// INDUSTRY NEWS
Highfield Boats Announces New Dealer Partners in the U. S., Panama and Brazil
American Rigid Inflatable Boat( RIB) brand Highfield Boats just announced that Lake Life Marine in South Carolina, SUMINAPA in Panama, and CL Group in Brazil are now Highfield Dealer / Partners. These appointments are part of Highfield Boats’ ongoing brand expansion throughout the U. S., Central and South America.
“ Highfield Boats has been the U. S. market leader in the RIB category for more than three years, and we’ ve continued to gain market share through the first months of 2026, highlighted by a successful Miami International Boat Show where we debuted three new models. With the launch of our family-friendly Escape and ADV series – including the all-new cabin crossover ADV9 – we are now offering Americans a wide range of RIBS designed to be safe, high-value primary boats, as well as tenders,” said Highfield USA President Christophe Lavigne in a news release.“ Now, we are expanding the Highfield brand into Central and South America with the help of our new strategic partners in Panama and Brazil."
New Dealer Partners Lake Life Marine, at Shealy’ s Landing on Lake Murray in Irmo, S. C. is a full-service boating hub offering boat and engine sales, maintenance and repairs, slip rentals and dry storage. The company also operates a Carefree Boat Club franchise on the lake.
“ We are excited to carry Highfield both as a new boat dealership with Lake Life Marine and also to put a few in our Carefree fleet. The quality of the Highfield is unmatched, and the ride is both smooth and exciting! It works great for Lake Murray with 65,000 acres of water and the desire to go in both big water and calm shallow coves. And finally, they are REALLY SEXY BOATS!!!!” said Matt Lyons, co-owner, Lake Life Marine, in the release.
SUMINAPA( an acronym for Suministros Náuticos Panamá S. A.), on the Caribbean Sea in Colón, Panama, offers a wide range of marine equipment, parts and services. The company serves both recreational and commercial customers and has a strong foothold in the local boating industry. Originally from Spain, the owners are avid sailors, bringing an in-depth industry knowledge to the business.
“ The motto of our company, SUMINAPA, is‘ From Sailors to Sailors’, and this is our company’ s mission. From our perspective as sailors, we seek what we believe the entire community desires: high-quality products, built to withstand the harshness of the sea and the sun, with a design tailored to our needs and tastes – are almost always very demanding – and at a fair price. That is why we chose Highfield Boats, as it embodies everything we seek for ourselves and for our customers,” said José A. Aleixandre, manager, SUMINAPA, in the release.
CL Barcos, part of the CL Group in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is a boat dealership specializing in high-end leisure boats, representing internationally recognized sailing yacht brands – and now Highfield Boats. CL Barcos has built a large and wellestablished network within the Brazilian sailing community, and more recently has branched out to serve customers on the powerboat side as well.
“ At the CL Group, we have worked with RIBs on a daily basis for more than 30 years. We choose to work with the best materials to ensure our products withstand the harsh tropical climate. The unequaled durability and high quality of Highfield Boats provide a real edge to our operations and allows us to guarantee long-term satisfaction for our clients,” said Henri Le Rasle, managing partner, CL Barcos, in the release.
ABYC Announces Outstanding Technician Award Winners
The American Boat & Yacht Council( ABYC) announced the recipients of its 2026 Outstanding Technician Awards during International Marine Service Technician Week, held April 20 – 24.
Sponsored by CWR Wholesale Distribution, the ABYC awards recognize 10 technicians for exceptional customer service, technical skills, training and mentorship, according to the organization. In addition, the New Achiever Awards recognize emerging professionals in the marine service industry who demonstrate strong potential and technical skills.
Now in its fifth year, the nominations were judged by a panel that included previous Outstanding Technician Award recipients.
“ In reviewing the nominations, it was exciting to see such strong technical ability, along with a commitment to mentoring others,” said Tim Murphy, education director at ABYC, in a news release.“ It was tough to narrow it down to 10 winners, and that really reflects the depth of the talent we have across the marine industry.”
This year’ s recipients are: Kevin Anderson of Crate’ s Lake Country
Boats in Orillia, Ontario Julia Briggs of Irish Boat Shop-Harbor
Springs in Harbor Springs, Michigan Dan Derfler of MarineMax Nisswa in
Nisswa, Minnesota Corey Mugaas of Hurst Marina Ltd. in Ottawa, Ontario Andrew Sigler of Boston Whaler in Edgewater, Florida Adam Smith of Marine Technical Services in Deale, Maryland Scott Stephen of Walstrom Marine in Harbor Springs, Michigan Chris Teal of Irish Boat Shop-Charlevoix in
Charlevoix, Michigan Tim Vandenheuvel of Emerald Marine in
Anacortes, Washington Ryan White of Boyne Boat Yard in Boyne
City, Michigan
The 2026 New Achiever recipients are Nikita Davadilla of Solvere Technical Group in Virginia Beach, Virginia; Sam Hansz of Boyne Boat Yard in Boyne City, Michigan; and Alex Plante of Flux Marine in Bristol, Rhode Island.
Winners of the Outstanding Technician Award receive a $ 100 Visa gift card and a technician prize pack, according to the organization.
8 may 2026 www. boatingindustry. com