Oct 7

Oct 7 The Tuff Marine Story: Building a Legacy of Performance One Boat at a Time

Every September, a group of Tuff owners get together for a run starting in Parry Sound Ontario, which is just north of the Muskoka area. Georgian Bay is part of Lake Huron and is one of the most majestic areas I have been to in a while. After talking to Mark and Thomas Weigl at Lake of the Ozarks in August, Thomas mentioned the run and that it would be the perfect time to see a bunch of Tuffs all at once. I knew I couldn’t pass on the chance to be part of the run and spend some time up North with them.

I flew into Toronto and picked up a rental car to head out the next day. It’s about a 3 hour drive and once you get out of Toronto it’s smooth sailing. The laid back nature of Parry Sound was great and it was quiet being the end of the season. I was really excited to get on the lake. Not only was it a perfect day but the first ride was in the Tuff 34 that recently set the single V speed record in the Shootout and is one of the most special boats I’ve ridden in. Armed with a GoPro, I compiled some good footage that hopefully does some justice to the boats and the scenery. But what the video might not show is what a great group of enthusiasts came out that day. There were quite a few non Tuff boats as well, just friends that wanted to join, everyone was welcome and it was really fun.

At least part of the reason to get up to Ontario was also a great chance to catch up more with Mark and Thomas along with seeing the boats up close. The last time I saw a Tuff up close was the Blue 28 powered by a Mercury Racing 860 at Lake of the Ozarks, and before then it might have been the 2011 or 2012 Toronto boat show. It’s hard to believe but Tuff Marine has been around now for over 20 years. Mark’s first Tuff 28 was around 2005 and it was Mark’s first design top to bottom and kind of set the tone for the future Tuff hulls. Even though Tuff’s are known for their blistering speeds there is much more to the boutique custom boat company than just big numbers.

Tuff is a family business in everyway and it is forged by passion without giving into anything other than the mission of building exceptional custom boats. Typically, they build about 6 to 7 boats a year and usually have 1 or 2 demo boats they run for the season themselves. Last year they introduced their new Tuff 20 that Thomas designed and it is an incredible boat that really carries the design language of the bigger boats in a package that can perform with a 150 to 225 HP. And the Tuff 34, which is the fastest single engine V hull around and one of the most unique boats in its class; featuring a very sophisticated pad hull design.

What is really remarkable about the Tuff story is their ability to innovate so well. We talked about how the four stroke market changed the game for smaller boats, and they adapted by building the Tuff 24, then the 25, to accommodate the big heavy outboards. The longer and narrower hulls are more aerodynamic can outperform the original Tuff 21. The 28 was also revised after only a few years and it’s a fantastic hull. The 16 of course is a great little entry level rocket.

If you go back in time, the Tuff Marine boat company wasn’t necessarily part of Mark’s plan. Of course, life very seldom goes as planned. After realizing the family business he was part of absolutely wasn't for him, there was some time before he actually made boat building his pursuit. Mark and his wife Dana raced offshore in the early 90s in a Skater 24 and later a 32. After racing, Mark obviously had a personal interest in fast boats, fixing and running everything from Hydrostreams to his race boats and even racing Mod VP before getting into offshore. But it wasn’t until much later that a friend mentioned he should build boats, it seemed obvious to others it was his passion. Even Mark mentioned that at the time it didn’t sound like a great idea.

Sometimes, passion and business don’t mix well so it’s a tricky one. And Mark talked to Peter Hledin and others, and generally the advice about getting into the boat business is… don’t. Probably good advice 90% of the time. But the difference is that Mark is truly a designer. Him and his son Thomas don’t care to make 50 or more boats out of a factory, they want to build boats that push the envelope on design and create the fastest boats. That inspiration and focus are what set Tuff apart.

Mark admits to really admiring some of the builders that did innovate and make really interesting boats over the years. We talked about how so many companies rested on the laurels and either went out of business or are making the same stuff as decades ago, not adapting. Mark and now Thomas who has grown up within the company, and who is proven to be a great test pilot and an incredible designer himself. They are a complimentary team for sure who work incredibly hard to deliver the orders they have piled up. And they do everything, this is an all hands on deck operation, which is all the more impressive.

A key aspect of business strategy is owning a market and in some circles it’s called a “blue ocean strategy.” A phrase made popular in a business book of that title. Tuff Marine essentially created a “blue ocean” where you offer a product so unique and so distinct it creates its own market, alleviating direct competition. Obviously there is some competition in the V hull sport boat class, but Tuff are peerless in design and performance. And when you do that, you get demand outstripping supply, price command, and the product doesn’t need to be advertised traditionally. If we go back to the origins of Mark starting the company, that strategy probably wasn’t drawn up, but by constantly pushing to build the best boats he could, Tuff started a cult following.

I believe it was 2003 or 2004 when Mark started designing his 28’ and introduced the first one in 2005. The first boat was a twin outboard, powered by two Mercury Racing 250XS. And the second was a sterndrive, Mercury Racing 525, which ran 95+ MPH at the time. In the marine industry there are a lot of “entrepreneurs” who build a few boats, then disappear. But with Tuff it wasn’t really like that, the mission was more clear. Mark built a few boats, then a few more, and the speeds were really hard to ignore. With the incredible boating lakes in his area, the Muskoka lakes, Georgian Bay and countless other lakes in the region, there is a captive market in Ontario alone.

Even though a few things have changed in boat building, Tuff has always paid close attention to the details, they really build each boat to the customers spec. Thomas even said they customize it right down to every detail that suits that particular customer. Some are looking for that big number, others want more of a “gentleman's” setup. Building the right boats one at a time is how details and quality are met every time. Each boat is kind of special, and it seems like every colorway is unique.

Tuff hulls are vacuum infused with vinylester resin, and they can do a carbon fiber layup with a fully capped hull to deck. Each boat is very custom. We did a feature on a yellow Tuff 28 with a capped deck, carbon fiber lay up, and I think the hull was sectioned for a lower freeboard If I’m not mistaken.

An ultra fast Tuff 28 with Mercury Racing 860. Capable of 138 MPH. Seen here at Lake of the Ozarks

New Tuffs are designed with the aid of computers but also testing and most importantly, the eye. Boats are kind of like art in a way, and a computer doesn’t always do art. But Mark did mention that the eye can tell when the lines are right, when the design is right. The computer can sure help for drafting up the overall design, but when you see any Tuff in person, they are hand crafted art work, all great boats are. Each boat is special and the demo boats a little moreso. I saw Mark and Thomas right after they handed the keys to the new owner of the 34, and you could tell it was like parting with something that had a serious amount of sentimental value; rightly so because it did. Mark reflected “It’s always a little different when it’s a personal build than building a boat for a customer.”

After a couple hours of making our way down Georgian Bay, we stopped in town for lunch. I got the chance to meet some of the other guys on the run. It is kind of amazing how boats can bring people together. Everyone could share great stories about fixing them, projects, and other stories. What’s remarkable too is that Mark and Thomas are friends with customers and many are repeat customers. After lunch I got to run in the latest Tuff 25, with a tuned 4.2 Yamaha that I featured a while ago. Probably one of the coolest boats being made today in my opinion, being the perfect size for a big single outboard. That said, it was hard to ignore how fast and poised the 28 is with a big block. And the 34 is a cat killer as a sterndrive or a twin outboard.

I can’t really say enough about how amazing the area was for boating. The freshwater and perfect weather made me really miss big lake boating.

What is the future of Tuff? It is no secret they are working on a cat. That should be really exciting and possibly open the door to racing for the brand and Thomas. Demand is so strong for the current models I think the future looks very bright for Tuff Marine and the Weigl family. They work incredibly hard all winter to deliver the boats.

I can’t really say enough about how generous Mark and Thomas were with their time and inviting me on the run and to their home. The Tuff Marine story is a really special one and it’s a story about family, passion and dedication. And it’s a story that keeps getting better.