New 2021 Alumacraft Comptitor 165

Charting the Course

From wrought and cast iron products for construction, the Flour City Ornamental Iron Company had developed additional proficiency in aluminum.  Company president Harry J. Neils imagined a way of putting this know-how and talent to good use: producing aluminum boats for the Upper Midwest’s active angling community. The Alumacraft brand was born, becoming one of the very first aluminum boat manufacturers in the United States.

The trend toward greater comfort, more style and added features continued with the Queen Merrie. Super sleek with its one-piece extrusion gunwale side decks and coaming, it boasted an optional sporty convertible canvas top or elegant fiberglass hard top, with back-to-back open seating also possible.

Focusing on the decades of craftsmanship and expertise our workforce had developed in manipulating aluminum to shape our early boat models, we began producing stretch-formed hulls, consisting of two sheets of aluminum.

By the time we celebrated our golden anniversary, we had made over half a million boats. We dedicated our half century of success by introducing the revolutionary 2XB hull design. Signifying “twice the boat”, the 2XB was a twin-plated one-piece deep V, with larger spray rails and aircraft-grade rivets.

Our track record of design innovation and focus on the customer experience, coupled with our talented, dedicated workforce, mirrored the attributes that have brought success to BRP. This made Alumacraft the perfect choice for the powersports manufacturer as it created its new Marine Group.