Founded by boat racer Bill Combs in Bucyrus, Ohio, in 1963, Checkmate Boats builds custom high-performance powerboats for speed-focused boating. Its current lineup includes the 2400 BRX, a bowrider that can exceed 90 mph with the Mercury Racing 500R, and the company’s 2024 2400 BRX was named Boating Magazine’s Performance Boat of the Year.
Rage PowerboatsFrom the 22-foot Activator hull launched in 1985, Rage Powerboats has grown into a Long Island builder of custom high-performance fiberglass boats. Owner Mark Schnepf brings a lifetime in the marine trade to hand-built, wood-free composite vessels shaped by decades of offshore racing, including Activator’s championship record in APBA Factory One competition. Rage also restores and repairs performance boats, carrying that racing heritage into custom builds such as the 30' Rage and SVL.PORT JEFFERSON STATION, NY
Airship RIBsFounded in 2005 by three offshore powerboat racers, Airship RIBs builds custom rigid inflatable boats in Vermilion, Ohio. The company applies race-circuit technology to lightweight, foam-cored vessels, with each boat tailored to its customer’s requirements—from yacht tenders to performance craft. Its 288, the original Airship model, remains in the lineup alongside newer designs developed in response to customer requests.VERMILION, OH
Extreme BoatsFounded in New Zealand in 1998 by Glenn and Diane Shaw, family-run Extreme Boats builds durable, high-performance aluminum boats for offshore work and on-water adventures. Its more than 60-person operation produces about 300 boats a year, each shaped around the company’s signature Deep Vee hull and built in-house from design through fit-out. Extreme Boats now serves U.S. customers through a distributor offering extensive customization, while every boat carries the stability-focused features that define the brand.BROOK PARK, OH
MetalCraft MarineFounded in 1987 after Monty Smith redirected Kingston Aluminum Yachts toward commercial work, MetalCraft Marine designs and builds custom aluminum patrol, fire, rescue and work boats. Its Kingston jet-drive design was selected by the U.S. Navy for the Force Protection Program, while the company’s strongest specialty remains high-speed patrol and search-and-rescue craft. MetalCraft also backs its commercial boats with a ten-year hull warranty and serves customers through facilities in Kingston, Ontario, and Watertown, New York.WATERTOWN, NY