Correct Craft is a United States-based builder of powerboats primarily for
waterskiing
Water skiing (also waterskiing or water-skiing) is a Surface water sports, surface water sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat or a Cable skiing, cable ski installation over a body of water, skimming the surface on two skis or ...
and
wakeboard use. It was founded in 1925 by Walt C. Meloon as the Florida Variety Boat Company. Correct Craft is the oldest family-owned and operated boat manufacturer in the world.
Correct Craft owns Nautique, Centurion, Supreme, Bass Cat, Yar-Craft, SeaArk and Bryant boat companies, Pleasurecraft Engine Group, Parker boats and Aktion Parks.
Subsidiaries
*Nautique specializes in Ski, wakeboard and wake surf boats with their main brands being
Ski Nautique Ski Nautique is a line of water ski tow boats produced by Correct Craft. Ski Nautique is the oldest brand of dedicated water ski boats, with the first example having been built in 1959. Along with MasterCraft and Malibu, Nautique is one of three bo ...
and
Air Nautique
*
Centurion Boats was purchased by Correct Craft in 2015.
*Supreme
*Bass Cat
*Yar-Craft
*SeaArk
*Bryant boat companies
*Pleasurecraft Engine Group
*Parker boats
*Aktion Parks
History
Walter C. Meloon founded the Florida Variety Boat Company in 1925
in Pine Castle, Florida
Pine Castle is a census-designated place and unincorporated area in Orange County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Initially settled in 1870, the town's devel ...
. In 1930, the company changed its name to Pine Castle Boat and Construction Company. Eight years later the company again rebranded as Correct Craft.[ The company was incorporated in 1947.][
In 1945, American troops had reached the ]Rhine River
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
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, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
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but lacked the transport boats needed to cross it. Correct Craft was commissioned to supply the needed storm boats within a month's time. Reports vary on the number of boats required, placing the number between 300 and 600. At that time, Correct Craft produced less than 50 boats over the course of a month. The company did not work on Sundays, and despite production pressure, refused to open production on a Sunday. The production was finished ahead of schedule. National Geographic called it "A Miracle Production." The United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
awarded the company an "E" flag for efficiency.
Walter C. Meloon retired from his position as company president in 1955, and his son, Walter O. Meloon, became the new president.
The company received a government contract for 3000 boats in 1957. Inspectors expecting a payoff began rejecting boats the company made when they received no compensation. At the end of the year, Correct Craft had delivered 2,200 approved boats but had 600 rejects on hand. The chief inspector returned 40 of the previously accepted boats. The order had cost the company more than it had made, putting it in debt. A complaint to the Corps of Engineers to honor their end of the contract was ignored. A creditor advised that Correct Craft seek protection under Chapter 11
Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (Title 11 of the United States Code) permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such reorganization, known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is available to every business, wheth ...
of the Bankruptcy Act
Bankruptcy Act (with its variations) is a stock short title used for legislation in Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States relating to bankruptcy. The Bill for an Act with this short title ...
which would allow the company to continue operations, which it accepted in August 1958. Torrey Mosvold, head of Mosvold Shipping Company, loaned Correct Craft the capital needed to pay off its debts. The Pakistani government
The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the four provinces, two autonomous territories, ...
ordered more than 200 of the assault boats still sitting in Correct Craft's warehouse, as well as six larger boats. Local automobile dealer Bud Coleman granted the company a ten-year loan on the plant property. Correct Craft was released from Chapter 11 at the start of the year in 1965. Subsequently, the Corps of Engineers offered Correct Craft a $40,000 settlement to drop the previously filed complaint.[
Correct Craft released its first ]Ski Nautique Ski Nautique is a line of water ski tow boats produced by Correct Craft. Ski Nautique is the oldest brand of dedicated water ski boats, with the first example having been built in 1959. Along with MasterCraft and Malibu, Nautique is one of three bo ...
boat, the first fiberglass ski boat, designed by Leo Bentz, in 1961.[ It was the world's first tournament inboard ski boat.][ In 1986, ]SeaWorld
SeaWorld is an American theme park chain with headquarters in Orlando, Florida. It is a proprietor of marine mammal parks, oceanariums, animal theme parks, and rehabilitation centers owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment (one park will be ...
signed a contract with Correct Craft to supply Ski Nautique boats for ski shows at their marine parks. In 1995, Suzuki
is a Japan, Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan. Suzuki manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, All-terrain vehicle, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motor, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs ...
obtained domestic rights as the only distributor of Correct Craft boats in Japan in exchange for Suzuki carrying only Correct Craft boats.[
The Total Surface Control (TSC) hull design was released for the Ski Nautique in 1997. At that time, there were four models of the Ski Nautique available: the original Ski Nautique, the Sport Nautique introduced in 1989, Nautique Super Sport introduced in 1995, and Ski Nautique 19"6.][ The Sport Nautique was the official towboat of the Wakeboard World Championships, the U.S. Wakeboard Open, the Wakeboard Masters, and the U.S. National Wakeboard Championship in 1995 and 1996.
The Meloon family sold its stock in the company in 2008,] and Ambassador Enterprises obtained full ownership of the company.
Under its subsidiary brand, Aktion Parks, Correct Craft acquired the Orlando Watersports Complex (OWC), the world's premier cable wake park, in August 2012. In September 2013, Correct Craft announced that Aktion Parks was building the Miami Watersports Complex, a 90-acre water sports park.
In October 2014, Correct Craft acquired PCM Marine Engines, Crusader Engines Inc., and Levitator Performance Airboat Engines which operate together as Pleasurecraft Engine Group. Correct Craft acquired Bass Cat Boats as well as Yar-Craft, a walleye boat line owned by Bass Cat, in March 2015. In June 2015, Correct Craft acquired majority interest in Centurion Boats and Supreme Boats, based in Merced, California
Merced (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Mercy") is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California, Merced County, California, United States, in the San Joaquin Valley. As of the 2020 Census, the city had a population of 86,333, up ...
.[ Correct Craft acquired SeaArk Boats, an aluminum finishing boat company based in ]Monticello, Arkansas
Monticello ( ) is a college town in, and the county seat of, Drew County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 9,467. Founded in 1849 in the Arkansas Timberlands near the Arkansas Delta region, the city has long be ...
, in May 2016.[ Correct Craft announced the acquisition of Bryant Boats, based in ]Sweetwater, Tennessee
Sweetwater is a city in Monroe and McMinn counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the most populous city in Monroe County. The population was 5764 at the 2010 census and 6,312 at the 2020 census. Sweetwater is the home of the Craighead C ...
, in January 2017.[
]
References
External links
* {{Official website
American boat builders
Manufacturing companies based in Florida
American companies established in 1925
1925 establishments in Florida