Courtesy Hacker Boat
By Maureen Werther
Hacker Boat company in Silver Bay, manufacturer of the mahogany Hacker-Craft boats, has signed a contract with a Thailand dealer, Classic Boats Lifestyle Ltd. that gives the local company a strong tie in the Asian market and boosts production.
Classic Boats Lifestyle Ltd. now has exclusive rights to sell the hand-crafted boats to resort owners, corporate clients and wealthy individuals throughout Southeast Asia.
George Badcock, owner of Hacker, said the agreement means that an additional 30 or more boats will be built over the next three years, a number that he anticipates will grow steadily as demand increases in the Asian market.
According to Badcock, the company is currently building approximately eight to 10 boats annually. “So, we believe this year, based on orders, we will build between 11 and 13 boats for Thailand and other customers.”
In anticipation of the increased work, Hacker has already hired six new employees since the first of the year, including one “rigger”—a technician who installs boat engines—and five woodworkers and varnishers.
Badcock said some of the workers are local, others have returned to the area, and still others travel 30-50 miles to work at Hacker. At this point, the company employs more than 30 people full time.
Badcock has owned the business since 2011. The vessels have long been a favorite of the wealthy, including celebrities such as Tommy Hilfiger, Donald Sutherland and Rachel Ray.
Founded in 1908 in Detroit by John Ludwig Hacker, the company gained a reputation for superior craftsmanship. After going through some turbulent times during the Great Depression, Hacker managed to hold on and continue to grow its reputation for power and sleek lines.
In 1959, local boat maker Bill Morgan took controlling interest of the company, which was in financial trouble, and moved the operation to Silver Bay in Lake George. Morgan’s level of craftsmanship and commitment to excellence propelled the company back to its former standing. After weathering a series of legal issues following the death of Bill Morgan, Badcock began positioning the company to compete on a global stage and is hoping to take the company to a new level.
“This will expand our market and give us the exposure we have been looking for,” said Badcock.
As part of the Thailand deal, the first six boats purchased will be sold retail in Thailand, with four additional boats being built for use by a hotel group. The latter will be multi-passenger boats that will be captained by employees of a hotel and used to transport guests and schedule pleasure rides, according to Badcock.
Hacker is also talking with a group from Luxembourg, who is in the French marine business, about becoming a Hacker dealer in Europe and the Middle East, said Badcock.
“We are negotiating that deal now and we are trying to get an agreement in place within the next 30 days, so we can take advantage of the spring season,” said Badcock.
He said he is very optimistic about the agreement.
Badcock expects the European deal to result in the manufacture of between six an eight new boat builds in the first year, increasing to 10-12 in 2019 and 15 or more in 2020. He said the European dealer is also planning to buy approximately four boats that are already in stock.
Domestic sales for the company have been excellent since Badcock took over the business, he said, with 16 new boats sold in 2016. In 2017, they sold 17 pre-owned and 10 new boats of various sizes to customers all over the country, including Florida, Georgia, Lake George, Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
Each boat takes approximately 1,500 hours to complete and the price tag ranges from about $125,000 all the way up to $1 million for custom yachts.