Something in the "Werkes" – Hawaiian boat designer finds business to be profitable in North Idaho

Stacy Duke Akana is taking his marine industry passion to the next level, as he begins June production of his Makai 17- and 19-foot line of sportsfishing boats in Post Falls.

Boat Werkes owner Akana recently received recognition as a 2003 Businessman of the Year from the National Republican Congressional Committee’s Business Advisory Council, and he said the Washington, D.C., honor comes at a time of action, as he moves forward with boat production and a number of high-tech projects on his drawing board.

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"Orders are already in, with some boats staying here in Idaho and others heading for Hawaii," said Akana, an innovative custom boat designer and builder originally from the island of Oahu. "I’ve been building custom fishing and sport boats up to 50 feet right here in North Idaho for years. We plan to produce 100 boats by the end of the year, and double that in 2005."

Akana came to Idaho from Hawaii in 1997. He said he and Boat Werkes business partner Carl Grub of eastern Washington decided to produce the boats in Post Falls, resulting in a $1.3-million move for Boat Werkes and its parent company, Xarbin Industries, a research and development firm.

Relocation of the existing Post Falls headquarters to a 13,000 square-foot $750,000 facility on East Seltice Way offers executive offices, a showroom and boat production and research and development areas. The new real estate, coupled with tooling for Akana’s unique hybrid aluminum and fiberglass design and an expected increase of up to 20 marine industry professionals by mid-July, add an additional gear-up value of more than $600,000.

Akana’s new 19-foot Makai hybrid design is the first production boat to combine the strength and durability of an aluminum hull with the flexibility and aesthetics of a fiberglass deck.

"The combination of materials offers the best of both worlds," said Akana, who credits innovative fastener and adhesive technology for the design’s success. "This is a niche boat designed to handle rough water and surf, as well as to perform well in flat water. It looks like a giant jet ski and you stand up and drive it, which gives you a lot more lateral control."

More boats mean more local economic impact in a $116-billion recreational fishing industry nationally. In Idaho alone, the American Sportsfishing Association reports, freshwater fishing retail sales bring in $396 million, along with 7,500 jobs providing $151.6 million in wages and salaries.

The industry association shows Idaho anglers contribute $6.5 million in state tax each year.