Chaparral set for Big 50th Year

by Dani Limback on 27 Feb 2014 Buck Pegg, the founder of Chaparral Boats, celebrated 50 years as a boat builder this week with the news that his iconic brand of sports boats hold number one market share in the US from 18 to 37 feet.

From humble beginnings as a 20 year old, building one of the world’s first production bow riders to creating an industry institution in Chaparral Boats, acquiring Robalo in 2001 and ramping up production capacity to 10,000 boats per annum. This year Chaparral have revealed the introduction of a new jet boat range, have released a bay boat range from Robalo and have a number of new model announcements pending.

Mr Pegg has been asked several times this year about his intentions to retire, to which he answers; ' I am lucky that I have spent 50 years enjoying myself every single day, building boats is my hobby and I don’t know that you can retire from a hobby.’

The Chaparral team have undertaken an unprecedented R&D program since the beginning of the GFC, with a strong balance sheet and no debt, the dynamic duo of Buck Peck and Jim Lane have outshone their competitors releasing 36 new models over the Robalo and Chaparral range.

'With a worldwide reputation for Quality, Innovation & Performance, it is no wonder that the company now holds market share; the Chaparral sports boats are built to last in a saltwater environment, they offer higher free board, better fuel economy and brilliant handling,' says Scott O’Hare from Chaparral Australia.

'There is a Chaparral to suit most budgets and uses, from 18 foot entry level H2o to big cruisers and even the world’s only salt water wake boat. The Robalo fishing boat range are the best hulls I have ever driven, designed for offshore fishing with huge fuel capacities and the softest riding hulls in the business they are hard to beat!'

O'Hare continues: 'Buck, Jim and the team deserve every success and we look forward to some surprise announcements coming through, we are waiting on some exciting new model releases and especially reckon this year’s dealer conference will be pretty big, we are in training already!'

Happy 50th Birthday Chaparral!

For more information on the Chaparral Range go to www.chaparralaustralia.com.au or for Robalo www.robaloaustralia.com.au or contact Chaparral Australia on (03) 9397 6977.