the full range of
the industry is represented but
not so many that you get lost
in the crowd — networking is
easy and natural. And everyone
is looking to both relax and plan
ahead.
But amid those reasons
and more to attend the 2009
Summit, ultimately it’s a chance
to do something, to take charge
and steer your business to a
brighter year. “This is not the
time to stick your head in the
sand and retreat,” Meddock
says. “This is the time instead
to expose yourself to as
much as you can. Let’s work
together.”
REGISTER
TODAY FOR THE
2009 SUMMIT
IN THE SNOW
AT WSIA.NET
WATERSPORTS RETAILER
WSIA has produced a 30-second
television commercial promoting
life jacket wear airing on Fuel TV.
The WSIA is an active supporter
of the National Boating Safety
Advisory Council (NBSAC), the
United States Coast Guard (USCG)
and the National Association of
State Boating Law Administrators
(NASBLA).
NBSAC and USCG have
published a strategic plan aimed
at reducing boating fatalities. This
plan calls for increased rates of
life jacket wear in all aspects of
recreational boating. The WSIA has
taken a proactive position to help
NBSAC and USCG achieve their
strategic goals.
“This TV commercial speaks
to the sport of wakeboarding,”
says Larry Meddock, executive
director of the WSIA. “The WSIA
represents all towed water-sports
manufacturers, and we want
everyone to be wearing a USCGapproved life jacket while engaged
in a towed water sport.” Unfortunately, many people do not wear
life jackets, according to statistics
gathered by industry experts.
Fuel TV’s vice president of
programming, Shon Tomlin, offered
the air time if the WSIA would
help cover some of the production
costs. “We were at the WSIA’s
Summit in the Snow in Park City
last February when it became clear
that there is a need for promoting
increased life jacket wear. We saw
an opportunity to help and we did,”
says Tomlin.
The PSA airs throughout the
day, seven days a week on the
action-sports network Fuel TV. You
can also see the commercial by
going to wsia.net.
New Nautique Dealer
Launched in Central Florida
For more than 83 years, the Nautique brand has offered high-quality
boats built on the foundation of
superior customer satisfaction.
Located just off I-4 – Orlando’s
main thoroughfare – Correct Craft
is celebrating the opening of its
new Central Florida dealership,
Nautiques of Orlando. This location
allows greater accessibility and
a larger service-bay area for its
Nautique owners. But the biggest
impact will be seen with customer
service. Leading the team is owner
and industry veteran Jeff Husby, a
seven-time Correct Craft Salesman
of the Year award winner with
more than 15 years of Nautique
experience.
Greg Meloon, vice president of
product design and development
and great-grandson of founder
Walter C. Meloon, adds, “We are
thrilled to continue our long-lasting
relationship with Jeff Husby. His
dedication to the Nautique brand
and his principled business practices are congruent with our commitment to integrity, product quality
and technological ingenuity.”
Nautiques of Orlando is located
at 2226 Paseo Ave. in Orlando,
Florida.
manufacturing company built by
their family, and will reopen the
site of their former dealership,
Southeast Correct Craft, as the
new MasterCraft of Orlando. “In
the many years we were in the
marketplace with MasterCraft, we
were always aware of their strong
commitment to quality and product
innovation,” says Walt Meloon,
owner of MasterCraft of Orlando.
“As we analyzed the various
options available to us in light of
our recent sale, we felt we had an
outstanding win-win opportunity to
partner with an industry leader like
MasterCraft, and we firmly believe
we have tremendous opportunity
to gain market share.”
MasterCraft of Orlando is
located at 7576 South Orange Ave.,
Orlando, Florida.
Fineline Industries
Acquires Gekko
Malibu Boats is introducing a new
price-point wakeboard boat division
under the name Axis Wake Research. These entry-level boats will
be made available to select dealerships as early as January 2009.
Upon analyzing the wakeboard
boat industry and surveying boat
owners in the price-point market,
Malibu identified specific owner
expectations that were not being
met. These customers have a
strong desire for a price-point
wakeboard boat. This research
showed these buyers want big
wakes that are not wrapped in the
“OK for everything” compromise
many price-point boat manufacturers push.
Axis Wake Research realized
that by carefully sourcing components and materials, while employing in-house fabrication, lean
manufacturing, unique production
processes and strategic sales and
marketing practices, Axis can offer
low cost to the customer without
compromising quality.
Axis boats will not be built
on the same production line as
Malibu Boats. Malibu and Axis
are two different brands of boats
in goal and scope, but they share
the same parent company.
For more information, contact
research@axiswake.com.
Gekko Sports joins Centurion
boats under the Fineline Industries
banner with factories in Merced,
California, and Woodland, North
Carolina. Gekko boats will be
produced in both locations.
Fineline brings Gekko’s dealer
network an established infrastructure and commitment to quality
products.
Mark Overbye will join
Fineline’s management team as
chief marketing officer, overseeing branding efforts and fostering
growth for all brands under the
Fineline umbrella.
With an aggressive growth
mandate, Fineline’s plans to intensify dealer relations, refine consumer
reach and strive to become the
vendor of choice are initiated by
the acquisition of Gekko Sports.
For more information, contact
Mark Overbye at mark@mocts.com.
MasterCraft and Walter N.
Meloon Family Announce
New Dealership
MasterCraft has joined forces with
Walter N. Meloon, of the famed
marine industry family, to open
MasterCraft of Orlando.
The Meloons recently sold
their shares in Correct Craft, the
Malibu Boats Introduces New
Price-Point Boat Division
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