Watch Out Mastercraft, Malibu, et al… Here Comes WakeCraft!

Sure, you haven’t heard of them, but with 37 years of experience in the inboard industry, most notably the founding, and subsequent sale, of Flightcraft boats to Malibu in 1989, there’s a good chance their stealth mode will only last for so long. So WakeCraft has a storied past with plenty of experience, who what makes them different than any other manufacturer out there?

Well, there are a couple of things, to start their first, and only, model, the ZR6 comes FULLY for $50,000. But you’re right, we’ve heard that claim before, so WakeCraft also has some unique marketing ideas in store as well. Doing away with the dealer network, WakeCraft is providing direct to customer sales and support, which removes a layer of cost in their product. Even more interesting is WakeCraft’s plan to capitalize on the pyramid scheme sales model by offering a $4,000 referral commission to any current WakeCraft owner that is responsible for a future sale. That alone will earn this young company a second look from many boat shoppers as the price of entry continues to climb throughout the industry.

In addition to an unorthodox marketing model, WakeCraft also brings substance to the plate with fully hand glassed construction, 375HP standard, a whole host of features including a unique Illusion X-esque tower, and custom graphics that are designed by the boat’s owner. Additionally, it appears as though there are some unique engineering ideas at work here, most notably the Prop Tunnel molded into the keel of the boat at the transom. We’ll have to reserve judgement until we can schedule a demo, but the pictures show a decent sized wakeboarding wake, and a surf wake that is friendly for either regular or goofy foot riders with the same ballast configuration.

With a unique approach to building and distributing boats, WakeCraft aims to do battle with Industry giants like Malibu, Mastercraft and Correct Craft, in addition to new comers like Epic. Time will tell if this young company can do things differently enough to get attention, without completely alienating their target audience.