Service in Motion
- vol. 15 # 1
by Steve Fennell
Tommy Hofstetter and Dave Peterson, co-owners of Powerboat Nation, found a new niche in the performance boating industry in efforts to create new interest for the go-fast crowd..
When Tommy Hofstetter and Dave Peterson realized they needed to change their business practices in the performance boating industry, they decided a stronger approach was required to re-charge enthusiasm among the go-fast crowd.
The concept, Powerboat Nation, which was initially devised by Hofstetter more than a year ago, was put into motion in early 2011 with a fully-equipped 15,000 square-foot sales and service facility featuring two divisions, Skater Nation and Chief Performance – not too mention www.powerboatnation.com – the driving online force to more effectively reach out to recreational boaters.
While Skater Nation is officially the new factory dealership and warranty service center for Skater Powerboats (the brainchild of Peter Hleden, founder of Douglas Marine in Grand Rapids, MI), the second division is Chief Performance (formerly Chief Engines), a Mercury Racing-certified facility that can complete any service, repair, installation and/or rigging on all high performance engines. The facility also houses a 4,000 square-foot showroom displaying a series of Skater power boats, in addition to boat storage for up 18 models.
“After owning Chief Performance for 18 years, we launched Powerboat Nation,” says Hofstetter. “While the concept was devised partially due to the economy, we found people began making excuses for not going boating or to poker run events. They felt it was too difficult to manage their boats, it was too costly, and it just wasn’t fun anymore. So, we wanted to develop a business that is solely dedicated to provide people with a better boating experience.”
A strong element to the Fort Lauderdale-based facility, which has been proving very popular among the go-fast crowd, is the company’s boat concierge service. Devised to provide added convenience for performance boaters to attend poker runs and/or other boating events, the service includes getting the boat to the event, conducting daily maintenance and prepping it with fuel. Mechanics and boat washers are also on site.
“We are Mercury Racing-certified technicians, says Hofstetter. “On the new Skaters, we can do full rigging from scratch and all types of servicing. But we can deal with the 1350s and can complete everything from tuning the boat and new boat delivery to engine-related services. We also conduct a lot of non-Mercury rebuilds, outdrive work (on Dry Sump Six Drives and the M8). We also work with all the engine manufacturers including Mike Annabelle of Sterling Performance, Cobra Power, and Teague Performance Engines.”
Hofstetter also explained that for 2012, Powerboat Nation will be hitting the road in their new 50-foot support rig for their 12-event Poker Run and Web Tour attending poker runs across the country. In addition to offering maintenance and repairs, the project is devised to support boaters with the transportation of their vessels and offer the aforementioned concierge services on site.
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