across many brands, styles and types of boats, but those early days behind a Master- Craft are where it all started. Where is your favorite place to go boating? Canyon Lake, California – my hometown lake. It’ s special because it feels like the entire community lives on the water together. You can’ t go more than a few minutes without running into family or friends. It also happens to be an incredible watersports lake with a slalom course, jump ramp and a space for surfing, wakeboarding and foiling. For me, it represents everything that makes boating special: community, sport and time together on the water. Who was your hero as a child? Professional water skier Rhoni Barton. I remember seeing a Waterskier magazine cover of her sitting on a stack of books in her ski gear while she was studying at Rollins College. I taped that cover inside my locker in sixth grade. What inspired me wasn’ t just her athletic success – it was that she represented being both competitive in the sport and intellectually engaged in the industry. That image made me realize you could contribute to watersports not only as an athlete but also through ideas, leadership and business. What are some of your favorite non-boating hobbies? Outside of boating, I love road biking, hiking and reading. My husband and I try to ride 30 to 40 miles together most weekends; it’ s our time to reconnect and reset. Our kids are very active as well, so much of our free time is spent cheering them on at basketball, soccer, dance or biking. We’ re happiest when we’ re outside and moving. Why should young professionals choose a career in the marine industry? Few industries have created the kind of impact we have. The products we build become the setting for some of people’ s most meaningful memories. We aren’ t just selling a product; we’ re helping create experiences that people remember for the rest of their lives. The marine industry is also filled with passionate, hardworking people who genuinely care about what they do. It’ s a unique combination of innovation, craftsmanship, legacy and community. It’ s incredibly rewarding to be part of.
JONATHAN SHADLE
AUDIO ENGINEER / ACOUSTIC TECHNICIAN, WET SOUNDS
What first drew you to the marine industry? My involvement in the Marine industry is by pure happenstance. I was working as an audio engineer and freelance musician when my wife drove by the Wet Sounds shop in Rosenberg, Texas going to the DPS. Funnily enough, I applied for a job in the warehouse but was hired into the product development department because I have a specialty in digital signal processing( DSP).
What was your first job? My first job was technically being a freelance musician in the greater New York / Connecticut area. While I was in college, I built grills for Lowe’ s and Home Depot to make ends meet. What accomplishments are you most proud of? I’ m proud of my musical accomplishments. I had the opportunity to get my Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School and two Masters degrees from the Yale School of Music. I’ ve been able to perform with some of the best classical musicians in the country and perform in many beautiful concert halls. Did you have any key mentors or influences in your career? Firstly, my wife, who is a professional harpist. Other important people are Raymond Mase, my professor at Juilliard, and at Wet Sounds it would be Rick Paul, Gabe Sandoval and Lee Teeples. As a young professional, what are the biggest challenges you’ ve faced in the marine industry and how did you overcome them? One of the most challenging settings to optimize sound quality is on a boat. The acoustics, wind and engine noise, and power limitations of 12-volt systems among other things pose a range of problems we deal with every day. But these problems are what make the process so much fun; it’ s like a giant puzzle to solve and every small solution is a step in the right direction. How do you hope to inspire others in the marine industry? Regardless of the difficulties that come with marine audio, it is still entirely possible to provide an extremely high quality and moving musical experience. I would like to inspire others by providing this musical experience through the systems we work on. How do you set goals for yourself and set yourself up for success? Thorough research, practicality, follow-through and a lot of flexibility. It’ s very rare that something works out correctly on the first try, so reasonable expectations are a big help. Where is your favorite place to go boating? Cruise ships in the Caribbean are fun. I also like Tennessee. Who was your hero as a child? Probably the trumpet player Adolph( Bud) Herseth in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Also, Batman. What are some of your favorite non-boating hobbies? I have a recording studio, write my own music, still play a little trumpet here and there, and am learning to play the guitar. Why should young professionals choose a career in the marine industry? The industry is filled with great people who are passionate about what they do. I like to think of the marine audio industry as the‘ wild west’ of audio; there are so many new technologies, designs and options that have not been done before, and there’ s a lot of opportunity for growth.
www. boatingindustry. com march 2026
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