Renedade's waiting list says it all
Demand is high for the boats built in St. Petersburg, as buyers get involved in decking out their machines.
By TERRY TOMALIN
Published January 6, 2006
TIERRA VERDE - Steve Hamilton's secret to success in the marine industry is being one part boater, one part businessman and one part psychologist.
"There are dog people and there are cat people," Hamilton said. "A dog lover doesn't want a cat, and a cat lover doesn't want a dog."
What does this have to do with building a great inshore fishing boat? Everything.
"Some people want a boat that they can run in skinny water and fish the flats on a stable platform," Hamilton said. "Other people want a boat that they can run inshore in the morning then take offshore in the afternoon. There aren't many companies that offer both."
Renegade Marine, which has been around the Tampa Bay area for more than 20 years, got a facelift four years ago when Hamilton, a St. Petersburg native, took over.
"I tried to modernize," he said. "I wanted to bring it up to date in terms of materials and design."
Since then, Renegade's St. Petersburg plant has pumped out a boat every Friday. Hamilton offers two lines - the Skate with two models and the Nomad with two models now and a third on the way - and there are waiting lists for each.
"These boats are not cheap," he said. "We had to increase the price when we modernized the materials. But we are finding that people are willing to pay for a quality product."
Renegade's sales increased 100 percent in 2004, 55 percent in 2005 and Hamilton expects the demand to continue into 2006.
"I think one of the things that makes them attractive is that we sell factory direct," he said. "The customer can come to the plant and participate in the construction process, from choosing the color to what extras they want on it."
Hamilton said he has sold to boaters as far away as Texas and New York in the past year, and he is making inroads into the European market. "Most of the sales are word of mouth," he said. "People see one on the water and they want to know where to get one."
With a background in performance boating - Hamilton has owned several Donzies and a 42-foot Cigarette Tiger - he thinks appearance is important, even in a fishing boat.
"Our boats have all the standards equipment you need in a fishing boat, including built-in livewells and coolers, but they also have a finished look," Hamilton said. "A lot of the hard-core fishermen that buy a boat want no frills at first, then they see one that is finished off and they say build me one just like that."
Renegade's Nomad line ranges from $17,000 to $45,000 and the Skate line ranges from $23,000 to $40,000.
The biggest seller in 2005 was the 20-foot Skate. Designed as a fishing "platform," this 20-footer can run in 8 inches of water. Nicknamed "The Beast" by early owners, this boat is billed in Renegade advertisements as "The H1 Hummer of the flats world."
Both the 20-foot and 17-foot Skate come with 30-gallon livewells fore and aft. This 17-foot flats skiff, rigged with a 115-horsepower Mercury, can run 50 mph. The boat is also impressively stable and capable of handling a tower.
The Nomad is Renegade's version of a bay boat. With a deep vee entry, the boat can handle a chop, and when at anchor the wide gunnels give it a walk-around "fishability."
The 18-footer is the biggest seller among the Nomad models, but Hamilton has a 22-footer due out soon that he thinks that will be the boat in demand.
"People are looking for more amenities," he said. "Our Skates come with a freshwater wash-down, and we are thinking about adding a porta-potty under the console of the Nomad to make it more of a family boat."
The 18-foot Nomad can be equipped with a poling platform or a casting platform on the fore deck. When rigged with a 145-horsepower engine, it is capable of speeds over 50 mph.
"I am a businessman, but I tell people I got my MBA in fiberglass," Hamilton said. "We are going after the Maverick, Hewes, Pathfinder customers and offering the same quality, but for $8,000 less."
THE 18 NOMADHull: Fiberglass
Bottom Style: Vee
Net Hull Weight: 900 pounds
Center Line Length: 17 feet, 7 inches
Beam: 6 feet, 8 inches
Draft: 10 inches
Maximum Power: 145 horsepower
THE 20 SKATEHull: Fiberglass
Bottom Style: Tunnel
Net Hull Weight: 1,100 pounds
Center Line Length: 20 feet
Beam: 8 feet, 1 inch
Draft: 8 inches
Maximum Power: 175 horsepower
For more information, call 727 822-7507 or go to www.renegademarine.com