MasterCraft Boat Company (NASDAQ: MCFT) cemented its leadership as an innovator in the towboat category with its sixth innovation award in seven years for its groundbreaking DockStar Handling System, an exclusive option available on select 2017 MasterCraft boats. Announced at last weekend's Miami International Boat Show, the National Marine Manufacturer's Association (NMMA) and Boating Writers International honored MasterCraft with this award as one of just 19 winners out of 63 evaluated products.
"We're thrilled to receive yet another innovation award from the NMMA recognizing that MasterCraft products are the most innovative in our industry," said Terry mcNew, President and CEO of MasterCraft Boat Company. "Our award-winning technologies are why many boat owners choose MasterCraft and the DockStar Handling System is a great example of how our engineering can benefit consumers. DockStar not only simplified navigating tight spaces like docks and marinas, it also improved the handling of MasterCraft boats."
The patent pending DockStar Handling System enables boat drivers of any ability level to confidently drive in reverse and more easily navigate tight docks and crowded marinas. MasterCraft's engineering team conquered two equally important charters with the innovative DockStar Handling System: enable drivers to control a boat in any direction in reverse and improve the docking and maneuverability capabilities of an inboard drive MasterCraft. The DockStar Handling System enables this through a pair of low-profile, flanking rudders that enable port-side reverse control, which was previously unattainable with any inboard towboat, while also greatly assisting during docking and controlling the vessel at low speeds.
Continued Legacy of Industry Innovation
In the last three years MasterCraft's top new products and technologies all received the annual Innovation Award from the NMMA and Boating Writers International. In 2014, the company's Gen 2 Surf System that provided perfectly shaped, chest high waves at the touch of a button received the annual designation. The same year, the company's ultimate ski boat, the ProStar, received the Innovation Award due to a bevy of innovations like the convertible bow, pioneering storage system for skis and unparalleled flat wakes. In 2015, the company's ultimate wake surf boat, the X23, also received the Innovation Award being recognized for its groundbreaking hull design and compartmentalized ballasts that deliver the longest, most customizable waves on the market.
To learn more about the DockStar Handling System and see the technology in action.
