Cruisers are by the far the most common in private usage, making up most of the 7 m to 14 m (23 to 46 ft) range. These boats can be quite complex in design, as designers try to find a balance between docile handling qualities, interior space, good light-wind performance and on-board comfort. The huge range of such craft, from dozens of builders worldwide make it hard to give a single illustrative description. However, most favour a teardrop-planform hull, with a wide, flat bottom and deep single-fin keel to give good stability. Most are single-mast 'Bermudan sloop' rigged boats, with a single fore-sail (of the 'jib' or 'Genoa') type and a single mainsail. Spinnaker sails, with huge areas, are often supplied for lightwind use. These types are often chosen as family vessels, especially those in the 8 to 12 metre (32 to 40 ft) range. Such a yacht will usually have many rooms below deck. Typically there will be 3 double-berth cabins, a single large saloon (galley, seating and navigation area) and a 'head' (toilet/shower-room). The interior will be finished in wood panelling, with plenty of storage space. Cruisers are quite capable of taking on long-range passages of many thousands of miles, so have large freshwater tanks. Such boats have a cruising speed of around 10 km/h. This basic design is typical of the standard types produced by the major yacht builders. Most large luxury yachts (15m+, 50 feet+) are also cruisers, but their design varies greatly as they are usually 'one off' designs to the specific needs of the buyer.
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Sea Ray is the world's largest manufacturer of superior quality pleasure boats, producing more than 40 models ranging from 18 to 68 feet. No other pleasure boat manufacturer in the world offers such variety. The four families of Sea Ray products include Sport Boats, Sport Cruisers, Sport Yachts, and Yachts.
Founded in 1959, Sea Ray was one of the first boat builders to use fiberglass and other high-tech composite materials in the construction of pleasure boats. The company's continuing innovations in unique styling, performance, interior design, technical systems, and many other areas, plus many revolutionary breakthroughs in technology and quality manufacturing processes, have placed Sea Ray at the top of the world's pleasure boat builders for over a quarter of a century.
In 1986, Sea Ray became part of the Brunswick Corporation. Sea Ray, together with the other divisions, makes Brunswick the world's largest producer of marine engines and boats. At twice the size of the next largest marine company, Brunswick's strength and expertise give Sea Ray the resources to employ the industry's best people and allow them to fund the ideas, innovations and investments required to be the industry leader.
Sea Ray's range of products was augmented even further in 1995 with Ray Industries' acquisition of a new subsidiary, Baja, the world's largest manufacturer of performance boats, and in 1996 with the purchase of the legendary Boston Whaler line of recreational fishing and commercial boats.
Sea Ray's employees at its seven manufacturing facilities, as well as employees at Baja and Boston Whaler, are committed to ensuring that Sea Ray customers are ultimately and totally satisfied. This commitment is not merely an ideal, but a corporate policy. As a result, Sea Ray's customer satisfaction ratings are among the highest in the world, and the resale value of Sea Ray boats is unsurpassed.
Sea Ray's focus on quality is evidenced by a complete line of boats that not only meet but also exceed the standards set by the United States Coast Guard, the National Marine Manufacturers Association, the American Boat and Boat Council and the International Organization of Standards (ISO). Sea Ray, in fact, is the first pleasure boat manufacturer to be certified for meeting the high ISO 9002 standards - a feat accomplished by all seven plants.
Quality. At Sea Ray, it's not just exacting attention to details. Or careful desire to use only the best suppliers, materials and components. Or employing the highest caliber people in the industry. Or four decades of being committed to be the very best in the boating industry. It is, for everyone in the Sea Ray family, a way of life.
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Tiara Boats, a division of S2 Yachts, Inc. has a rich boat building heritage which extends over four decades. We take great pride in providing our customers with yachts of sublime quality for years of enjoyment while maintaining a high resale value. Headquartered in Holland, Michigan, Tiara Boats also maintains a second manufacturing location in Swansboro, North Carolina to facilitate production of our 5200 Express, 5000 Open, and 4400 Express. The product for 2003 includes Open and Express models with inboard power from 29-52 feet. S2 Yachts also produces Pursuit boats from 22'-38' in inboard, outboard and stern drive configurations.
Leon Slikkers started at Chris-Craft in the joiner department making cabin tops in 1946. In the early 1950's Leon began building 14' runabouts in his garage after work. In 1954 he registered the Slickcraft name, and the following year he left a promising career at the age of 27 to open his own shop and fulfill his dream. He sold his house and started a small factory on Washington Avenue in Holland, Michigan. Leon began experimenting with a new materialcalled fiberglass in 1955. Within three years, the company put a few of the boats into production and, by 1963, had stopped building with wood completely.
In 1969, Leon sold Slickcraft to the AMF Corporation. He stayed on as President to head up three AMF companies (including Slickcraft), but eventually realized that the large corporation's business principles did not match his own and left after four years. Leon started over in 1974 building sailboats under the name S2 Yachts. Within ten years, S2 was one of the top five sailboat manufacturers in the United States, known for building both quality cruising vessels as well as racing boats. Gradually the company began producing high-quality power boats called Tiara Boats, and phasing out the sailboats. S2 Yachts then constructed a second facility in Ft. Pierce, Florida and, in 1977, added Pursuit to its product line up. In 1983, S2 Yachts purchased the Slickcraft brand name from AMF, and the following year, Leon Slikkers became Chief Executive Officer and David Slikkers was named President.
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