Growing up in Malibu, I wanted a versatile kayak for adventuring along the coast. This boat could surf everything from small boat wakes to massive waves that even challenged surfers. It was also capable of long-distance paddles, like the 20-mile journey to camp on Catalina Island.
Unlike traditional river kayaks, which required helmets and carried the risk of tipping over, sit-on-top kayaks were safe, user-friendly, and accessible to everyone. They allowed people to spend more time enjoying the water instead of worrying about potential hazards.
To meet demand, I initially built about 1,500 of these kayaks using fiberglass. When production couldn’t keep up, he created his own mold and machine to produce plastic kayaks. My innovative spirit didn’t stop there—I continued to develop new models tailored to different needs.
Under my leadership, the company grew by about 30% annually until I sold it in 1997 for $6.5 million.
