By Mark Edward Nero
Anaheim-based watercraft design, engineering and
manufacturing company Willard Marine has acquired the rights to design and
manufacture Crystaliner boats, a line of surf and rescue vessels that have been
based on the West Coast for nearly six decades.
Crystaliner was founded in Southern California in 1956 by
John Norek and they specialized in fiberglass recreational and commercial boats
that were particularly popular with lifeguards, harbor patrol, and rescue
operations.
Crystaliner is credited with building the molds for the
Navy’s first 16 foot fiberglass lifeboat and in 1959, the first fiberglass boat
to win the Miami Nassau Race. Although the company closed its doors in 2012,
Crystaliners are still being used by law enforcement and lifeguard divisions in
California coastal cities, such as Long Beach. It’s estimated that more than
100 boats were sold throughout the company’s history.
Financial terms of the acquisition have yet to be revealed.
“Crystaliner is an iconic brand with a long, reputable
history and loyal customer following,” Willard Marine President and CEO Ulrich
Gottschling said. “To be more competitive, we must diversify our product
portfolio, and this is one of many moves planned over the next two years to
grow our business.”
Lewis Page, who served as general manager at Crystaliner for
14 years, and spent 34 years building their boats and tooling said in a
statement that Willard Marine is “unequivocally” the best boat builder today to
carry on the Crystaliner legacy “of making high-quality, top-performing boats
specific to lifeguards and rescue operations.”
“I am proud to collaborate with Willard’s highly skilled and
experienced team to produce a new lineage of Crystaliners that first responders
can depend upon for many decades,” Page said.
