Yar-Craft Boats are Back!

"Mark I'm very excited, I have a great opportunity in front of me, and I'm going to make the most of it" The voice on the phone was that of Corey Suthers, the new president at the helm of Yar-Craft Boats inc. A Michigan company based out of Menominee, Michigan. The sale of the company was made official on February 10, 2004 and Suthers immediately went to work on pursuing a new production facility and making the necessary changes to produce an already great boat even better. The response has been very positive, as 8 to 10 have already jumped back on board.

It is very difficult not to be excited after talking with this man. He is upfront about old problems and new fixes. He hired folks back that were laid off when the old company lost their dealer base, and promises to redefine the way a company stands behind their products. "We are planning to improve our manufacturing processes and tighten the specs on every line, as well as implement better engineering and design principals so we can lower the price per unit. We have already started to rebate some dealers on boats the new company didn't produce, but it's the right thing to do. We want the best customer service in the business. That is what keeps folks coming back."

Suthers has been successful in the manufacturing business for many years. The family business is called Norlen Incorporated and was established in 1964 by Len Peterson, Corey's Grandfather His father Tom took over the company in 1990. He pointed out quickly that he and father are the best of friends. The company is known for producing precision stampings, fabrications, and machining, which will come in handy in the boat manufacturing business. Corey also attended Duke University and majored in Marketing, which can't hurt. They also own Tommy Docks. The innovative dock idea came out of Norlen's production line so the outdoors is always on the mind of this father and son team. One of the most intriguing aspects of the purchase is Corey has already owned two Yar-Craft boats. Knowing a guy that owns and uses the boat regularly should prove interesting in future designs. The man knows Yar-Craft boats very well.

The 1895 Storm has been the company's bestseller over the years and plenty attention will be given to it. "We know they are great boats or we wouldn't have bought the company. We can build them even better." The company was also known for naming several boat lines after bodies of water in the region. The Bay de Noc series and the Michigan were also two of the tough boat lines made to handle what the Great Lakes can dish out. "We plan to make Yar-Craft boats popular again on the Great Lakes," Suthers stated. "We are also going to work with the Muskie anglers as there was a good jump on that line when we took over. Muskie fishing is really gaining in popularity. There will also be a heavy focus on boats that are comfortable enough to take the family boating or panfishing for the day."

The transition went very smoothly to the new owners and we can expect a newly updated Web site very soon. For more information and dealer inquiries, call the plant at (906) 863-4497.