OUR STORY

Walter C. Meloon created the Florida Variety Boat Company in 1925. During the early days, the company built a variety of craft ranging from powerboats to race boats and even sailboats.

By 1936, the primary focus of the company was the construction of powerboats. After hearing a radio advertisement explaining “the correct heel for your shoe,” W.C. thought, why not “the correct craft for you?” Thus the company name was changed to Correct Craft. Despite the Great Depression, the company continued to grow.

During the Second World War, the company’s reputation garnered the attention of the United States government, which desperately needed storm boats to support the war effort. Feeling a strong sense of patriotism, the Meloon family answered the nation’s call during its time of crisis. In 1942 the company opened a second plant in Titusville, Florida to manufacture boats through government contracts for the war effort.

Near the end of the war, General Eisenhower requested that Correct Craft build approximately 400 boats in thirty days – far more boats than the company had ever produced in such a short period of time. Nevertheless, through a combination of prayer and remarkable ingenuity, Correct Craft developed an innovative production process that allowed the factory to produce the needed number of boats in record time. This event, which National Geographic later dubbed “A Miracle Production,” solidified the company’s reputation as being a reliable, quality boat manufacturer.

In the mid 1940s through 1957, the recreational boat business prospered. The advent of fiberglass brought new possibilities to the marine industry in the 1960s and Correct Craft worked with designer Leo Bentz to bring the fiberglass Ski Nautique to market in 1961.

In 1966 the groundbreaking ceremony was held for a new manufacturing facility in Orlando, FL.

In the 1970s, Correct Craft produced an array of runabouts, cuddy-cabin and center console models including the Southwind, Martinique, Cuddy Nautique, Fish Nautique, Bass Nautique, and Ski Nautique. During the 1980s, towed watersports surged and the company’s Ski Nautique 2001 and Barefoot Nautique pulled many tournaments around the world.

In the 1990s, the focus on having no wake suddenly shifted to creating mountains of water behind the boat for kneeboarding and wakeboarding. Correct Craft invented a tower to add even more height to these extreme sports. The patented Flight Control Tower, combined with factory installed ballast tanks, revolutionized the wakeboard boat market and led to the creation of the Air Nautique.

In 2005, construction began for Nautique’s new 217,000 square-foot manufacturing plant located on the outskirts of Central Florida. The company moved to the new factory in June of 2006. In September of that year Bill Yeargin became President/CEO of Correct Craft, marking the beginning of a new strategic direction for the company.

In 2010, following the Great Recession, Correct Craft began execution of a new growth strategy that resulted in the acquisition of the following brands:

Aktion Parks – 2012
Pleasurecraft Engine Group – 2014
Bass Cat and Yar-Craft – 2015
Centurion and Supreme Boats – 2015
SeaArk Boats – 2016
Bryant Boats – 2017
Watershed Innovation – 2018
Velvet Drive – 2019
Parker Boats – 2019
Merritt Precision – 2019

In August of 2012, Correct Craft announced its purchase of the Orlando Watersports Complex (OWC). This first acquisition was a logical choice as OWC was viewed as complementary to Nautique’s boat business. The world’s most visited wake park offers three cable systems combined with a boat lake (where riders and skiers can train behind Nautique boats) providing an unparalleled opportunity for watersports enthusiasts to enjoy their sport in the world’s number one tourist destination.

Aktion Parks second park, Miami Watersports Complex (MWC) broke ground on July 1, 2014. Miami Watersports Complex is situated on a 90-acre fresh water lake in Miami-Dade County’s Amelia Earhart Park. In late March of 2015, the grand opening of MWC was held in conjunction with the first stop of the Monster Energy WWA Wake Park Triple Crown, a three-stop cable wakeboard series where riders competed for individual titles as well as the Wake Park Triple Crown overall series championship.

On October 16, 2014 Correct Craft acquired Pleasurecraft Engine Group (PEG), manufacturer of four engine brands, PCM, Crusader, Challenger, and Levitator. Correct Craft first partnered with PCM in the 1970s when they struck a deal for PCM to become the exclusive engine used in Correct Craft watersports boats. In 1998, PCM purchased Crusader Engines, creating Pleasurecraft Engine Group. Levitator was started in 2003 to provide engines for the airboat industry.

Correct Craft entered the bass and walleye fishing markets on March 24, 2015 with the acquisition of both Bass Cat and Yar-Craft. Bass Cat (the premier bass fishing boat) and Yar-Craft (the premier walleye fishing boat) are both manufactured in Mountain Home, Arkansas and are the quality leaders in their segments. Bass Cat led the entire boating industry in quality during the years JD Power reported on the industry and both it and Yar-Craft have outstanding product and customer service reputations. The Pierces, founders of Bass Cat, purchased Yar-Craft in 2011.

In June of 2015 Correct Craft acquired both Centurion and Supreme boats. Both brands, powered by Correct Craft subsidiaries PCM and Crusader Engines, are manufactured in Merced, California. Both Centurion and Supreme have long and proud histories in the towed watersports segment. Centurion is the official boat of the World Wake Surfing Championships and has been since it began in 1995. Centurion acquired Supreme Boats in 2011.

On May 16, 2016 Correct Craft entered the aluminum fishing boat market with the acquisition of SeaArk Boats. Manufactured in Monticello, Arkansas, SeaArk – the industry’s premier aluminum fishing boat – is the quality leader in their segment with both outstanding product and customer service reputations.

Correct Craft announced its newest acquisition of Bryant Boats on January 9, 2017. Bryant Boats is a respected high quality boat brand built in Sweetwater, Tennessee. With an already high appeal regionally, Bryant is well positioned for further national and global growth.

Founded in 2018 by Correct Craft, Watershed Innovation is focused on identifying, researching, developing and integrating exponential technologies to benefit Correct Craft, its subsidiaries and the marine industry. These ideas will strategically align with our businesses, our culture and our focus of “Making Life Better.”

On April 18, 2019 Correct Craft entered the offshore boating market with the acquisition of Parker Boats made in Beaufort, North Carolina. Parker manufactures center consoles, sport cabins, walk-arounds, and dual consoles and focuses on strength, simplicity, and seaworthiness.