If you know about boats and boating, you’ve likely heard of Mastercraft. This company makes boats with an excellent industry reputation. They’re not cheap, but you know you’re getting a quality boat that should last you a long time.

You might feel like purchasing Mastercraft boats if you’re ready to get serious about your aquatic excursions. Before you do, though, you might appreciate taking some time to learn about the history that led this company from humble beginnings to dominate the industry the way it does in 2023.

The Beginning

The Mastercraft company came to life in 1968 in Maryville, TN. The current headquarters is in Vonore, TN, near where the first boats were constructed in the 60s.

It was Rob Shirley, a water skiing instructor, who first conceived of the design ideas for Mastercraft boats. He was actually working for Correct Craft when he helped to come up with their basic model that sold very well. It was when Rob moved to Marysville in the latter half of 1968 that he founded the Mastercraft company. In the beginning, his workplace was a simple two-horse barn.

Later Models

If you flash forward to 2006, you’ll see that the company was able to branch out into a much more ambitious operation, producing more than 3,000 boats each year. You can buy them in over 25 different countries.

The ProStar was perhaps what put the company on the map and kept it there. It is what’s called a direct-drive ski boat. The company also started making the X Series of wakeboard boats. They use Ilmor Marine engines with engine blocks that come from General Motors.

The Current Models that Make Mastercraft an Industry Leader

If you want to try your hand at some wake surfing, wakeboarding, or water skiing, you can do any of those in 2023 with a Mastercraft boat. The company still makes the X series, and each new one that comes out features recent technological advances while still faithfully paying homage to earlier models.

It’s also noteworthy that the company went public in 2015. The IPO was able to raise 100 million dollars, proof that the industry was behind the brand and had accepted it as an industry leader.

Mastercraft has also expanded beyond the original line. There are multiple smaller entities that operate with Mastercraft as the parent company, such as Crest, which builds pontoon-style boats. It is located in Michigan.

You should also know about Aviara. That company makes premium luxury boats that are less sporty and more designed for cruising around marinas. There’s NauticStar Boats as well. They make various fishing boats.

Diversifying their products is another indication of the secure footing that Mastercraft has in the boating world. Their designs are duplicated by other companies, and they employ some of the most respected boat craftspeople in the world. Getting a Mastercraft or one of the company’s other brands shows that you’re serious about your nautical adventures, and you’re willing to spend money for quality.