An outboard motor is a propulsion system for boats, consisting of a self-contained unit that includes engine, gearbox and propeller or jet drive, designed to be affixed to the outside of the transom. They are the most common motorised method of propelling small watercraft. As well as providing propulsion, outboards provide steering control, as they are designed to pivot over their mountings and thus control the direction of thrust. The skeg also acts as a rudder when the engine is not running. Unlike inboard motors, outboard motors can be easily removed for storage or repairs.
Brunswick Corporation, formerly known as the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, is an American corporation that has been developing, manufacturing and marketing a wide variety of products since 1845. Today, Brunswick has more than 13,000 employees operating in 24 countries. Brunswick owns major boating brands, including Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, Bayliner, Mercury Marine, Attwood, Lund, Crestliner, Mastervolt, MotorGuide, Harris Pontoons, Freedom Boat Club, Princecraft, Heyday, Lowe, Uttern, Quicksilver and CZone, among many others. In 2021, Brunswick reported sales of US$5.8 billion. Brunswick's global headquarters is in the northern Chicago suburb of Mettawa, Illinois. On October 4, 2021, Brunswick Corporation announced that it has completed its acquisition of Navico, a global leader in marine electronics and sensors for $1.05 billion, adding to Brunswick the industry leading Navico brands of Lowrance, Simrad, B&G, and C-MAP.
Outboard Marine Corporation (OMC) was a maker of Evinrude, Johnson and Gale Outboard Motors, and many different brands of boats. It was a multibillion-dollar Fortune 500 corporation. Evinrude began in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1907. OMC was based in Waukegan, Illinois. They also owned several lines of boats such as Chris Craft, Lowe Boats, Princecraft, Four Winns, SeaSwirl, Stratos, and Javelin. OMC was also a parent company to Lawn-Boy and Ryan, which made lawn mowers.
Mercury Marine is a marine engine division of Brunswick Corporation headquartered in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The main product line is outboard engines. It also produces the MerCruiser line of sterndrives and inboard engines. Some manufacturing is in Fond du Lac, while 40-60 HP engines are made in China. Smaller engines are Tohatsus that have been rebadged.
Tohatsu Corporation is a Japanese company manufacturing and selling outboard motors, pleasure boats, portable fire pumps, small fire trucks, pumps for construction and drainage, and refrigeration units for transportation. It also does real estate property management in Japan.
Sea Ray Boats is an American manufacturer that produces recreational motorboats. It currently operates as part of the Brunswick Boat Group, a division of Brunswick Corporation.
Boston Whaler is an American boat manufacturer. It is a subsidiary of the Brunswick Boat Group, a division of the Brunswick Corporation. Boston Whalers were originally produced in Massachusetts, hence the name, but today are manufactured in Edgewater, Florida.
Bayliner is the world's largest manufacturer of recreational boats. Established in 1957 by Orin Edson, Bayliner currently has over 400 dealers in over 60 countries around the world. The company operates as part of the Brunswick Boat Group, a division of the Brunswick Corporation. Bayliner was acquired by Brunswick from Orin Edson in 1986 for $425 million. Bayliner facilities are located in Knoxville, Tennessee, Dandridge, Tennessee and Arlington, Washington, in the United States and in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, in Mexico. Bayliner also has a plant in Portugal for the European market and in Brazil for the South American market. Bayliner offers deck boats, center console boats, and bowriders ranging from 16 to 26 feet only.
Navico is a marine electronics company providing navigation, marine instruments and fish finding equipment to both the recreational and commercial marine sectors.
Chaparral Boats was founded in 1965 by William "Buck" Pegg and Reggie Rose in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The company's bellwether boat at the time was the 15-ft Tri-Hull with a sticker price of $675. Although the tri-hull was discontinued in the early 1980s, many remain in commission today.
Harris Pontoon Boats is a North American luxury pontoon boat brand. It is a subsidiary of the Brunswick Corporation and a division of the Brunswick Boat Group. Harris Boats pontoons are manufactured in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the Brunswick Boat Group Fort Wayne Operations facility.
Wahoo! was a United States-based corporation which built fiberglass recreational boats from 1985 to 1996. Wahoo! boats were built in Hanover Industrial Park, near Ashland, Virginia.
Jack F. Reichert was the retired chairman and CEO of Brunswick Corp, who made Brunswick a global leader, and helped the company "develop a presence that was virtually synonymous with the bowling and marine industries, two of the pillars of Brunswick’s current world leadership in recreation and leisure".
Genmar Holdings, Inc. was the second largest manufacturer of recreational motor boats, founded in 1978. It was headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota with offices in Little Falls, Minnesota and Cadillac, Michigan.
The US Yachts US 22 is an American trailerable sailboat, that was designed by Gary Mull and first built in 1979.
The US Yachts US 25 is an American trailerable sailboat, that was designed by Gary Mull and first built in 1981. The design is out of production.
Sealine is an English brand of motor yachts. It is originated in the former Sealine boatyard in Kidderminster that was founded in the 1970s by Tom Murrant. As of 2013, the brand belongs to the parent company of German HanseYachts AG.
The Buccaneer 200 is an American trailerable sailboat, that was designed by Alan Payne and first built in 1974.
The Columbia T-23, or Columbia T23, is an American sailboat that was designed by Australian Alan Payne and first built in 1973. The "T" designation indicates that the boat is designed to be trailerable.
