 Welcome back to behind the glass. We've been hard at work on season two and release date is right around the corner You're gonna see some new things some things that are gonna look familiar and some stuff that we've been keeping quiet But we are now ready to show you Before we get to that though We didn't want to pass up the opportunity to give you a quick recap on what we looked at in the previous season as well I'll show you some footage that we've never shown you and we'll wrap everything up with some bloopers So let's get started last season We kicked things off with hall construction and took it all the way through the build process We learned of the hall is the bottom of the boat. It's what dictates the shear line Length right quality in so much more is built from the outside in in multiple layers The first layer being the gel coat layer after that we apply the skin coat layer Followed by some advanced composites and wrapping everything up with the bulk layer Certain areas like the transom receive special materials for strength and rigidity The next step was to build the stringer system The stringer is the backbone of the boat and it's placed between the deck and home It's what gives the necessary support and houses the important components like fuel tanks Sea caper pods and much more What makes our stringers so special is that each is designed for a specific model and is built to be a full Structural part we then touched up on the differences between our traditional stringers compared to the full grid stringers found on our larger models Next we focused on the deck of the boat This is the area you will be walking around and enjoying while on the water It's also what gives the boat its layout and will probably be a major deciding factor in choosing the right boat for you Just like the haul and stringer the deck starts with a white gel coat layer Followed by a fiberglass skin layer and some more advanced corning materials that give the deck the sturdy structure Special composite materials are utilized around cleats and hinges for additional strength and rigidity The decks are not quite complete until it has all of its small parts installed So for the next installment we focused on our small parts the part These are the parts that may get overlooked like fish boxes live walls consoles and more These again go through the same lamination process as all of the other fiberglass parts Some of our larger consoles require two parts to be bonded to create a finished interior space inside of the console These essential components end up taking advantage of every available inch of space between the deck and stringer Once the parts have been installed on the deck it moves on to our assembly area where we like to say it truly becomes a boat The capping section of the assembly line is where we completely rig the hull and deck Installing all of the essential components like bilge pumps transducers plumbing and wiring Once complete the hull and deck are bonded together using a bonding putty at this point The boat is shaping up nicely. So we moved on to a different section of the plant the upholstery department at sportsmen We build all of our cushions in-house with a combination of CNC machines and highly skilled Simstresses that manufactured the hundreds of cushions required to complete our weekly production Watching them work you can see what we mean when we say our boats are handmade These ladies are hands-on and spend a great deal of time crafting every cushion Another major sub-assembly in the manufacturing process is the console department Each console is designed to be ergonomically correct and provide you with the confidence behind the wheel We followed step-by-step as the clean glass helms featured in every sportsmen boat come together This is certainly one of the most intricate parts of the boat and what you'll spend the most time while operating the boat Our goal is to make sure the console delivers great visibility functionality and comfort at this time We visited one of the more unique departments here at sportsmen and that is our metal fabrication shop During the episode we covered how we built all of the metal parts throughout our boat from leaning post hard top frames We also got to see some of the more advanced engineering and machinery that goes into bending the strong detubing Our processes allows to have a single piece of aluminum for the ultimate strength on every top No boat is complete without having every inch of it scrutinized by our quality control department From design to production floor our boats meet the highest standards set by the ABYC and are backed by an MMA certification Our quality tracking ties into our customer service warranty department and continuous improvement programs We believe in quality by design and this goes all the way back to the designing and prototyping phase of each model Recording behind the glass is a massive undertaking and most of the time things go smoothly However, sometimes well, I'll just let you see for yourself. No, no blue bruise My name is Russ Tomlinson Oh We can cut that out. Sorry Dagger is ready Okay, so I see that we mixed all our waters We may have one of those that may or may not be mine taking a look at how we are revolutionizing our segment in aesthetics ergonomics a big drill behind me and Ruining the take. Let's try it. He's gonna ruin it at the end. But here we go, right? Hello. Oh, I didn't see you there Have you seen this the center console? There's a center console in it. Yeah, I Can't make that up. Oh Hello there didn't see you at the center of every center console is a center console Now this collector, okay? Yeah Sporting like My guy say welcome or no Welcome to all smart parts of the production. Yeah easy That is because this box actually gets And this box then skits then gets No, I'm not ready. We'll get in the 15th take line each seamstress each seamstress each seamstress Seems seem stress. That's a weird word Let's take a quick moment here and talk about some of the other parts screw that damn it I forgot what we're doing here Thank you for sending What now that we have the philip now that we have all of the prey port I Now this is this is this is sucking from channel five reporting live Chouston, South Carolina heading into season two We continue to dive deep into the processes and techniques that we use during the boat fabrication process And we'll go inside the biggest and most impressive machine here at sportsmen We'll have a change of pace as we take our show on the road and visit some of our strategic partners Taking you behind their doors to show you how their products are made Stay tuned for season two as we continue our journey behind the glass from summerville, South Carolina My name is Victor and thank you for watching Welcome to behind the glass season two We continue our journey through the different departments here at sportsmen with our resin infusion department So sit back and enjoy while we go behind the glass Up until now just about every single fiberglass part that we've seen on the show has been manufactured using an open molded technique Resin infusion also known as vacuum infusion brings on an entirely new process and technique for manufacturing a fiberglass part As with any technique there are some pros and cons to using infusion. So let's talk about those first Infusion is generally used for large parts like decks stringers hauls and tops as these larger parts yield a more significant Advantage when manufactured using a resin infusion technique At the top of the advantages list is that infused parts have a higher fiberglass to resin ratio Closer to 50-50 from a typical 70-30 ratio on an open molded part This makes the part lighter and stronger in comparison Second advantage is unlimited setup time The team is not racing against the clock to get everything rolled out before the part cures Keep in mind that this is really only significant in larger parts like our open 352 Smaller parts can be completed with plenty of time for curing Infusion is overall a cleaner process than traditional open molding techniques This minimizes styrene emissions as the parts cure under the bag and a better working environment While infusion does have its advantages on the larger parts. It also comes with some drawbacks For one infusion creates lots of waste as most of the setup material is sacrificial This results in a more costly part with a higher consumable cost Vacuum infusion also requires many hours of setup as we'll see shortly and significantly slower cycle times of a mold We believe that vacuum infusion when applied in the right areas can certainly yield a higher quality part Through research and engineering we found three major areas that take full advantage of the infusion We narrowed it down to our larger stringers in our 30-foot plus boats our hard tops and the deck stringer and haul for the open 352 The weight savings in our infused full grid stringer systems allowed us to engineer a larger part with full haul Contact and plenty of support for dual side entry doors at an equivalent weight of a traditional stringer The fully infused open 352 is a very performant haul We calculate weight savings between 12% to 15% in overall weight This allowed us to design a 35 plus foot boat with an impressive 11 foot 2 inch beam That still runs over 68 miles an hour Let's dive deep and take a look at what it takes to vacuum infuse apart The beginning of the process is very similar to an open molded part The first layer to go on is the gel coat layer. This is applied in exactly the same way as before The gel coat layer is followed by a skin layer This layer plays a crucial role in every fiberglass part as it is the first line of defense against water penetration In infusion the skin layer plays a key role in achieving a smooth finished surface Skipping this step would result in what is commonly referred to as print Printing is when the ghost of texture of the woven fiberglass appears in the final part Once those two steps are completed, we can start the dry loading process The exact materials, thicknesses and loading setup is a highly engineered process The goal is to allow the resin to flow through the entire part in one single shot Precisely cut dry fiberglass pieces are laid on the part and held in place using spray adhesive Then comes the coring and stiffening layers of material These are precision cut in our state-of-the-art CNC room The coring is similar in its properties to others that we've seen in the series But you'll notice score lines along the surface This will allow the resin to flow between layers during infusion Same as before, the coring is encapsulated with more fiberglass At this point the dry loading is complete and the setup for infusion can begin Each part is fitted with a specified number of paths to allow the resin to flow once the part is under vacuum This is achieved with a combination of spiral wrapped tubes and resin flow distribution media The intricacies of the final part will dictate the complexity of the setup The team must account for restrictions created by the hills and valleys of a part At this point, a complex network of hoses, vacuum ports and resin inlets is laid out Each hose will be carefully labeled and routed to the resin tank Additionally, a special material called PO-Ply is applied to ensure that the bag will not permanently adhere to the part PO-Ply can also be seen applied in other areas where attachments will need to be removed later on All of this prep work culminates in the bagging of the part The team members apply vacuum bag sealant tape all the way around, taking advantage of the wide flange on the mold This tape is what will allow the bag to be hermetically sealed to the mold And place a vital role in obtaining full vacuum pressure The large bag is then laid over the entire part and work begins securing it to the sealant tape applied before The bag isn't a perfect fit So a special technique called pleating is used to neatly collect the excess bag material Additional sealant tape is used to seal the bag in those areas This technique is important to achieve a consistent vacuum pressure throughout the entire part The final hose connections are made to the vacuum pump and an initial vacuum pressure test is performed The setup is now complete and we are ready to infuse the part The actual infusion process takes between 30 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the part The process begins with adding a measured amount of catalyst to the resin This is what kick-starts the gelling of the resin Once combined the clock is running and the team jumps into action A drum is filled with the activated resin and the resin inlet hoses are unclamped to allow resin to flow into the part The exact amount of time each hose will stay open has been calculated based on the specific part being infused The team monitors the flow of the resin throughout the part as well as the temperature The temperature indicates how much time they have left to complete the infusion As the resin makes its way through the part Inevitably some resin can reach the vacuum ports If the vacuum pump sucks up resin It will ruin the internals and cause damage To avoid this, each vacuum hose is rigged through a resin trap bucket This allows the vacuum force to flow through while collecting any wasted resin that can work its way into the ports Once the entire part is infused with resin, it will sit under vacuum until it is cured At this point the part is completed and is ready to be demolded, but first, some cleanup It starts with removing the bag and sealant tape left behind on the flange Next, taking advantage of the peel ply, any hoses and flow material that were added is now removed and discarded The team wraps up cleanup by removing any extra resin that may have been trapped in the bag and deemed this part completed From here on out, the part will undergo the same procedure as an open molded part It will have all of the edges trimmed, holes cut in preparation for assembly, and any other part specific rigging As we come to a close on this episode, it's worth mentioning that vacuum infusion has its time and its place When used appropriately, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages But it's still a labor-intensive process and it's not appropriate for every application The techniques shown in this episode are part of the SportTech Advanced Fabrication process These preparatory manufacturing steps yield the best results and have been thoroughly tested for durability, longevity, and finish All sportsmen boats feature a 100% composite construction with no wood, NMMA certification, and a 10-year hall-limited warranty Join us next time as we continue on Season 2 of Behind the Glass We're going to take a look at how we manufacture the beautiful fiberglass hardtops on our boats From Somerville, South Carolina, my name is Victor and thank you for watching An area of our plant that we have yet to visit is our hardtop lamination and hardtop rigging areas So let's take a deep dive on this episode of Behind the Glass Design, function, and comfort are all key elements in a well-thought-out hardtop Modern hardtops provide much more than shade and have become iconic features of our boats. At the core, hardtops provide shade and protection from the elements They are a key design feature and it gives a center console the iconic look Special care is given during the designing and planning phase to accommodate for many comfort and safety features For one, the hardtop is the perfect mounting spot for the anchor light and navigation lights due to it being the highest point on the boat Other convenience lights like the built-in spread lights and cockpit lighting are also accounted for In addition to lights, modern electronics and joystick systems require antennas that will be mounted on the top as well as optional equipment like radars Wrapping around the back additional ride holders and support is also typically seen depending on the size of the top The rear legs are added on the larger models for additional structural support These rear supports lock in the top in six spots and stop any movement even in the roughest conditions For those looking to elevate their visibility, we have a wide offering of half tower with second stations This option swaps out the top for a different top that features a sunroof style sliding door and an electronics pod On this pod we mount electronics and duplicate controls from the main helm New technology in steering and other advancements in the electrical systems has made this possible The hardtop construction method is two fiberglass parts joined together to allow both the top and the bottom to have a finished gel coat surface Once completed the two parts are bonded together using a bonding putty This manufacturing process is what allows for the strategically designed cavities inside the hardtop These cavities will be used as storage and to run wires inside the top Now that we understand what we are building. Let's take a look at the manufacturing steps The two half molds are first sprayed with gel coat The mold corresponding to the top will be white and the mold corresponding to the underside will receive a gel coat That matches the boat's color scheme. This is how we achieve the matching underside color Next comes the equivalent of a skin coat layer This layer is what ensures proper cosmetics and supports the gel coat layer This is followed by a layer of coring material that has been precisely cut in our CNC room Each top has a design kit of core that gives support and accounts for additional options like outriggers Following this layer is a bulk layer of fiberglass to encapsulate and strengthen the top As we have seen the next steps are all prep steps for infusion Starting off with adding the necessary flow media that allows the resin to flow through the part properly Next comes a complex network of tubes that has been meticulously engineered for each top This will ensure even flow throughout the entire part To get the proper vacuum on the part sealant tape is applied to the perimeter of the mold This is followed by the bag The bag is carefully sealed using the sealant tape all the way around All of the vacuum and resin ports are also carefully routed through the bag and sealed with additional sealant tape The part is put under vacuum to check for any leaks Once satisfied the resin ports are opened and the part begins to get infused This process will take between 35 to 45 minutes The two parts will be set aside to cure once cured. It's time to join the two halves The process starts by first removing the bag and flow media from the parts Next in order to ensure good adhesion the edges where the two parts will be joined is sanded and cleaned off Once sanding is complete a predetermined amount of bonding putty and methyl methacrylate will be applied in specific areas To the bottom half of the hard top to join the two parts Once applied it will be moved to an area where a lift will be used to raise the top portion Flip it and lower it down to join the bottom portion of the top Special alignment pins that are built into the mold are used to precisely align the two halves for a perfect uniform edge Once aligned the parts are secured and will begin to cure Once the part is finished curing it will be removed from the mold carefully and put in a dolly to await final trimming Special templates called splashes are used to mark precise holes for installation spots for components These include speakers additional storage lights and more At this time, they will also final trim the edge leaving behind raw fiberglass that will need to be finished off The top is rolled into our finishing department where they will sand the edge smooth and uniform They will follow this with gel coat for a seamless look The fabrication part of the top is now complete Next is time to add components and wiring in a top rigging sub assembly A team member will rig up all of the components required to complete a boat order A specified kit of parts arrives at the rigging station with all of the components specified by the order The technician will install and pre-wire as much as possible in preparation to install the top on the frame If you remember from our metal fabrication episode we build and powder coat all of our tops in house The corresponding frame is delivered and the now fully rigged fiberglass shell is test fitted on the frame The technician will then fish any wires through the pre-designed routes completing any final connections At this point the hardtop and frame meet up with the console to be assembled on the jig alignment cart As we saw last season in the center console episode Modern hardtops provide so much more than just shade Advancements in manufacturing and design pack these tops with features and amenities The techniques shown in this episode are part of the sport tech advanced fabrication process These preparatory manufacturing steps yield the best results and have been thoroughly tested for durability longevity and finish All sportsmen boats feature a 100 composite construction with no wood NMMA certification and a 10-year haul limited warranty Join us in our next episode of behind the glass as we hit the road for the first time and head on down To Miramar, Florida to visit the jail audio manufacturing facility from summerville, South Carolina My name is victor and thanks for watching Welcome back to behind the glass This week we hit the road and made our way down to the jail audio manufacturing facility in Miramar, Florida jail audio has been in business for over 40 years and during the course of that time They have earned the spot as the best-selling marine audio equipment manufacturer jail audio's product offering encompasses not just marine but also home car recreational vehicles and power sports Come along as we take a tour of their 160,000 square foot manufacturing facility divided into several production areas These include a highly automated wood shop fiberglass fabrication shop machine shop paint shop loudspeaker assembly lines and enclosed subwoofer assembly work sales Today we will focus on the m6 marine speaker manufacturing line and give you an inside look at how they're built and tested The process begins with the motor the motor is a fair magnetic alloy that interacts with the voice coil and creates movement using a magnetic field This is what drives the speaker's movement, which is translated to the pressure waves that we perceive as sound The uncharged motor is placed inside the basket of the speaker The basket is the structure of the speaker and houses all of the components inside hence the name The basket and motor are placed inside a machine to magnetize the motor This process only takes a few seconds, but the magnetization lasts for the lifetime of the speaker The basket is now ready to receive a mounting gasket before being flipped over to receive all of the remaining components that make up the speaker One thing we noticed during the tour is above every station There is a screen showing the instructions for each process on the line Ensuring each team member follows precise build guidelines set by jail audios in-house engineering team After a quick qc check the first of many along the line A special bonding glue is added and the gasket is properly aligned and permanently bonded From here on out the speaker is placed onto a jig on a conveyor belt where it will stay until it's removed for packaging This will help with proper fitment of all components and easy transportation from station to station Adjacent to the previously assembled basket work begins on the cone of the speaker The cone is the visible part of the speaker where movement is translated into waves that produce sound Prior to this production line the cone has a sub-assembly where a rubber ring called the surround is bonded This allows the cone to be attached to the basket later in the process The cone is now placed on a fixture followed by a voice coil The voice coil is comprised of a copper wire wound up around a cylinder called the former The coil is then glued to the cone and two flexible wires called lead wires are soldered to the coil The flexible wires will later allow for movement while the speaker is playing without breaking A flexible adhesive fills and encapsulates the solder connections of the lead wires from the elements Another observation we had was each station is equipped with a vent in the back that removes any fumes ensuring good air quality for the safety and comfort of the team members The two assemblies travel down the line and into a chamber where a computer programmed automation occurs During this phase an applicator is programmed to apply a specific amount of primer to the cone While at the same time a robotic arm or the syringe applies a precise amount of glue to the basket At the next station the pre-assembled crossover ring is placed into the basket where the glue was previously applied The components of the crossover is what supplies the tweeter and mid-range the signal range it was designed to best reproduce Even though the crossover ring will eventually be hidden within the speaker The components and connections are sealed to protect them from the elements as well as keep them stabilized even in the roughest conditions Once in place a weight is added on top to align and hold while the glue sets Next a team member will install the spider on the cone assembly The spider acts as the suspension for the speaker It allows for free movement of the voice coil, but only in the vertical direction while centering the entire assembly on the horizontal direction Using an alignment jig the spider will be placed around the voice coil Once in place a layer of glue goes around the edge to ensure it's adhered to the voice coil Our speaker assembly is almost complete But we want to take a moment to take a look at the process of tuning our jail audio ultra premium upgrade With us today is mr. Adam Iskid and he is our account manager as well as an audio systems designer The tuning process consists of strategically placing multiple microphones in the zone being tuned A test signal is sent to those speakers and fed into jail audio's preparatory software Adam will analyze and make adjustments to multiple parameters according to the geometry of that zone The process is repeated in each zone of the boat typically three zones bow helm and cockpit This gives you the absolute best sounding system on the water Once adam feels like the boat's sound system meets expectation He will save a master settings file for this boat We'll use that file to flash every single similar model that comes down the line with the jail audio ultra premium upgrade Let's go ahead and jump back into the action as we see the rest of the assembly process of a speaker The assemblies now move on to another chamber area where an accelerant is applied to quickly cure the glue This ensures that everything is bonded and ready for the next step When the parts exit the chamber They are met by another team member who will remove the weight added to the crossover ring and apply a flexible sealant The assembly is progressing to the chamber where another automated application of glue is applied around the perimeter of the crossover ring Where the spider will connect It will also apply glue around the top rim of the basket where the surround will sit joining the two parts into one Once the assemblies come out of the chamber the team member will join the two parts The cone assembly now dressed with the voice coil spider and lead wires is placed down into the basket for final adhesion Once fitted inside a weight is placed on top to secure the two parts And it's sent into another chamber for another application of accelerator The accelerator makes sure that everything is firmly adhered before the lead wires are routed and final connections are made Next the speaker is removed from the jig where it has been moving along And placed onto a fixture where the lead wires will be started to the terminals and sealed with a flexible adhesive Next the assemble speaker is placed back onto the jig on the conveyor and makes its way into a final chamber Where an adhesive is applied for the installation of the dust cap As the assembly exits the booth a dust cap is placed at the center of the cone The dust cap plays an essential role in doing exactly as it sounds It keeps dust water and debris out of the internal areas of the speaker Next labels are placed over the terminals The serial number is placed inside of the speaker and a motor cover is installed on the bottom sealing the motor assembly An additional sticker is applied to the back of the basket with the speaker's model information Next the speaker receives the iconic jail audio speaker grill cover Once complete it makes its way for final qc and testing Prior to heading to packaging each speaker undergoes a battery of inspections and tests This ensures the absolute highest quality product that jail audio is known for It all begins with logging the serial number into the system capturing all the manufacturing data and assigning the test results for each speaker The first step is the same as the last a visual inspection of the speaker for cosmetic flaws and validation of proper assembly techniques The speaker is then hooked up to a test fixture where an array of functional tests are performed A proper polarity and a sweep of audible tones is played where the response is charted and compared to the target Resulting in a pass or fail to proceed It's incredible to see the combination of computer control machines with the human touch working side by side to deliver an extremely high quality product As you're walking through the endless rows of this impressive manufacturing facility You can't help but notice the internal culture jail audio has built as a team A huge thank you to the entire jail audio team for their help on this episode Join us in our next installment of behind the glass where we take a look at what it takes to manufacture fiberglass parts Using two bolts a process called light rtm Don't forget to subscribe for the latest content from sportsmen boats from summerville, south carolina My name is victor and thank you for watching By now you are getting familiar with our lamination techniques But one thing we have yet to talk about is our light rtm process to sit back and let's see what's behind the glass Light resin transfer molding or light rtm for short is a closed mold technique Used to manufacture small to medium sized parts that have specific requirements The main advantage of a part that is manufactured using a light rtm process Is that the completed part has a finished surface on both sides This is ideal for parts like hatches and lids Using this technique is how we achieve the finished underside of our lids Finished undersides on lids is not only for aesthetics, but it also makes cleaning a breeze The second advantage is another extremely important one and it is the thickness control Using an a and b mold the cavity between the two molds can be closely controlled to achieve repeatable uniform and predictable thicknesses This is a key to alignment fitment and finish of the parts in the assembly room Lastly light rtm has virtually no waste Unlike the infusion technique we discussed earlier in the season the molds are reusable and other than the hoses used for resin There are no consumable materials Molds need to be specifically designed for this technique as it requires very strict accommodations Looking at an empty mold you will notice two sets of gaskets around the perimeter of the part The outermost is designed to stop any air from coming into the mold when it is placed under vacuum Ultimately, this is what clamps the two molds together There's an inner gasket surrounding the perimeter that stops resin from getting out of the mold This barrier restricts the resin to the cavity On top of the double gasket design there are special ports strategically installed that will serve as vacuum and resin ports The manufacturing process of a light rtm part begins with a quick cleanup followed by getting the molds coated with gel coat The molds are first prepped This includes a cleaning to remove any dust as well as a coat of mold release if needed Some areas will also get masked off Next as previously seen the mold will be sprayed with gel coat Additionally we are now dealing with two molds so both molds receive a layer of gel coat These two halves will end up making up the entire part Next work can begin on dry loading the molds This is the process of laying fiberglass and composite coin materials inside of the mold without any resin Each light rtm part has a very specific lamination schedule designed to be of an exact thickness The thickness matches the cavity created by the a and b mold coming together The specific materials and amount that goes into each part varies from part to part and is determined during the design period One part that we manufacture using light rtm that you may not realize is our side entry doors The advantages of light rtm are perfect for manufacturing doors The one challenge is that doors are very thick so they do require an inner foam core The doors also require a layer of gel coat that matches the whole side color instead of just being white all the way around The process is very similar to a lid The difference is just in the much larger inner core that is needed to achieve the proper thickness required for a door The prep work is now complete and we can start infusing the part with resin Up first the molds are put under vacuum the technician will listen for any leaks before continuing the process Once satisfied a light rtm infusion machine is connected to the part This machine is pre-programmed with measurements for each specific part Once connected is a simple selection of the part number hit start and the machine mixes the resin and catalyst And allows it to begin flowing through for a pre-programmed amount of time These parts take roughly two to three minutes And then they are ready to be disconnected from the machine to begin curing They will remain under vacuum until fully cured Once the curing process is complete. It's time to demold the part The two molds are carefully pulled apart. This reveals of the now completed part inside The next stop for this part is the cut and grind booth We're using precise cutting fixtures a team member will perform the final trimming of the edges At this time, they will also mark and cut any part specific holes The light rtm process yields a high quality strong and durable part with very consistent results As we've introduced new models into our lineup, we've taken advantage of this technique wherever appropriate The techniques shown in this episode are part of the sport tech advanced fabrication process These preparatory manufacturing steps yield the best results and have been thoroughly tested for durability longevity and finish All sportsmen votes feature a 100% composite construction with no wood NMA certification and a 10 year hall limited warranty Join us in our next behind the glass for a horsepower filled episode As we go behind the scenes with the Yamaha performance team We'll take a look at what it takes to properly validate performance tests and prop one of our votes From Somerville, South Carolina, my name is Victor and thank you for watching We are out on the water today to show you what it takes to validate performance on one of our votes We're going to start with the basics though, so let's queue up the intro and let's see what's behind the glass When it comes to powering our boats, many factors need to be considered to achieve the desired performance These considerations begin very early in the design process As the hall is being developed, the design team determines what range of horsepower and how many edges the hall will need to accommodate The most important variable between engine packages is the weight difference These weight differences causes the center of gravity of the boat to shift forward or back Changing the running attitude of the boat Careful planning and consideration must be taken to ensure that all of the packages will perform as designed The design team will also calculate a theoretical engine height range for the transom and perform a weight study to validate these calculations The exact engine height will be tested on the water later in the process An important piece in the puzzle of performance that is not often talked about is the propeller So let's break down the anatomy of a modern output prop Modern output props are made from high quality polished stainless steel and are designed to meet a wide range of conditions Yamaha's prop selection is divided into different families Each one focused on a particular boat size and style Most of the props that we use come from the saltwater series or reliance series by Yamaha Testing and validation of engine performance is a continuous effort for us here at sportsman We run different models on a weekly basis for continued quality assurance The Yamaha performance team also runs every boat model to generate the performance bulletins that you're used to seeing The testing and compiling of data for the performance bulletins is done by a Yamaha OEM application engineer The goal is to record all of the data and make any adjustments needed to set benchmarks for that model The adjustments will range from engine height to prop family and sizing Our boats are designed to perform in many different conditions. The correct prop is key to meeting this performance Each engine package offered will need to be tested individually as each setup's requirements vary Similarly to choosing tires for your car a car manufacturer will choose a tire setup for a vehicle based on its intended use And the same goes for prop selection Our boats will run through a battery of tests to choose the appropriate prop for whole shot cruising speeds and best overall performance Let's dive into what testing actually looks like for the Yamaha performance team To get started the Yamaha engineer will take measurements of the initial setup established by the sportsman design and engineering team This is to ensure a good baseline If the engines are too high it may lead to poor whole shot performance as the prop struggles to bite If they're too low the increased drag will cause poor performance and lower speeds The engineer will determine a good starting point prop based on weight and size of the boat and hits the water for initial testing Before they get started they'll take note of the weight of the boat as a package This will include things like fuel number of people number of batteries as well as additional equipment such as a sea keeper They will also take note of temperature wind direction and speed Weight plays an integral part in the performance results and will also give you a better idea on the conditions Each boat was tested under for comparison For most tests the benchmark is two people and half a tank of fuel The test consists of running from point A to point B Increasing 500 rpms at a time and recording the speed gallons per hour and miles per gallon This will continue for the full rpm range of the engines The test will be performed twice upwind and twice downwind Each result will be averaged together to formulate the final results Next it's time to figure out the time it takes to plane the boat This is how quickly the boat gets up and out of the hull and is sitting on top of the water Same as before it will be performed multiple times and an average is calculated Lastly is how quickly the boat accelerates from zero to 30 miles per hour Results are recorded and averaged together Once the tests are complete the Yamaha engineer can determine if any changes need to be made If everything is performing as it should based on condition prop and engine height then the test concludes If a prop change needs to be made they will pull the boat out of the water change props and continue testing again If the engine height needs to be adjusted The boat will be brought back to the plant where we will make the necessary adjustments before going back to the water Testing will continue until the teams have arrived at a configuration best suited for each model and engine package Beyond the initial performance testing of a boat. We have a full on water testing regimen This includes water testing every single one of our larger models And it's just another quality assurance step that we take On a daily basis. We have dedicated technicians taking boats to the water to test and validate completed boats Taking the data provided from Yamaha's testing and performance bulletins We set up each boat to their specifications to ensure that they are meeting the benchmark set by Yamaha Next our team will go through our own internal testing routine checking for leaks performing functional tests Completing cosmetic inspections and lastly setting up any optional equipment We set up options such as joysticks and autopilots that require the boat to be on the water for initial calibration Ensuring that your sportsman performs as design is a priority in an ongoing effort across many departments Before we close we want to give a huge thank you to the Yamaha team for their help during this episode The techniques shown in this episode are part of the sport tech advanced fabrication process These preparatory manufacturing steps yield the best results and have been thoroughly tested for durability longevity and finish All sportsman boats feature a 100 composite construction with no wood NMA certification and a 10 year haul limited warranty Don't miss our next installment of behind the glass as we take a look at the biggest and most impressive machine Here at sportsman from summerville south Carolina. My name is victor and thank you for watching In this series, you've seen us manufacture thousands of fiberglass parts using molds But the question still remains how are these molds made? Well, stick around as we go behind the glass to show you When looking at a mold you will notice that what you're looking at is the inverse of the finished part The actual first step for creating a mold is something commonly known as a plug A plug is a representation of the completed part but made from a highly specialized tooling material Tooling is a term used to mean the molds and fixtures used to manufacture a fiberglass part A tool or mold can be in the lamination rotation for many years with proper care and maintenance They can be repaired and even modified if needed Let's dive into the construction of a plug It all begins by building a buck A buck is a substrate structure on wheels that will allow the team to move the part into the different stages of milling and finishing The base of the buck is typically a platform made from wood and slightly larger than the plug The engineering team designs a foam block structure that encompasses the entire part Building the buck completes the prep work and we are now ready to show you one of the coolest operations here at sportsman The mill here at sportsman. We have an in-house five-axis router CNC machine This machine and other supporting departments means that we can take a new boat from design To production without stepping outside of our facility This machine can mill full-size boat plugs with an accuracy of plus or minus five thousands of an inch This incredible position yields highly accurate molds and unsurpassed quality Molds produced from these plugs have improved performance due to the accuracy of the boat hall Superior fitment of parts and faster design to market turnaround A five-axis router is a complex machine that can move in five different directions It's composed of a horizontal gantry the bar that goes across the top and two supporting walls The machine can slide forward and back on these walls while the router sits on a boom arm mounted on the gantry The arm can move left right up and down on the track The other two axes are rotational the head can rotate on the x-plane and the y-plane Allowing for super smooth finish on contour shapes like the edge of a hard top The milling operation begins with a very rough cut on this stage It's all about bulk removing the excess material and achieving the general shape of the final plug These initial passes are slightly smaller than the final part And this is to allow additional layers of materials that are stronger and will achieve accurate final dimensions Once complete the team will add a layer of fiberglass to lock the foam structure and give it the additional support it will need Next comes a layer of a highly specialized epoxy based modeling paste This material is specifically designed for dimensional accuracy and stability Meaning it won't shrink or contract once the milling is complete The team member uses a special mixing machine to apply a thick layer of the material on the entire part The part will cure and be ready to mill in 24 hours It's time to continue milling the plug with the router This encompasses a series of steps to achieve a smooth and consistent surface The mill operator has programmed an initial roughing pass that will smooth down any large chunks This process is similar to the roughing pass we saw on foam, but this time it has smaller stepovers A stepover is the distance of the cutting tool between passes A smaller stepover achieves a smoother surface But drastically increases the time it takes the machine to complete one pass The key here is to not remove too much material at once as this can cause chips and damage The operator will continue to decrease the stepovers on each pass until what is left is a smooth and even surface Ready for the next process The mill does an incredible job at achieving a smooth surface, but it's far from ready We need it to be absolutely flawless And for that we require the expert hands of a craftsman and many many many hours of labor The plug has now been moved to a different area of the plant Dedicated and highly specialized artisans work tirelessly to complete all the plugs we make in house The team will sand the plug starting with medium course and working their way up to finer grits Once satisfied with the smoothness a layer of primer is added in the sanding continues To help in finding even the most minor of imperfections that will apply a layer of guide coat over the primer This coat provides a visual guide to finding low spots Scratches and many other small imperfections unseen by the naked eye The process of sanding and smoothing everything out will go on for days and sometimes even weeks Depending on the size of the part You're watching artisans crafting every surface to perfection Because even the slightest of imperfection will show up in the finished part The final step is to clean off any remaining sanding dust and wipe the entire plug down The plug will then receive several layers of release agent a wax to make sure that the plug doesn't stick in the next step The prep process is finally complete and we can move on to making the mold Surprisingly enough making a mold is similar to building a regular fiberglass part and it all begins with a layer of gel coat The gel coat you are seeing is brightly colored and it's called tooling gel The bright colors help to identify a bare mold once complete Tooling gel is specially formulated to excel in three areas Dimensional stability meaning that it won't expand or contract Hardness this is necessary to withstand the hundreds of pulls the tool will be exposed to over the years And its ability to be polished As normal wear and tear takes place these molds will be wet sanded and buffed many times to restore the flawless surface The tooling gel has been applied. So now it needs some structure This is achieved by applying fiberglass to an engineered spec This fiberglass will make sure that the mold holds its shape Once complete a steel cage will be built around the mold This will add additional strength and attachment points for the mold cart The steel cage will then get tabbed with fiberglass to adhere the two parts together It's time to reveal the completed mold the plug and mold are moved under a hoist where they will be separated This delicate process takes time, but the team makes easy work out of it The new mold is complete, but it's not quite ready for prime time just yet The surface will need to be further polished to a shine before this mold will go into circulation After a final inspection this mold is classified as production ready You've got to see a part of boatbuilding during this episode that is not often talked about But this high level of vertical integration is what allows us to keep up with our demanding new product schedule Delivering top quality boats every year packed with innovation modern technology and top notch amenities Join us in our next episode of behind the glass for an inside look at some of the tools and techniques We use to manufacture our boats from summerville south carolina. My name is victor and thank you for watching Welcome back to behind the glass in this episode We are going to be answering your top three most asked questions to us about the boatbuilding process So let's get started to kick things off in this episode We are going to be answering the age old question of hand-laid versus chopped construction method Before we go any deeper though, let's go ahead and define what each of these methods mean A 100% hand-laid fiberglass construction method refers to using pre-cut sheets of fiberglass that are laid dry on the mold Then an operator will soak the fiberglass with resin Using rollers a team will remove any air that is trapped between the layers and spread the resin evenly throughout the part The primary advantage of using this method is that the pre-cut sheets of fiberglass are engineered to have a very specific thickness This allows the builder to have very consistent laminate and ensures an even amount of fiberglass At the surface this method certainly delivers, but let's talk about one major disadvantage On large flat areas of a boat such as a hull side Hand-laid fiberglass is fairly easy to work with the problem starts when building more complex parts such as decks The tight radii caused the large sheets of glass to not follow the contours perfectly A good analogy for this would be gift wrapping a box versus an oddly shaped item To get the gift wrapping to sit perfectly without any creases would be nearly impossible In boat building when the fiberglass doesn't sit perfectly tight on the mold it creates an air pocket These are commonly referred to as air voids While air voids are not 100% avoidable fully hand-laid parts have a higher level of rework in tight areas Now let's talk about the other common construction method sometimes referred to as chopped or chopper gun In this method a coil of continuous fiberglass strand called gun roven is fed into a pneumatic piece of equipment At a very rapid speed blades inside chop the continuous strand into one to one and a half inch long pieces of fiberglass Hence the name chopper gun or chopped At the tip of the gun the fiberglass is met with a stream of resin and catalyst And the material then travels at a rapid speed and gets stuck on the mold One important feature about this equipment is that the operator can fine-tune the ratio between the materials Using adjustment knobs the operator can adjust the speed the fiberglass chop is running And the amount of resin being put out too much resin adds unnecessary weight to the part and too little causes dry and weak spots Following each layer the team jumps into action to roll out any air that might be trapped and removing any excess resin Unlike a hand-laid part the individually chopped strands of fiberglass make easy work of even the tightest of corners Commonly the biggest argument against exclusively using this method is that the quality of the part is directly linked to the skill of the operator This is where robust training and quality control plays a critical role A top priority is making sure that each operator is highly skilled at their craft Expert operators can yield very consistent results at a rapid rate with minimal re-worth necessary So the question still remains is sportsman boats a hand-laid boat or chopped and the answer is simple It's both Through rigorous testing and years of experience We've concluded that a combination of both methods is the ultimate way to build a production boat Using a chop method for things like skin coats and geometrically complex parts Gives the best final product in those scenarios While using the advantages of quickly bulking up a hull side is best done by hand laying precision cut fiberglass Each method has unique advantages in certain areas and applications Let's move on to question number two Does sportsman boats use wood in the construction method? And the short answer is no To some it may come as a surprise that wood is still commonly used in production boats built today Here at sportsman. We have never used wood as a construction material for any of our boats While fiberglass is the primary building material for a modern boat If you've been following the behind the glass series Then you're used to seeing the many other materials that get laminated into our boats The use of highly engineered composite materials achieves two important things that wood would never be able to achieve The first one is an obvious one composite materials never rot It is a common misconception that encapsulation of wood protects it enough The fact is that simply drilling or screwing into these materials breaks the encapsulation and can lead to premature failure The second is that each area receives composite materials perfectly matched with the properties necessary for that area For example, where we need extreme strength like on a transom kusa board is used for an incompressible core transom Other areas that need insulation like cooler boxes will receive a high r-value pvc core material that keeps the ice from melting Another great example is the material that we use around cleats This material is called aquasteel and it has a similar density to aluminum, but has one important difference Aquasteel will not seize around stainless steel cleats the way that aluminum would Making it ideal for this application All in all, if we used wood, we wouldn't have the longevity quality or selection available in highly engineered composite materials This allows us to choose the perfect material for each area The last commonly asked question that we get is how long does it take to build a boat? And the answer to this varies depending on the model engines and options. However, the general timeline is as follows The process of building a boat starts months before the first ounce of fiberglass is laid on the mold Our purchasing and warehouse staff overseas forecasting ordering and stocking over 10 000 parts for each boat And that is no easy feat They work closely with engineering at the introduction of a new model Or at the start of a new model year to compile the list of parts needed to complete each boat The parts vary from large engines to precisely cut hoses that need to be trimmed to exact measurements and delivered to the floor at a precise time The purchasing team works around the clock to ensure that we have the parts necessary to build our boats Recent events have caused incredibly long wait times on components which adds complexity to this already complex operation Next we start our lamination process The lamination of the large parts of a boat can take anywhere from 7 to 14 days The parts are built simultaneously in different areas of the building allowing us to shorten the total time it takes to build a boat Each area is carefully scheduled to ensure that the next team down the line has the parts they need to complete their tasks Medium-sized parts such as consoles and hardtops require multiple parts to be bonded together to create a completed part These parts take anywhere from two to five days to complete with some of them requiring additional time for finishing Small parts like lids, live wells, windlass trays and cooler boxes take one to two days to be completed And each boat requires anywhere from 10 to 20 of these small parts At this stage we're ready to start putting it all together This area of the plant is known as assembly and it encompasses several processes In the main assembly lines the halls and decks travel down from cell to cell On average a boat will spend 10 to 30 days in the assembly room While a crew of expert boat builders add the thousands of parts required to complete the boat At this stage the boat is almost complete The boats are moved to a staging area where they wait for transportation Our transportation department is in charge of delivering the hundreds of boats that we build every month Depending on where the boat needs to be delivered the time the boat spends here is anywhere from one day to a week Our drivers drive over a million miles a year to deliver our beautiful boats to dealers across the country Just like the questions that we tackled on this episode We receive hundreds of different questions through all of our different channels If there's anything that we missed that you'd like to see answered in a future episode Leave it in the comments below The techniques shown in this episode are part of our sport tech advanced fabrication process These proprietary manufacturing steps yield the best results and have been thoroughly tested for durability longevity and finish All sportsmen boats feature a 100 composite construction with no wood NMMA certification and a 10-year haul limited warranty In the next episode of behind the glass we pack our bags again and head to redding, pennsylvania to visit the seakeaper manufacturing facility From summerville, south carolina. My name is victor and thank you for watching This week on behind the glass. We've hit the road once again. This time we are visiting the seakeaper Manufacturing facility located right outside redding pennsylvania Seakeaper is the world leader in gyroscopic stabilization. Their product eliminates up to 95 percent of boat roll Seakeaper transforms the boating experience and makes boating more accessible and enjoyable for everyone on board Seakeaper launched their first model in 2008 and has now grown to over 300 direct employees Through its success. Seakeaper has also created over a thousand jobs That directly support the product through its vendors and dealers Seakeaper has rapidly grown to become minimum expectation in the new boat buyers market It is installed in over 25 percent of new boats over 26 feet built each year Seakeaper has over 20,000 customers on the water today and works with nearly every major boat manufacturer globally Their rapidly growing dealer network provides world-class customer support to customers on the water in nearly every corner of the world For those not familiar with what seakeaper is or what it even does Let's break it down At the core of the seakeaper is a precision machine steel flywheel that will spin inside of a vacuum enclosure at speeds up to When the boat rolls from side to side the seakeaper tilts forward and aft commonly known as procession Producing a powerful gyroscopic force to port and starboard which counteracts boat roll This creates a land-like experience on the water even on the roughest days Seakeaper is a product that everyone on board can enjoy from a veteran boater to the first timer It appeals to those that like offshore fishing as much as it does those that use their boat for family cruising Now that we have an understanding of what it does, let's take a look at how they're built Highly engineered finish components are delivered to the manufacturing plant Seakeaper has worked with partners around the world to source highly precise finished components that will eventually be assembled into a finished gyroscope Seakeapers core focus within its facility is on design and engineering as well as assembly This enables seakeaper to maintain extremely high tolerances in the assembly process with a focus on performance and quality The first step is the flywheel sub-assembly at this machine The flywheel shaft is ground to a tolerance less than one ten thousandths of an inch Which is smaller than one thirtieth the diameter of a strand of hair This is a critical tolerance for proper functionality longevity and performance Next we move on to add other critical components to the flywheel which include the bearings motor and cooling collars A key design feature of the seakeaper are the proprietary cooling collars Which dissipate heat from inside the vacuum sealed enclosure At this point the flywheel has been uniquely serialized Moved to a staging area and is ready to be mated to the spherical enclosure This serialization will become important later in the process While the flywheels are being prepared in a separate area the aluminum casted enclosures are also getting ready The critical step for the enclosure preparation is a vertical grind to the top and bottom of the enclosure This is to maintain a critical tolerance of the enclosure to bearing fit This precision is so important that each enclosure is paired to a specific and serialized flywheel sub-assembly as we saw before This plays a key role in the longevity of the product while allowing it to operate under extreme loads out on the ocean Now that the core components have been staged and transported to the assembly area, it's time to start final assembly Inside of the state-of-the-art assembly area there are 13 individual assembly lines dedicated to the different seakeaper models The process starts with choosing the pair of flywheel sub-assembly and enclosure These two pieces get bolted together and additional components are mounted to the sphere such as the gimbal shafts Which are the points about which the sphere will rotate under operation Next the assembly is spun up for a second round of balancing to ensure that there's no vibration once it is installed on the boat After this the enclosure is pumped down to zero torque to create the vacuum in which the flywheel will spin A specialized testing machine will be used to ensure there's complete vacuum Having the flywheel spin under vacuum is the enabling feature that allows a seakeaper to be installed in a recreational boat The reduced resistance under vacuum allows it to spin three times faster Reduces the flywheel weight by two-thirds and cuts the power required for operation in half At this stage final assembly can begin. This sphere will get mounted to the powder coated frame Next the hydraulic brakes cooling system and electronics will get mounted around the sphere Each subsystem provides specific functionality to the seakeeper's operation For example the hydraulic brakes also known as seakeeper's active control works as a smart technology automatically controlling the sphere's procession Procession is the tilting of the sphere forward and aft that is required to create the stabilization Active control is supported by preparatory software that constantly monitors the boat's motion to control the sphere's procession This fine-tuned dance is what provides the optimal performance at all speeds and in ever-changing sea conditions While the seakeeper is designed for minimal maintenance The hydraulic braking system is one of the only yearly maintenance items on a seakeeper Another key feature is the seawater cooling This system removes heat from within the vacuum enclosure and dissipates it using a closed glycol loop The glycol routes through the heat exchanger where seawater is used to cool it down This is what allows the seakeeper to be installed in an enclosed space without air ventilation The seawater cooling is also an important feature in allowing the flywheel to spin at an extremely high rate of speed And thus decreases the size and weight required for stabilization At this stage the final assembly is complete and we can move on to testing each unit Each seakeeper will get completely rigged to a testing hydraulic tilt table that mimics extreme real-world operation The seakeeper is put through its paces from two to ten hours for a full systems validation This ensures that every seakeeper shift meets the strict quality standards The unit is being tested for a variety of measurements including vibration noise, operating flywheel speed, active control performance and much more This is one of the many quality control tests performed during the manufacturing process From the very early stages of manufacturing, each flywheel gets tested and measured using specialized equipment to ensure that there are no defects in the material All other incoming materials are inspected for conformance before being green lighted into the assembly process At each step the components are tracked through a serialized database to ensure continuous quality assurance As we wrap up assembly, it's time for a final visual inspection in a clean room It all starts with a visual inspection This is followed by the attachment of installation hardware and technical documentation Then the seakeeper is packaged in a specialized crate and detailed photos are taken of each unit Due to seakeepers growing popularity, their volume has grown at a compounding rate of 30% each year since inception On average, they ship out 400 seakeepers a month and have major expansion plans underway In November of 2021, seakeeper announced its acquisition of a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility Located 15 miles from their current plant This new space will double their square footage to over 240,000 square feet The proximity to their current location allows them to transition 100 of their highly skilled manufacturing workforce At seakeeper, they pride themselves in building an extraordinary product But they believe that their true secret sauce is in the people It takes a diverse team to design, produce, and deliver such a high-performing product In our visit, the passion for transforming the boating experience was evident With everyone we met from the engineers to the production team to the quality team and everyone in between Sportsmen and seakeepers share aligning values in innovation, world-class customer experience, transparency, and continuous improvement Here at Sportsmen, we have taken the integration of the seakeeper to the next level Not only by offering the seakeeper experience, but by intentionally engineering it into our product as a key design feature As we wrap up, we would like to thank the entire seakeeper team for making this episode possible Join us in our season finale episode of Behind the Glass as we talk to the team behind the Sportsmen design language Don't forget to subscribe for the latest content from Sportsmen Boats From Somerville, South Carolina, my name is Victor and thank you for watching Welcome back to Behind the Glass In this final episode for season two, we sat down with the team here at Sportsmen to talk about the Sportsmen design language Sportsmen was established in 2011. Let's start off with Tommy and the original vision for Sportsmen Boats We started the company with just one goal to be a world-class boat manufacturer We've gone from a single 23-foot center console to building 21 different models today And each carries a little of the traditional and new Sportsmen design language Sportsmen started with a 23-foot center console And that's a boat we still build today. It's absolutely incredible seller for us And you know, um That boat's had some refreshing over the past few years, but it's really at the core of the original concept that Tommy had And we took that design, the original design and modified The overall look to come up with more advanced look with With really a somewhat of an iconic look on the water And that's how the whole Open 352 started It's really been a journey and a lot of that has you know stemmed from truly listening to the customer and Expanding upon what the customer's needs and wants are All while, you know, striving at the same goal of making a world-class center console fishing boat and bay boat And that's uh, what it's you know, led us to today to where we're at today It was at this point that there was a change that dictated the future for Sportsmen Boats The pivot point was 100 driven by the customer We saw where the market was headed and we wanted to lead through innovation Most boat manufacturers routinely update to the newest electronics upholstery materials, you name it But very few can actually execute when it comes to new styling and incorporating new designs across their entire line of product Especially in a several-year timeline Thanks to our team and our vertically integrated tooling department We knew we had the opportunity to do just that and lead through innovation We really felt the market was in need of a modern design in the 35 foot class At the price point that we came up with on our 35 That's when we decided we'd build the open 352 and it had to be the framework for Sportsmen going forward Once this boat came to life that was a silhouette You'd recognize as a sportsman whether it was a 35 foot or 23 foot boat To do this we had to have the right lines on the boat, you know, vertically and horizontally We started with the hull and you know, we had a wide beam wanted a comfortable ride But we had to maintain that performance And like most all of our boats, we started with the strakes, you know and our strakes we just by our preference We have a zero or flat strake and chine and what that gives you Is as a great ride but still gives you great performance if you tilt the chine up It can be a little bit wetter boat But give you a little bit better ride if you tilt it down it can definitely be a harder ride But you get a better performance So this is the best of all of that put together Next came the console on top It needed to be seamless, stylish and have a modern flare We developed our very own style of detubing and even incorporated neural grab handles to increase customer satisfaction We wanted a new consistent look Something that when you saw it, you'd know this was a sportsman A sleek clean modern look was key for us on our 35 For example, we took the detubing and had it integrated into the console into the floor for that really clean modern look One of the tremendous benefits of the detube design is it gives you more room inside the console And around the outside the console to get around the boat. It also gives you tremendous strength The hard top is huge. It is huge And the cool thing about that is that you know, you get to maximize your shade And it also allows us to add some cool features to the top as well You know, whether you're offshore fishing or you know, you're at the sand bar If you don't have any shade in the summertime, it's hot. It's bad hot We decided to go with detubing and and detubing allowed us to do a lot of cool things It allowed us to get the shape that we wanted to while bringing the legs of a typical, you know Hard top off of the floor and integrate those right into the console Because that just provides a nice sleek design and it's very smooth If you look at the detubing, it's got a lot of rake to it. So it just sitting still it looks like you're in motion And it just adds a whole lot of style to the boat The hard top with this detubing design was a huge part of the design language for our new 352 and other models going forward with sportsman The incredible vertical lines of the detubing leaving your eye. That was the design language we were looking for The iconic look that we've all grown to love is what we refer to as the sportsman design language The sportsman brand is immediately identified through elegant styling open layouts and luxurious amenities Our design speaks directly to customers that are looking to enjoy quality time at the sandbar or catch the fish of a lifetime Our boats come loaded with seating and tables to create the perfect social zones for a cruise The whole side doors entry ladders And jail audio system make the day at the sandbar or Gulfstream of breeze So looking around the boat you're just stunned by the elegance and features that that a new design can just bring to life And all the little pieces just just come together and flow to really just create a masterpiece And it's just just puts a smile on your face Being out on the water and seeing the boat knowing automatically what it is from the smooth sleep lines and then walking up to it And seeing the fishing amenities and the family features. That is a sportsman You can just tell that it was all designed in and thought of well ahead of time But that overall look became the design language that we Transferred all the way down the line our center consoles all the way down to 26 feet And you can you can just see that sportsman shear line and look From a distance when you're out on the water and that's what we wanted You know when I first walked down the dock and see the classic and timeless lines that we have on the 352 It gives you a feeling of happiness and just wow You know every time I get on the 352 I'm just blown away at how the design came together The elegance the fishability The flow Just the way you can walk around the boat and not hit anything and and it just it just came together just great Our line of boats have all the amenities needed for whichever occasion Whether you're going to the sandbar or going fishing offshore Our boat is the ultimate family fishing boat to stay competitive We knew we had to take it to the next level and beyond and to achieve that we needed some special engineering Designing and engineering boats of this magnitude is a very challenging task We couldn't do it without 3d modeling design tools and simulations to test structure and evaluate the whole design Every piece of this boat was made with 3d modeling or our CAD design Everything was adjusted like the pump location moved a half inch here there all the way to the console the hard top Even down to the the millimeter accuracy of screw placements and things like that across the entire boat One particular area which had attention to detail was the shear line of the hull And especially the stem area we argued back and forth for a week in this very room Over three quarters of an inch should it go up should it go down walk away come back But with that type of scrutiny we ended up with the gorgeous boat that we have today Transitioning from CAD to the production floor is a very difficult step in introducing any new model When a design hits the floor is when we see how modern tools create more efficient and precise processes like we have today Ensuring a smooth transition from design to production is always key Being able to properly model all the components in a virtual model and know how and where they will fit during the design is incredibly important It allows the transition from design to production to go smoothly The open 352 center console simply revolutionized our growth It's really during the design phase of the 352 that we had zero hesitation We knew it was the design that would change sportsmen forever And that was the pivot point that has inspired 10 all new models for sportsmen with plenty more coming each year One of our core values in our company is innovation We are always striving to provide our customers with the best possible product at that given time When we launched the 352 That design language ultimately changed the trajectory of our company in terms of consumer demand and the ability to partner with world-class dealers The key is understanding that innovation and continuous improvement never stops and that mindset It's woven into the fabric of our company The 352 Changed our whole design philosophy and how sportsmen will grow It's set the standard in the benchmark for all the following models that are coming after that We're redesigning all of our models and bringing this design language down through all of our model line So as stated Innovation has a core value here at sportsmen and the market never dictates what we do from a product development standpoint Whether the market is phenomenal Whether the market is struggling innovation has a core value and you can expect to see us year in and year out Come out with the most cutting-edge product With with the highest level of technology To provide you with the with the best most ultimate family fishing boat that you can find on the market Keeping up with new technology is what allows us to design for the future here at sportsmen There's new technology hitting our market every single year The digital side which we changed over to several years ago Has increased in speed and processors and the ability geo fencing Just reporting back to your your your phone all kinds of things like that But we have to stay on top of that so that we can design for the future plan for the future Because our goal is always to design it in and be ready for it This year we were super excited to be one of a few companies that had the opportunity to partner with SeaKeeper on a game-changing product The SeaKeeper ride system is a perfect example of why we were always redesigning to make our product better The ride system is without a doubt the future of voting our strategic work with SeaKeeper on the project allows us once again to lead through innovation Our ability to react and make changes to our design allows us to quickly incorporate the system into our product And give the customer the experience they demand and SeaKeeper ride is just one of those many revolutions in the industry that we have jumped on board with early on And are allowing our customers to receive the latest and greatest in technology and overall performance And what it boils down to is just ease of use It's it's new technological advances like that that A lot of times the vendors actually come to us because they know our reputation Is all about innovation and they're looking for us to help them Launch their product into the market and then we look at everything very closely And those things that we feel strongly about such as SeaKeeper ride We jump on that really quickly. And so we're the exclusive partner for SeaKeeper ride for for their introductory of this new product We have a robust new product schedule that includes annual releases The goal of sportsmen was to design and manufacture a world-class family fishing center console A boat that families could buy and joy on the water together and create lifelong lasting memories That they would never forget that constant product development cycle that's just never satisfied. It's always hungry We're always having to feed that machine. That's the exciting part for us. That's the part of the business that we all love We're all very passionate about that We're all very very excited about what we've got coming out in the next two to three years And and all of our customers will be as well You know working for a company that allows Me especially from a product development standpoint to just take a new idea and run with it And and and gather market data and look at the trends and come up with something just really cool is absolutely incredible We built a world-class product built by a world-class team and it just continues to get better and better So that's going to wrap it up for season two of behind the glass We want to take the time to thank everyone involved in making this show possible from summerville, south carolina My name is victor and thank you for watching