Powerboat Nations Unite

The Powerboatnation.com trailer captured in a quiet, early morning moment duirng the 2012 Miami Boat Show Poker Run.

The Powerboatnation.com trailer captured in a quiet, early morning moment during the 2012 Miami Boat Show Poker Run.

Without question, Douglas Marine Skater is the best-established name in custom high-performance catamarans. Sure, there are a few other top-flight brands out there, but Skater is to go-fast cats what Cigarette Racing Team is to go-fast V-bottoms. In terms of iconic brand identity, Skater is as good as it gets.

But here’s the strange thing. During his 30-plus years of building stunning cats, Peter Hledin, the owner and founder of Douglas Marine/Skater in Douglas, Mich., never had a full-service Skater dealer in South Florida, one of the hottest markets for go-fast boats in the world.

At least that was the case until November 2011. That’s when Miami-based Skaternation.net opened its doors in conjunction with its sister company, Powerboatnation.com. The coming-out party for both outfits happened at the Poker Run Village during the 2011 Key West Offshore World Championships, and while the atmosphere surrounding their debut was festive, it left more than a few folks a little confused about the difference between Skaternation.net and Powerboatnation.com.

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