More than 40 years after a corporate separation splintered the Hobie brand among three entities, Hobie Cat Co. said it reunited all facets of the watersports brand under one ownership.
“At long last this iconic American brand has been reunited under one roof in Southern California, where it all began in 1950,” Hobie Cat president Doug Skidmore said in a statement.
“Hobie Cat is looking forward to partnering with some of the world’s great companies and brands and remains committed to creativity, the finest quality and the wonderful spirit that Hobie Alter has embodied for tens of millions of customers, fans and communities throughout these last six decades.”
Founded more than 65 years ago by Hobie L. Alter (1933-2014), Hobie engineered a range of aquatic products while being instrumental in shaping the early development of the Southern California surf culture.
“With the legendary and iconic brand at long last together again, Hobie Cat Company maintains its commitment to the values Hobie Alter created and to the legacy of the products he carved into the sand at Dana Point so many years ago,” Skidmore said.
Hobie began in 1950, when Alter, then 16, began shaping balsa wood surfboards in his father’s garage in Laguna Beach, Calif. Shortly thereafter, Hobie developed the foam and fiberglass surfboard that quickly became the industry standard and remains the predominant construction method today.
From the surfboard to the Hobie Cat sailboat, polarized sunglasses, the Mirage touring and fishing kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, Hobie created a diverse range of products.
