History of Fisher Boats Brand

The Fisher Boats Brand is a unique brand with a reputation for producing highly efficient and sturdy boats. Their design is one that ensures easy maneuverability through the waters and safety.

They have been reputed for making different types of crafts such as fishing vessels, yachts, pontoon boats among others, which are of a high standard.

Unfortunately, the production of Fisher boats stopped in 2009. If you’re curious to know what became of the Fisher brand, and whether they resumed production of the vessels, then, read on to discover more.

How Fisher Boats came to Existence.

The Induction: The company was founded back in 1967 by a man called Clifton Miler. He was among the pioneer manufacturers of aluminum vessels.

First model:  The Fisher company made its debut entry into the market in 1971 with a vessel, The Water-Strider 15-Deluxe. This vessel could only accommodate two occupants and was a fishing craft.

Expansion: The brand increased its reach by introducing newer models and updated versions of the previous ones.

Some of the newer models included the Water Strider 3, the Water Rover 3 among others, and later on, they ventured into the production of models such as the Mod V and pontoon boats as well.

In the year 1990, the Fisher Brand saw a lot of growth and expansion. Different models were added to their collection, as many as forty different models.

Transfer of Ownership

In the years following the growth surge of the Fisher brand, another company indicated interest to buy the company. This company, Brunswick Fishing eventually purchased the Fisher boat brand, and the merged company as a whole expanded its vessel production from just Spectrum and Monarch vessels to include Fisher crafts.

The only difference between these vessels was that the Spectrum vessels were made with a combination of aluminum and wood, while the Fisher’s vessels were made solely of aluminum.

A further transfer of ownership would take place in the month of June 1996. Another company, The Tracker Marine Group purchased both the Spectrum and the Fisher brands from the Brunswick Company.

An abrupt end.

In 2009, anything that had to do with the Fisher brand was terminated. Some models that were pushed out by the brand before their eventual closure that year were the March Hunter, the Pro Avenger, and Guide, just to name just a few.

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Common Questions Asked About the Fisher Brand.

Are Fisher Boats still in production?

The answer to this is No. Ever since their closure in 2009, no Fisher boat has been produced.

Does the Fisher Brand also make pontoon vessels?

Yes, they did. Although all activities relating to the manufacture of new models ceased in 2009, while the brand was active, they did make pontoon vessels.

Some of which were similar in design to the Sun Tracker model made by the Tracker Marine Group, the company that bought the brand.

What company manufactured the Fisher boats?

The Fisher Boat brand was initially started by Clifton Miller in 1967. The brand only made aluminum vessels that varied in size from as small as fourteen feet to over thirty feet, made solely of aluminum. The company, however, changed ownership in 1988 and became a part of the Brunswick Fishing company.

This merger marked a new turn for the Brunswick company and caused them to rank high on the list of the top manufacturers of recreational vessels as well as boat engines.

When sales went down because of economic depression in the nineties, the Fisher Brand was brought back to the market, and the Tracker Marine Group acquired it.

But this move did not prove to be a good one for the Tracker Company, as a series of rough times followed. After struggling to keep the company afloat, they finally folded up in 2009.

How did Fisher Boats Started And What Happened To The Company?

Clifton Miller created Fisher boats from the beginning, who later sold it off to a company called Brunswick Fishing, which in turn sold to the Tracker Marine Group before this final company folded up in 2009.

Due to its management by the Tracker Group, some of Tracker’s vessels were made similar in design to the Fisher’s vessels.

Are The Fisher Vessels Worth The Hype?

Yes, they are. They proved to be a brand that made efficient crafts regardless of the type of vessel it was. Be it for recreational purposes or adept fishing activities.

When the Tracker Group took over its ownership, the Fisher brand mainly produced out entry-level boats, which had features according to expectation, which meant rough looking and with few amenities, but effective, and mode solely of aluminum.

However, there were some cases of wiring issues with the boats. Though this was minimal, a couple of the models had issues with sorts and exposed leads. The Fisher boats were also equipped with Mercury engines that are responsible for their reliability.

Are Fisher Boats Sturdy And Reliable?

Being made fully of aluminum, crafts made by the Fisher brand have been regarded to be sturdy and reliable as compared to riveted seams. However, some issues began to pop up from the year 2000 and onward.

Despite this, boats made by the Fisher brand are quite sturdy and reliable, being made from aluminum that is almost unaffected by weather conditions or natural causes. There are still some models that were made from the beginning of the brand in existence today and are in good condition.

The process of manufacturing aluminum vessels is not without challenges or issues; But with the Fisher brand, most of their vessels especially their pontoon boats have been labeled as effective.

Are There Older Models Of Fisher’s Vessels Still In Circulation?

Yes, there are. Although, it would depend on which of the models you were interested in. This is because; boats made by the Fisher brand can generally be classified into two.

One, those made when the brand originally started and when it was owned by the Brunswick Corporation, and second, those made when the Tracker Company took over.

The first category/type would be regarded as the older models literally, while the latter category would be regarded as the newer models, despite them all being regarded as old models since they are no longer being produced.

Owners of the older models of Fisher’s vessels are quite content with their quality and efficiency. Albeit, those with the newer models, who bought after the acquisition by the Tracker company have some complaints, and it has been generally agreed on boating forums that these newer models were not made with quality as a priority. So, that’s it about the older models of the Fisher boats.

In general, vessels made by the Fisher brand, especially the “older” models have been deemed sturdy and reliable.

Are Parts Still Being Manufactured For Fisher’s Vessels?

Specifically, the answer to this is no. There are no parts unique to the Fisher vessels still being manufactured. However, there are some general parts used in them, not specific to the Fisher brand, that are still being manufactured.

However, they are rare and can be hard to locate. The majority of searches made for these parts online often result in no tangible leads. This is owing to the fact that more detailed information about Fisher’s vessels online is quite rare.

Most trace of their existence is about gone, and although the Tracker group was purchased by Bass Pro, this new company does not provide any information about the Fisher vessels or their parts.

Fisher vessel-specific forums do not exist on the internet to solve this need. However, in most general boating forums, there are users that have Fisher boats and provide information about them.

Another way to get more information about the Fisher boats is in boat repair shops. These can provide you with the information you need, especially those that specialize in the repair of pontoon crafts.

Since the Fisher brand was once a household name among vessel owners, there is every chance that these shops can have what you’re looking for. If you don’t find all you’re looking for, you may find at least some.

What Are The Issues Common With Fisher’s Vessels?

Prior to the transfer of ownership to the Tracker Marine Group, all Fisher boats were made strictly with aluminum, solely. But upon transfer of ownership, some newer models were made with wooden floors.

And this constituted a major problem, as there were a lot of complaints made about the decay of the wood after a while.

Although this problem had not come up before, however, a combination of wooden floors with an aluminum body constituted a major issue for vessel owners.

Some other problems included defects in the wielding. In the years leading to their eventual closure, there had been issues with regard to quality in the manufacture of the vessels.

Word had it that it originated at the factory, where the wielders were not quite the standard, and a general test-running of the final product was not top-notch.  Hence, the resulting complaints which were not pleasant at best.

Are Fisher Vessels Long-Lasting?

Different standpoints exist on this subject, but it is generally agreed that vessels manufactured before the handover to the Tracker Company had more durability and longevity than those made after the transfer of ownership.

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