History of Nautique® Boats

The journey to becoming Nautique® Boats was a long road. This company, which now manufactures high-quality, watersport-friendly boats, has humble origins in Central Florida. Understanding all the trials and triumphs that Nautique Boats went through until today will give you a better appreciation for their commitment to creating vessels with the latest, most innovative technologies and features. You can learn more about our inventory when you come to The Harbor (Boat & Yacht Sales) in Branson, Missouri. We welcome customers from Kansas City and Springfield, Missouri. 

Formation

The foundations of Nautique Boats go back years and years. In the beginning, this company started as a dream of W.C. Meloon after moving to Central Florida. He founded the Florida Variety Boat Company, which had many adjustments before it would manufacture Nautique Boats. 

Expansion During WWII

During World War II, the company that would later sell Nautique Boats received several government contracts. They opened a manufacturing facility in Titusville, Florida, and began producing larger boats. The company also developed a unique production process to build vessels of high quality more efficiently. 

Innovations

After the war, a dizzying array of boats and innovations came out of this company. The company had changed its name before the war to Correct Craft but was still not producing Nautique Boats. In 1948, they designed large racing runabouts and custom runabouts. They became the first company to add versatile swim platforms to their boats in 1952. 

Entrance into the Ski World

In 1957, the first Ski Nautique was built by Leo Bentz, which ushered in a new and exciting era in the history of Nautique Boats. By 1961, the Ski Nautique was one of the brands manufactured by Correct Craft. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Correct Craft introduced many new Nautique Boats, including the Barefoot Nautique and the Ski Nautique 2001. 

Continuing Upgrades and New Technologies

From the 1990s to the present, there have been dozens of exciting changes and upgrades to the Nautique Boats line. In 1990, the Ski Nautique was transformed with a sloping transom and a wide beam, and the first wakeboard-specific boat was developed in 1997. And in 2011, Ski Nautique Boats celebrated 50 years of excellence in design and manufacturing. Every year, Nautique Boats continues to introduce boats with new technologies at the forefront of the boating industry. 

Are you excited to purchase one of your own Nautique Boats? You can become part of a boating tradition that began back in the 1920s. Visit us at The Harbor (Boat & Yacht Sales), and you can see for yourself the high quality of all the boats we have for sale. Our dealership, located in Branson, Missouri, serves Springfield and Kansas City, Missouri.