Sea Ray
Encyclopedia
Sea Ray is a brand of pleasure boats produced and sold around the world. The company currently operates as part of the Brunswick Boat Group
, a division of the Brunswick Corporation
.
by C.N. Ray. That company was bought by Brunswick for $350 million in 1986. At the same time Brunswick purchased the Bayliner
brand, making Brunswick Corporation
the largest pleasure boat producer in the world.
to over 60 foot yacht
s, including the well-known Sundancer brand. Sea Ray is based in Knoxville, Tennessee
and operates one factory in Tennessee and one in Florida
. Sea Ray designs and markets more than 40 models ranging in boats from 18 feet to 68 feet. Sea Ray's range of products was augmented even further in 1995 with Ray Industries' acquisition of a new subsidiary, Baja, the world's largest manufacturer of performance boats. Brunswick has since sold the Baja brand to another entity.
Sea Ray is the title sponsor for the annual AquaPalooza
boating festival, a multi-location boating event expected to attract some 12,000 boats and 56,000 people to over 100 locations worldwide in 2009.
On Friday, March 11, 2011 announced that their 205 Sport is the best selling sterndrive bowrider over 20 feet.
Brunswick Boat Group
The Brunswick Boat Group, headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States, is the largest maker of pleasure boats in the world. In 2008, the company's net sales were US$1.7 billion...
, a division of the Brunswick Corporation
Brunswick Corporation
The Brunswick Corporation , formerly known as the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, is a United States-based corporation that has been involved in manufacturing a wide variety of products since 1845. Brunswick's global headquarters is in the northern Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, Illinois...
.
History
It was founded as an independent company, Ray Industries, in 1959 in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
by C.N. Ray. That company was bought by Brunswick for $350 million in 1986. At the same time Brunswick purchased the Bayliner
Bayliner
Bayliner is the world's largest manufacturer of recreational boats. Established in 1957 by Orin Edson, Bayliner currently has over 400 dealers in over 60 countries around the world. The company operates as part of the Brunswick Boat Group, a division of the Brunswick Corporation. Bayliner was...
brand, making Brunswick Corporation
Brunswick Corporation
The Brunswick Corporation , formerly known as the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, is a United States-based corporation that has been involved in manufacturing a wide variety of products since 1845. Brunswick's global headquarters is in the northern Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, Illinois...
the largest pleasure boat producer in the world.
Overview
Sea Ray manufactures boats ranging from 17 foot power cruisersExpress Cruiser
An Express Cruiser is a fast cruising boat. To distinguish it from a cabin cruiser boat, it has a full head, a galley, sleeping space with two to six berths...
to over 60 foot yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
s, including the well-known Sundancer brand. Sea Ray is based in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
and operates one factory in Tennessee and one in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Sea Ray designs and markets more than 40 models ranging in boats from 18 feet to 68 feet. Sea Ray's range of products was augmented even further in 1995 with Ray Industries' acquisition of a new subsidiary, Baja, the world's largest manufacturer of performance boats. Brunswick has since sold the Baja brand to another entity.
Sea Ray is the title sponsor for the annual AquaPalooza
AquaPalooza
AquaPalooza is a multi-location boating festival, sponsored by Sea Ray boats. It is promoted as "The World's Largest Boat Party" and claims to attract over 12,000 boats to 100 locations mostly around the United States, but also in several international locations.The "Signature Event" was held on...
boating festival, a multi-location boating event expected to attract some 12,000 boats and 56,000 people to over 100 locations worldwide in 2009.
On Friday, March 11, 2011 announced that their 205 Sport is the best selling sterndrive bowrider over 20 feet.