There’s something to be said about staying in the lane you know best. Yes, I’ve always believed that the full adage of “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but still better than a master of one,” rings more true than anything. But when companies get too big or too unwieldy, there’s some wisdom in dialing it all back.
In the powersports space, none is as big as BRP, which is the parent company of some of RideApart’s editor’s favorite brands. You’ve got Can-Am—one of which I own—Ski-Doo, and Sea-Doo, and these companies make everything from electric motorcycles to 200-horsepower turbocharged snowmobiles. But BRP also manufactured boats.
Indeed, for years, BRP operated three boat companies in addition to its powersports offerings, and those included Alumacraft, Telwater, and Triton Industries which makes Manitou pontoons. But late last year, the company decided that it was going to divest from the boating industry and do all the powersports all the time, streamlining the company so it’s on better, more focused footing.
Staying in its lane, or rather trail, as it were.
And now, just a few short months after BRP announced that it would be putting up the boat businesses for sale, it’s stated that two of the three are already gone. Perfect timing, given the state of threatened tariffs.
Two days ago, BRP sent out two press releases stating that it had sold its Alumacraft and Telwater brands. According to the first, the company has “entered into a definitive agreement to sell 100% of the outstanding shares of Telwater Pty, Ltd. to Yamaha Motor Australia Pty Ltd., a subsidiary of Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. The acquirer has been established in the region since 1983 and a key player in Australia’s boat industry.”
Now, that’s not Yamaha proper, but the subsidiary of Yamaha that operates in Australia, which makes sense as Telwater is based in the country down under (sorry, I had to). The second sale is that of Alumacraft, which was sold to Bryton Marine Group.
For those unfamiliar with Bryton, it’s a family-owned business out of Washington and British Columbia and builds everything from 17ft to 150ft aluminum boats for private citizens and both Canadian and American governments. The deal is said to encompass all of Alumacraft’s assets, including its St. Peter, Minnesota facility, and Byron Bolton, CEO of Bryton Marine Group, stated, “We look forward to welcoming to the Bryton family Alumacraft’s talented employees and loyal dealers. They have been instrumental in building the brand’s reputation for quality and innovation.”
So it seems that the company’s employees are sticking around, too.
Speaking on the sales, José Boisjoli, President and CEO of BRP, stated, “We are pleased with today’s announcement, our first transactions in the process for the sale of our Marine businesses. I would like to sincerely thank all of the talented employees for their contribution and commitment over the years. We know we can count on their professionalism to continue supporting our dealers and customers with dedication through this transition period, until the transaction is completed.”
But that still leaves one company: Triton Industries.
Nothing has come out of BRP on Triton, but it’s interesting that the other two announcements came on the same day as each other. Triton’s Manitou pontoons are an interesting case, as that class of boat is one of the harder sells in the industry. But with the right buyer, they could very well be one of the best out there. We’ll just have to wait and see, though I suspect given the tariffs, both threatened and implemented, BRP is looking to downsize its liabilities however it can.
