Top Speed Boat Brands
High-performance boats, also known as go-fast boats, racing boats, cigarette boats, powerboats, etc. are high-speed boats used in racing, recreational, luxury, law enforcement, and many other applications. The designs of high-performance boats, while varied, are built for comfortable cruising and flexibility in water conditions. By convention, a high-performance boat exceeds top speeds of 60 mph, but many of these models hit 90+ mph and are valued for their unmatched power. The main categories of high-performance boats include:
- Cigarette boats – popularized by the Cigarette Racing Team, cigarette boats are the quintessential representation of high-performance watercraft. The term "cigarette boat" has become a moniker for most go-fast V-bottom boats in the industry, but are typically characterized by their long, cigarette-like appearance. With their slender hull and high-horsepower engines, these boats are iconic looking and impressively fast. Cigarette boats can often reach speeds of 90+ mph, depending upon the type of engine utilized.
- Catamaran speed boats – catamaran designs minimize wetted area on their hulls, using horsepower more efficiently than other boats. Because of this design, catamarans are the fastest high-performance boats on the market and are capable of speeds far beyond 150 mph when paired with high-horsepower engines.
- Go-fast center console boats – as their name implies, these boats have a center console that offers more deck space, seating options, and the ability to house multiple passengers. They are a great option for fishermen, as they have enough space for equipment and can handle offshore waters easily. They are a great alternative to speed-focused boats that sacrifice passenger space for performance, but don't be fooled; these boats still reach 60-85 mph with their two to four outboard motors.
- Offshore powerboats – are boats that can take on rough oceans, typically 35-50 feet in length, and are one of the oldest high-performance designs. They have been used for decades as the first racing boats and paved the way for other speed boat designs such as the cigarette and center console models. To this day, offshore powerboats are used in point-to-point races and can reach top speeds of 200 mph.
- V-Bottom speed boats – these boats are typically 25-50 feet long and are powered by 200-450 HP four-stroke engines not dissimilar to car engines. They often have multiple outboard engines, with some high-end models reaching 1500 HP, and are the most spacious, powerful, and no-compromise options on the market. There is much overlap between V-bottoms and cigarette boats, where manufacturers will usually choose their preferred distinctions.
Note that, depending on the manufacturer, these categories can overlap, and new boat designs are still being developed.
What are high-performance boat manufacturers and suppliers?
High-performance boat manufacturers and suppliers build boats for paired customers, often with customization in mind. They will take specifications such as navigation systems, quality of life features, power requirements, and aesthetics into consideration and produce a unique product for each customer. High-performance boat manufacturers use fiberglass, aluminum, and other materials to create the body of the boat, and manufacturers are often distinguished by their unique hull profiles. It is important to understand that boat manufacturers may not manufacture items such as the engines, GPS, or other technical equipment used in a boat but will source them from other manufacturers that focus solely on these subsystems (for example, Mercury Marine supplies engines to many of the manufacturers listed below while not producing boats themselves). Still, high-performance boat builders will source these parts and install them into the final product to provide a complete boat.
High-performance boat manufacturers are sometimes subsidiaries of larger brands and may not be standalone entities in the marketplace. There has been much consolidation in the boating market, and so many of the below companies are specific models of larger brand names not unlike various car brands under the same parent company. Regardless, each manufacturer specializes in a different type of boat and gives the customer a sizable array of choices.
The variance in high-performance boat design can make choosing a watercraft confusing. This article will explore the high-performance boat market by displaying the top high-performance boat manufacturers and suppliers in the USA.
Top High-Performance Boat Manufacturers in the USA
This table contains relevant information on the top high-performance boat manufacturers in the USA, determined by BoatTrader.com and Sevenseasus.com. Note this list is not exhaustive and provides only some of the largest players in the high-performance boating market. Additional details about each company are included such as headquarters location, the number of employees, the year founded, estimated top speeds for leading boat models, and brief company summaries. Dashes indicate where information was unavailable.
Table 1 – Top High-Performance Boat Manufacturers in the USA
| Company Name | Headquarters | No. of Employees | Year Founded | Estimated Top Speed |
| Cigarette Racing Team | Opa Locka, FL | 50-99 | 1969 | 140 mph [1] |
| DCB Racing | El Cajon, CA | — | 1990 | 159 mph [2] |
| Advantage Boating | Lake Havasu City, AZ | 1-25 | 1982 | 90 mph [3] |
| Donzi Marine | Washington, NC | 50-99 | 1964 | 120 mph [4] |
| Fountain Powerboats | Washington, NC | 250-499 | 1979 | 110 mph [5] |
| Baja Marine | Washington, NC | — | 1971 | 80 mph [6] |
| Nor-Tech Boats | Cape Coral, FL | 100-249 | 1991 | 85 mph [7] |
| Sunsation Powerboats | Algonac, MI | 25-49 | 1982 | 85 mph [8] |
| Mystic Powerboats | Port Orange, FL | — | 1996 | 200 mph [9] |
| Marine Technology Inc. | Wentzville, MO | 25-49 | 1999 | 150 mph [10] |
| Magnum Marine | Miami, FL | 25-49 | 1966 | 75 mph [11] |
| Skater Powerboats | Douglas, MI | — | 1978 | 180 mph [12] |
| Eliminator Boats | Mira Loma, CA | 25-49 | 1969 | 170 mph [13] |
| Hustler Powerboats | Calverton, NY | — | 1979 | 150 mph [14] |
| Wellcraft Marine | Key Largo, FL | 100-249 | 1955 | 80 mph [15] |
Company Summaries
Cigarette Racing Team, the original designer of the go-fast boat design, is one of the most recognizable names in the high-performance marine industry. Their attention to detail is unmatched and, despite changes in management over the years, they have remained a shining example of quality speed boat designers. Their Mercedes-AMG Cigarette Racing 515 Project One craft reached top speeds of 140 mph with its 3100 HP engine, and Cigarette continues to reach for higher speeds. Cigarette Racing is in Opa Locka, FL.
DCB Racing has been working for over two decades to build hotrod catamaran boats, and are coveted for their rigging, dock appeal, and eye-watering speeds. Their 35' catamaran model reports top speeds of 159 mph, running from 50 to 100 mph in under 11 seconds. DCB's boats are perfect for inland waterways and can be purchased from their facility in El Cajon, CA
Advantage Boating is a custom manufacturer of performance sport boats based out of Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Advantage offers fiberglass boats, pontoon boats, and outboard equipment in new and used conditions, and has 40,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space to create your custom-built watercraft. Their 30' Victory mid-cabin V-bottom speedboat topped out at 90 mph, with accelerations from 0 to 80 mph in just under 20 seconds.
Donzi Marine, a subsidiary of Custom Marine Group and sister company to Fountain Powerboats and Baja Marine, is a manufacturer of high-performance boats based out of Washington, NC. Originally built by the same man who created the Cigarette Racing brand, Donzi Marine's cigarette-style boats are stylish, quality, and fast at tops speeds of 120 mph.
Fountain Powerboats, also sharing its manufacturing space with Donzi in Washington, NC, is a manufacturer of center console boats and power boats capable of speeds up to 110 mph when paired with high-horsepower engines. Fountain Powerboats has some of the most iconic high-performance models, and despite changing ownership in recent years, their Fountain Lightning powerboat still holds a special seat in the hearts of speed demons.
Baja Marine, another subsidiary of Custom Marine Group, was the original owner of the Washington, NC manufacturing facility now shared by the previous two companies. Baja is a legendary brand in the high-performance V-bottom speed boat market, and their Outlaw series of boats are lightweight, nimble, and delivers top speeds of 80+ mph.
Nor-Tech Boats of Cape Coral, FL is a well-established manufacturer of center console boats, day yachts, and fishing boats. Their center consoles are beloved by fishermen and combine the fishability of more traditional models with the sporty, high-powered package of a performance boat. Their 34' center console with triple 300 HP outboard motors ran over 85 mph, despite having over 250 gallons of fuel and 4 passengers on board.
Sunsation Powerboats is a family-owned performance boat manufacturer based out of Algonac, MI. Their Center Console Xtreme line offers a great blend of affordability and speed, with their 32' model reaching a reported 85 mph at an attractive price point. They also provide customized boatbuilding, and their team is in constant demand thanks to their competitive pricing.
Mystic Powerboats is a manufacturer of luxury, high-performance center console and catamaran boats. If looking for speed, Mystic can provide; in 2017 they shattered the current speed record with their 51 foot 'American Ethanol' catamaran at a screaming 200 mph, and still hold the record for the fastest offshore catamaran speed at 244 mph. Headquartered in Port Orange, FL, Mystic provides technologically advanced luxury boats for those looking for unmatched performance.
Marine Technology Inc. is an award-winning manufacturer of performance powerboats based out of Wentzville, MO. Their center console, open cockpit, and outboard-powered catamarans are some of the best quality go-fast boats on the market and have won numerous championships around the world. Their boats became so fast that MTI had to scale down their speeds to more reasonable levels for the average customer (if you count 150 mph as reasonable).
Magnum Marine, yet another lovechild of the creator of Cigarette Racing and Donzi Marine, is a manufacturer of luxury yachts and performance boats in Miami, FL. Their boats combine the sleek designs of go-fast boats with the amenities and space of large yachts, making them a livable seaworthy option for speed boat enthusiasts. Their 60' Series can reach speeds of up to 75 mph, which is impressive considering it contains two double staterooms, a large salon room, and a gallery.
Skater Powerboats is another gold-standard custom manufacturer of go-fast boats and catamarans. Before MTI and Mystic, Skater had performance catamarans capable of blinding speeds, and they currently own numerous models that can top 180+ mph. Their iconic custom boats are made with quality in mind and are hand-crafted from their headquarters in Douglas, MI.
Eliminator Boats of Mira Loma, CA is a custom manufacturer of high-speed catamarans and V-bottom powerboats. Eliminator was one of the early pioneers of catamarans and their current models can reach speeds of 150 mph, with a top recorded speed of 170 mph. They come preinstalled with high-quality materials, stereo, ice chests, dining tables, foot showers, and many more quality-of-life features that make Eliminator a crowd favorite brand.
Hustler Powerboats is a manufacturer of V-bottom high-performance boats. Their Rockit series of go-fast V-bottoms can easily reach speeds of 130 mph and have reached 150 mph in ideal conditions. Hustler claims to own the fastest pound-for-pound V-bottoms in the world and continues to innovate on their stylish designs. Their headquarters is in Calverton, NY.
Wellcraft Marine is an innovative manufacturer of powerboats, fishermen boats, and pleasure crafts. Though Wellcraft is currently owned by French boat manufacturer Beneteau, their high-performance boats are a popular option for American fishermen as they are zippy and stable. They also own the Scarab and Excalibur series of V-bottom go-fast boats that top out at 80 mph. They sell their boats to global customers and are headquartered in Key Largo, Fl.
Summary
This article outlined the top high-performance boat manufacturers and suppliers in the USA. We hope this information has been helpful to you in your supplier search. To learn more about these companies, or to make your own custom list of suppliers, feel free to visit Thomas Supplier Discovery where we have over 400 boat suppliers listed.
Sources:
- https://www.boattrader.com/
- http://www.highperformance-boatinsurance.com/
- https://www.coxmarine.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-cigarette-boats/
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Source: https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/top-suppliers/high-performance-boat-manufacturers-and-suppliers/
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