Get Hook'd

Mercury Marine’s Bass-angling team finished a record-breaking season in high fashion Saturday when Kevin Vandam claimed the Bass Elite championship on the Alabama River, locking up his sixth Bassmaster Angler of the Year title to go with wins by Mercury anglers at every regular-season 2010 Bass Elite event. The Mercury team also got a win from Vandam early in the year at the Bassmaster Classic.
(continue reading…)

Mercury Marine earned a trio of honors in the inaugural Powerboat Magazine Readers Choice Awards.

The popular MerCruiser and Mercury Racing sterndrives powered Mercury Marine to win the “Favorite Sterndrive Manufacturer” category.
(continue reading…)

Brunswick Corporation today announced that it has sold Triton Boats to Fishing Holdings, LLC, an affiliate of Platinum Equity. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“This decision was part of our ongoing strategic review to further refine our product portfolio and best focus our resources on those brands and marine segments that we believe are core to our success going forward,” said Brunswick Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dustan E. McCoy. “As such, Brunswick will maintain its leadership position in the recreational and fishing boat markets, with a strong presence in the freshwater and sportfishing segments as well as leading brands in the runabout/cruiser and yachts segments.”

In connection with this transaction, production of Triton fiberglass boats will be relocated from Ashland City, Tenn., to Flippin, Ark. Lund fiberglass manufacturing will be moved to the Brunswick Boat Group’s (BBG) Tellico fiberglass boat manufacturing facility in Vonore, Tenn., while Trophy fiberglass fishing boats will continue to be built in Ashland City through the remainder of the year as Brunswick evaluates strategic alternatives for the brand.

Brunswick will retain rights to certain intellectual property and other rights to Triton aluminum boats, and will continue to sell those models under license as part of Brunswick’s aluminum portfolio. These boats will continue to be built at BBG’s Lebanon, Mo., aluminum manufacturing facility. BBG’s Cypress Cay pontoon boats, which are manufactured in Ft. Wayne, Ind., and carried by many Triton dealers, are not affected by this transaction.

Brunswick’s Mercury Marine unit will continue supplying propulsion systems to Triton and Fishing Holdings’ other brands.

As a result of these actions, Brunswick said it estimates that the associated restructuring charges could total between $18 million to $20 million, pretax, of which $15 million was recorded in Brunswick’s second quarter financial results.

“These decisions, while strategic in nature, are never easy or without difficult consequences,” McCoy concluded, “but they are nevertheless required by business realities, and are no reflection upon the dedication and expertise of the men and women at the Ashland City facility.”

About Brunswick

Headquartered in Lake Forest, Ill., Brunswick Corporation endeavors to instill “Genuine Ingenuity”(TM) in all its leading consumer brands, including Mercury and Mariner outboard engines; Mercury MerCruiser sterndrives and inboard engines; MotorGuide trolling motors; Attwood marine parts and accessories; Land ‘N’ Sea, Kellogg Marine, Diversified Marine and Benrock parts and accessories distributors; Arvor, Bayliner, Bermuda, Boston Whaler, Cabo Yachts, Crestliner, Cypress Cay, Harris FloteBote, Hatteras, Lowe, Lund, Meridian, Ornvik, Princecraft, Quicksilver, Rayglass, Sea Ray, Sealine, Suncruiser, Triton Aluminum, Trophy, Uttern and Valiant boats; Life Fitness and Hammer Strength fitness equipment; Brunswick bowling centers, equipment and consumer products; Brunswick billiards tables and foosball tables. For more information, visit http://www.brunswick.com.

Ranger’s 620VS Fisherman has long been a mainstay among multi-species anglers across the country. Whether pursuing monster walleye, musky, pike or anything in between, the 620VS delivers the ability for anglers to successfully target fish in adverse conditions. Boasting the legendary pedigree of the Ranger Fisherman Series, the 620VS is redesigned for 2011 with an all-new interior ideally suited for the modern tournament angler, guide or big-water fishing family.
(continue reading…)

Inshore fishing can take on different meanings depending on which part of the country anglers wish to wet a line. Might be redfish, trout or snook for some; others might prefer striper, tarpon or calicos. But regardless of which inshore waters an angler may roam, versatile equipment is a must – and that versatility should extend to the boat. The new Ranger 220 Bahia, debuting for the 2011 model year, brings versatility, performance and fishing features to suit any style of inshore fishing with accessibility to suit many families and even pier and jetty anglers.
(continue reading…)