KenCraft rebrands under Bay Rider Boats name

KenCraft Boats, a North Carolina-based boatbuilder with a 50-year history of manufacturing inshore and offshore centre consoles, bay boats, and skiffs, will now produce its entire line under the Bay Rider Boats brand name.

“We’ve been building quality boats with the latest materials and skilled craftsmanship for 50 years now, and while we’ve been known for model lines over the years such as KenCraft, Challenger and Bay Rider, the name we’ve chosen to put on the side of our product will be Bay Rider,” says Bay Rider owner Bob Brunson. “Bay Rider has been our most popular and most recognised model of any we’ve built, so it makes sense to move forward under this established brand.”

The firm says, to maintain brand recognition and reduce confusion among dealers and customers, Bay Rider Boats will retain the “Bay Rider by KenCraft” logo in select marketing materials and online platforms.

“Our team has worked for KenCraft and is very proud of our heritage,” says Bay Rider vice president Robert Brunson. “When my dad and I purchased KenCraft from Ken Vick ten years ago, it was important for us to carry on the tradition of a premium-made product as well as have plans for future business expansion. Our name change to Bay Rider, one of our most popular model lines, is what people know us best for. And we’re excited about this positive shift toward the future for our company.”

Ken Vick originally founded KenCraft Boats in 1975 before selling the company to the Brunson family in 2014.

“Whether we’re building boats for the avid fisherman, the family that wants to get out on the water and make memories, or for law enforcement marine needs, we want people to not only know and enjoy our quality product but we also want them to know us as Bay Rider,” adds Brunson. “Ken started something great, and my son and our team will continue to move this brand forward for our dealers and customers.”

Bay Rider Boats manufactures nine models, including centre consoles, bay boats and skiffs, ranging from 21 to 26 feet in length. The firm operates from a 52,000-square-foot facility in Wilson, North Carolina.