Father of Supra - The History of Supra Boats

[chautauquasun]

I was doing some research for my upcoming rebuild of my Supra and came across this article which I think everybody will enjoy. I have always wondered about the history of Supra and why there seemed to so little information about the early company and the early boats. This article which is an interview with George Fowler, the Father of Supra explains a lot of the mystery that I have always wondered about. It is a somewhat lengthy interview but well worth reading. George sounds like a fascinating guy and somone I would love to have a beer with. Check out the link below. Enjoy.

http://www.deanstop.com/aztec/george/wake.html

Dan

[csuggs]

Dan - awesome article - I don't know how you found that, but what a great story!

Now I have to wonder: Viper Boats was in Arkansas, but does Viper Customs somehow get its name from any of this? I'm told that Viper Customs is in the plant where my boat was built (Maryville, TN). Can anyone piece this together a little more?

Thanks again Dan. I get excited over this kind of stuff!

There's a little more info at the Aztec home site. Seems George is out of a job again because Aztec closed in 2006. All of the molds are for sale - for cheap. But they are probably not in good shape since they've been left outside. http://www.aztecboats.com/

[thescott]

Interesting read-thanks for posting!

[jasonba1]

Viper customs is in the old skiers choice plant but has no affilation with viper boats. George Fowler has been in and out of boat companies for years and kind of started it all. The aztek boat molds have been for sale for sometime and I would say since they are outside the molds are shot. Molds have to be stored on completly level ground or they will warp. I got to go out on my first aztek boat back about 2 months ago my buddy at american boat center has one for sale. Neat little bare bones boat that were sold very reasobale and I think ryan at ABC has his for sale for like 10,5 which for a open bow 21 foot boat that is a good price.

[csuggs]

Thanks Jason - interesting.

[jasonba1]

From what I hear from the grape vine is no one really no where Fowler is now and what he is up to. I would love to meet him sometime and talk to him

[joehiggins]

He has moved back here recently and I speak with him daily. We have been friends for 40 years. He is the father of invention with the ski boats.

[JBreezy]

He has moved back here recently and I speak with him daily. We have been friends for 40 years. He is the father of invention with the ski boats.

Well, Joe, if you're telling the truth, that's very cool. I read this thread a couple of months ago just going through the archives and enjoyed learning about George's story and struggle and in general his contributions to inboards. And I don't mean to insult with my first sentence, it's just that the internet is the internet and you know how that goes.

[joehiggins]

JBreezy, A tale that follows. I met George while he was still working at Master craft with Rob Shirly. I did electrical work down at the old shop on Morganton rd off and on as they needed it done. My wife's sister ran the office in the early years for Master Craft. My wife worked off and on in the office also. George and Rob parted ways and George started Ski Supreme. It was located just off East Broadway in Maryville in an old 4 bay service station. My wife ran the front office there, and I hauled the first engine from Paul Fletcher's shop that was put in his first boat. Later we moved down on Topside Rd. in Louisville. I built custom trailers for George and later I built and ran his trailer shop there. I was offered a job in Texas and my wife and I moved there. Shortly thereafter He sold his part of Ski Supreme and started Supra. My wife and I attended some of his boat shows and ski tournaments in Texas. Time passed as we led our own lives. We returned to Tennessee to find out George had lost Supra and had spent some time in Florida and California. We arrived here and opened a BBQ house in Townsend, while George had just started the Aztec line down at a small shop just off 321 close to Friendsville. Later was sold to Charlie Luna who owned Viper Boats in Mountain Home Arkansas. George packed up and moved to Mountain Home to build the boats there. Another tale could begin here and long it would be. George is sitting here talking to me as I type this tale. Should you like we can have breakfast some Sat. morning and I will bring him with me.

[JBreezy]

WOW! That's awesome. Now again, I could become the village idiot around here by buying it, but I'll be darned if you don't sound like you are indeed telling the truth. Well thanks for the the recap, I appreciated hearing more of the story. And I appreciate your long term friendship with a legend. Boating means a lot of me, as it does many on this forum. I am quite a ways from you guys here in Minnesota but I drove through TN recently and spent two days in Chattanooga in January. 68 degrees and absolutely beautiful, geography, food, and people were all awesome. My wife and I added the TN and GA mountain area it to our potential retirement destinations.