Could Rampage Boats be going on a rampage? Maybe the wording is a bit strong, but in one of the few tidbits of encouraging industry news we’ve heard lately, parent company KCS International decided to bring back 100 employees to finish construction on boats they’ve already begun, and to begin construction on newly ordered boats.


This isn’t all (or even mostly) Rampage. KCS also owns Cruisers Yachts, which is working hard to finish their new 470 Cruisers Sport Coupe, to be introduced for the 2011 model year. Still, the hiring isn’t limited to the Cruisers line, Rampage has new orders to fill, and any signs of growth in the boating industry are more then welcome.


KCS has always seemed to have a little more interest in Cruisers then Rampage, and we haven’t seen a new fishboat intro from them since the ‘09 IPS 34 express boat was rolled out. Nothing has been announced for the 2010 season, but hopefully they have new model plans for Rampage as well as Cruisers. The Rampage 45 Convertible remains one of my favorites of its size, after spending a day trolling for yellowfin on one a few years back. It’s fast (we topped out over 42-mph), takes the seas extremely well, and has a pair of monster-eating five-foot long fishboxes in the deck. Some early models had structural issues, but these were taken care of years ago. And it’s a relatively inexpensive boat for its size, starting under one mil.


Wait a sec–don’t get all happy just yet. At the same time, according to Boating Industry News  new boat sales are down 32.2-percent compared to this time last year. Ouch. I’ll be at the Baltimore Boat show this weekend with my fingers crossed for the guys working the floor. And if you’re considering buying a new boat, this is a great time to pull the trigger. Prices have sunk along with demand, and you’re not likely to see another time when dealers are as desperate to make deals. If you’ve got a spare mil laying around, it might just be time to go on a RAMPAGE!


Written by: Lenny Rudow
With over two decades of experience in marine journalism, Lenny Rudow has contributed to publications including YachtWorld, boats.com, Boating Magazine, Marlin Magazine, Boating World, Saltwater Sportsman, Texas Fish & Game, and many others. Lenny is a graduate of the Westlawn School of Yacht Design, and he has won numerous BWI and OWAA writing awards.