Milestones, evolution, growth and vision for the future
by Makocraft 14 Jun 23:54 PDT
Makocraft 521 Patriot © Makocraft
The Stessl family is celebrating a monumental year in 2025, toasting a 50-year legacy, 20-year milestone and new beginnings.
2025 is a remarkable year for the Stessl family as their flagship brand, Makocraft celebrates its 20th anniversary.
This landmark moment also coincides with the official retirement of legendary boat builder Alf Stessl, who caps off an extraordinary 50-year career in Australian boat manufacturing.
Alf's retirement will also herald a new era for the Sea-Trex brand, as Alf passes the baton to his son, Tim Stessl.
Tim will take the helm of Sea-Trex and the Sea-Trex range will now be manufactured at their new production facility in Ashmore on the Gold Coast.
"2025 is a really special year for us," said Tim. "With Dad retiring and handing over the Sea-Trex brand, it feels momentous - this being his 50th year in the trade.
"We have big plans for Sea-Trex, which will be produced at our Gold Coast facility and run alongside Makocraft, appealing to a whole new sector of the boating market."
Makocraft is the Australian-owned and built brand of premium aluminium boats with more than 50 years of ingenuity, innovation and commitment to quality behind every boat.
Operating from new headquarters in Ashmore on Queensland's Gold Coast, Makocraft was founded as this vision of Director, Tim Stessl.
"We're proud to reach this 20th anniversary year, which is due to the loyalty and enthusiasm of our customers and the talent and dedication to quality among our team," Tim states.
A second-generation boatbuilder whose dad, Alf founded Stessl Boats in 1975, Tim grew up in the boating business. Gold Coast born and bred, Tim was scooting to school in his tinny from the age of 12.
After High School, it was a natural progression to join Stessl Boats and learn the technical side of boat design, production, sales and service - lessons ingrained in him along with a work ethic that is renowned industry-wide.
Over that time, Tim was actively involved in the pioneering design and engineering of the aluminium models emerging from Stessl and contributed his ideas and enhancements to the range.
Tim took a hiatus from the family business to work on distributing Tracker Boats into the Australian market. Tracker, the largest boat builder in the USA, provided Tim with the opportunity to gain valuable experience in another key market segment. As part of this role, he made several trips to the United States to visit Tracker's manufacturing plant, gaining firsthand knowledge of their large-scale production processes and market approach.
"But I couldn't leave boat building for long," he recounts of his return to work alongside his dad, who was working on his plan for the future: retirement.
Once the business sold in 2004, Tim was motivated to establish his own brand, which is a culmination of his 35 years' hands-on experience and finely honed expertise.
"There was definitely a market for well-built aluminium boats that deliver performance, durability and reliability," he says. "Makocraft is the product of dealer demand and boaties looking for quality, safety and value, with all the extras included."
He started with five people on staff and in their first year they produced 500 boats.
Alongside his wife Sally, who leads the business operations as well as the marketing and brand strategy, Tim is building a strong and capable team that drives the company forward. Together, they continue to grow the business, drawing on their combined expertise and passion for the industry.
The brand has lost none of the personal touches of a small, family business. They build a full-size prototype for every new model, which then undergoes rigorous testing, and Tim personally inspects every vessel thoroughly before it is delivered to a dealer or customer.
The advantages of aluminium are myriad, as Tim explains. "For vessels under 4-metres, aluminium is lighter and easier to handle. And even in the larger models, aluminium plate boats are reliable, durable and much better value than their rivals.
"They are beachable, easier to repair and 100 percent recyclable at the end of their lifespan," he adds.
The Makocraft range comprises 44 models from 3 to 7.3-metres, with 15 lines across the range. 80 percent of their market are anglers with families and 20 percent, and growing, are families seeking fun and precious time together on the water.
Families, including women boaties, are a significant demographic for Makocraft, and increasingly for the Sea-Trex range of tinnies, which are well-built, affordable and suitable for the "car topper" camping market.
"As a family business, Sally's perspective has helped shape some of the considerations in our boat designs, particularly when it comes to comfort and versatility," Tim commented.
"In our experience, women are often less focused on the hardcore fishing aspects and more interested in the comfort, layout and social side of boating — making sure it's an enjoyable day out for everyone on board.
"That insight has really shaped how we approach design at Makocraft. Boats like our X-Rider and CCX ranges are a direct result of that thinking. They're what we call multi-use boats — stylish and versatile enough for relaxed family cruising, but still fully capable of serious offshore fishing. We've worked hard to include more comfortable seating, smart storage, easy access, and user-friendly features that appeal across the board, from seasoned anglers to young families.
"At the end of the day, boating is about time together on the water, and we're passionate about making that experience as enjoyable and versatile as possible."
The Makocraft HQ is supported by a current national dealer network of 15 with new dealers to be appointed in 2025. Tim says demand would support more in the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales.
"We work closely with our dealers and have a great relationship with suppliers and owners, who become part of the brand's extended family.
"That's very satisfying," Tim shares. "Most of our owners are on their second or third Makocraft. They go from a 4-metre tinny to a 5.2-metre with barbecue and then a 6.3-metre, often as a family or group of friends. There's a lot of loyalty there and we don't take it for granted."
On a financial level, head over heart, "The resale value is very good," Tim attests, "and we are continually evolving the range based on owner feedback."
The pandemic in 2020 fuelled demand for these sturdy, feature-filled vessels, and production strained to keep up. With her background in Marketing, Tim's wife Sally came on board to lend her considerable expertise to digital strategy and branding.
"Covid provided a real boost and we acquired a lot of new customers," Tim recalls.
"Domestic travel was on the rise, and our 'Topper Tracker' range spiked with the 4WD market as people set off to explore Australia."
Brilliantly positioned as "tough tinnies" in the sub-80kg segment, the Topper Tracker range spans 3 to 3.76m and boasts welded in seats as a structural part of the boat and a stop hull twist, meaning no rivets to leak, with the 3.86m model launched in 2025 to meet the demand for a tinny that could fit 4 adults, and still only at a hull weight of 105kgs.
The momentum continued with the popularity of the "van life" trend and its appeal, evidenced by the profusion of Instagram and Facebook communities.
Now that levels have returned to stable, with sustainable growth each year, average lead time for a Makocraft is around three-months.
Along with maintaining contact with long-time owners and unofficial 'ambassadors' who animate the brand in their travel and adventure blogs/vlogs, boat shows are crucial for the opportunity to meet and mingle with owners.
"Boat shows are great for people to put a face to the brand," Tim explains.
"Shows are very useful for prospective buyers to compare apples with apples. They come armed with all the information from the internet, but there's no substitute for being able to see our boats up close and see for themselves the build quality and attention to detail, then compare competitor brands on the same day."
In 2025, Makocraft will exhibit at an impressive show circuit covering rural and regional areas, including Agfest Tasmania, Townsville Expo, Ag-Grow Emerald, Wauchope Show, Toowoomba Show and the boat shows in WA.
"It's not just along the coast, our boats are very popular in the river regions out west. Those shows have a special flavour of their own. It's always a good time!"
In this special 20th year - contemporarily commemorated as a 'platinum anniversary' - Tim and Sally have several events in the planning.
"We will host a suppliers' event later in the year for our valued partners, such as Dunbier trailers, who we have worked with for more than 30 years.
"Many of our dealers are planning Open Days to showcase the range, and for owners, we have a few get togethers planned, including a raft up at Peel Island and our annual getaway to Hervey Bay and Fraser Island, which we started three years ago.
"We're expecting a lot of owners to that one because it is such a sensational weekend - a great family occasion and a chance for new owners to meet the old guard."
New in 2025 is the 731 model in the Island Cab Plate Series, with centre console and cabin, which is already generating interest among anglers. Other new models include the much-anticipated 386 Topper Tracker, 425 Commander, and the re-designed and enhanced Estuary Tracker range, from 4 to 4.5m, ideal for river fishing.
Moving into larger models is on the cards, and Tim, ever the forward-thinking and prodigious designer, has drawings for bigger boats at the custom end.
"There's certainly a market there, and we will be pursuing these larger, custom boats with some of our customers who've expressed interest."
The team is currently focused on relocating to the new purpose-built premises in Ashmore which will be home to Sea-Trex, Makocraft as well as Tim's retail arm, Tim Stessl Marine, where he will have a full show room of Sea-Trex and Makocraft models, along with Dunbier trailers, Tohatsu outboards, Garmin and other well-known boating accessory brands. Tim's popular model of Boat Wash, Black Ops 'ASSALT', launched in 2020, will also be available for customers to purchase in store in addition to their online store.
Amid this period of growth and change, they are focused on commemorating the 20th anniversary milestone and continuing to manufacture his boats with all the heart, soul and precision they have become renowned for.
Two decades since starting Makocraft, Tim and Sally remain happily ensconced on the Gold Coast. Their 10-year-old son, Max is learning the ropes on the water and in the business, and has taken a keen interest in cruising the canals in his Makocraft tinny.
Reflecting on the evolution of his vision and the brand's achievements, Tim acknowledges, "20 years and continued growth with constant innovation in such a competitive industry and in a relatively small market are really significant.
"We're especially excited to re-launch our second boat brand, Sea-Trex, at a time when momentum is strong and the future looks bright."
Speaking of his commitment to building locally, Tim said, "At our core, we're passionate about keeping manufacturing here in Australia and committed to producing high-quality, well-loved aluminium boats that owners can trust and enjoy.
"We're proud of our longevity, and grateful for the ongoing support from customers and the industry alike. I'm just as passionate today about the product as I was on day one, and I remain focused on evolving with the times and meeting the needs of modern boaters."
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