Outdoor Network Purchases NauticStar Boats
Marine and powersports company Outdoor Network has acquired NauticStar Boats from Mastercraft Boat Holdings, Inc.
The family-owned business, which operates online parts retailers, dealerships, and distribution facilities, will make its first entry into boatbuilding with the acquisition. Outdoor Network was founded in 1999 in Albany, Georgia.
The deal was completed through Outdoor Network's manufacturing division, Boater's World Manufacturing Group (BWMG).
Outdoor Network currently owns powersports e-commerce businesses Boats.net and Partzilla.com, as well as Boater’s World Marine Centers and Ridezilla powersports retail stores.
The company plans to invest more than $6 million initially in a 212,000-square-foot waterfront manufacturing facility in Chocowinity, North Carolina, along the Pamlico River. The new funding is set to be allocated for facility upgrades, new equipment, and improved production capability. The investment is expected to create 179 skilled manufacturing jobs in North Carolina. Once complete, the upgraded facility will serve as the production center for NauticStar's full lineup of bay boats, hybrid boats, deck boats, and offshore center consoles.
"When we started Outdoor Network in 1999 with a single dealership, we never imagined how far the company would grow," said co-founders Tom and Billye D'Azevedo in a company statement.
"What hasn’t changed is our commitment to our customers, our employees, and the industries we love. Acquiring NauticStar is particularly exciting because it allows us to take the next step into manufacturing boats of our own. We believe in the NauticStar brand, its heritage, and its potential. Our goal is not simply to bring the brand back, but to build upon its reputation and establish a strong foundation for its long-term success," they said.
Outdoor Network CEO Martin Polo added: "The addition of NauticStar is a natural progression for our organization. By combining boat manufacturing with our existing retail, e-commerce, and distribution operations, we are creating opportunities that benefit our customers, dealers, and business partners. More importantly, we are providing NauticStar with the resources and long-term stability necessary to compete and grow in today’s marine marketplace.”
NauticStar's latest acquisition follows a series of relocations for the longstanding brand. Originally founded in 2002 in Armory, Mississippi by industry veteran Phil Faulkner, the company was purchased by MasterCraft Boat Holdings in 2017. In August 2022, MasterCraft announced it was reevaluating strategic alternatives for the brand, saying it would pursue a potential sale or discontinue the brand altogether while it concentrated resources on its MasterCraft, Crest, and Aviara businesses.
Six weeks later, in September 2022, Iconic Marine Group, owners of Donzi Marine and Baja Boats, acquired NauticStar with plans to rejuvenate the brand. NauticStar boats were briefly manufactured once again, but the production run was relatively brief and the brand was moved from Armory, Mississippi to Washington, North Carolina.
Under the new ownership, NauticStar's manufacturing operations will remain in North Carolina, moving just a few miles down the road to Chocowinity, North Carolina. Outdoor Network has not specified when production will restart or when boats may become available to dealers.
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein, the state's Department of Commerce, and local economic development officials all supported the investment in Chocowinity, according to NauticStar's announcement.
Outdoor Network said the investment will also extend beyond the initial $6 million commitment, with additional funding planned for facility improvements and production capabilities. The company also identified its dealer network as a centerpiece of NauticStar's new growth strategy, citing product availability, parts and warranty support, and communication with dealers as central to its operations going forward.
Outdoor Network currently has six retail locations for its Boater’s World Marine Centers, and four retail locations for its Ridezilla powersports stores.
NauticStar boats is currently teasing the launch of an all-new 244 Bay Boat to be released soon. #news #nauticstar
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