Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/570649
28 | Boating Industry | October 2015 www.BoatingIndustry.com [ 2015 Movers & Shakers / BOLD MOVES ] STERNDRIVE SUCCESS BEN DORTON Brand manager, Bryant Boats / Sweetwater, Tenn. It's no secret the sterndrive segment has been battered since the recession. While almost every other segment has shown growth over the last several years, stern- drive sales continue to drop – down about 10 percent over the last year. At the same time, Bryant Boats has increased sales 17 percent. Why does Bryant buck the trend? The reason is simple, says brand manager Ben Dorton: Bryant builds boats people want. "Our ability to understand the consumer has been very important," he said. "We notice trends of consumers and we design products around them." Bryant is not worried about what other sterndrive manufacturers are doing, Dorton said. Instead, the Bryant team is looking at areas outside the segment and bringing those ideas back to sterndrives. Bryant was the first sterndrive company to embrace the wakesurfing mar- ket with its 233X, featuring the patented Sportporch, which keeps the prop the same distance from the surfer as an inboard boat. That boat has been especially appealing to Generation X buyers that may have an interest in wakesurfing but also want an all-purpose runabout. "We have been taking Gen Xers that would probably have to buy an inboard boat to surf and putting them in our boats," he said. "They like the versatility [of ] a stern- drive, but still being able to surf." Bryant was one of the first boat builders to partner with Volvo Penta on the Forward Drive engine. "We see that as a good thing for getting awareness out there that you can now surf behind a sterndrive with the Forward Drive," Dorton said. "It's going to be big for the segment, but it's not going to save the segment." The company's latest innovation, which Dorton took the lead on, is the Wake Tractor, a wake boat aimed squarely at Millennials. Knowing that they can't afford a $100,000 tow boat, Bryant focused on engineering and designing out costs, but still delivering a quality product. "We've got to have a boat for $40,000, on a trailer and it's something that you're proud of," Dorton said. The company put a lot of emphasis on the fiberglass design, working with renowned designer Peter Granata. Bryant saved money on the helm by replacing most of the gauges with an app that buyers can access on their phone or tablet. Instead of a large stereo system, the boat comes with a soundbar that can connect to the phone or tablet via Bluetooth. Each boat will come with a Sony waterproof tablet. "These are sales we would be missing if we didn't recognize the customer and tailor our product to them," Dorton said.