Rick Lee launched Centurion Boats with a clear vision and a passion for high performance. The company name, chosen from a list, quickly proved to be the perfect fit—embodying the grit, power, and warrior spirit that would come to define the brand.
Driven by innovation and an unrelenting pursuit of excellence, Centurion Boats has since become a leader in the wake surfing world. As the brand celebrates its 50th anniversary, it’s not crossing a finish line—it’s charging into a new era of industry dominance.
Centurion 50: Foundation
Centurion Boats was born out of love—and a little bit of pressure. Founder Rick Lee launched the company in an effort to win over his girlfriend’s father and provide the kind of lifestyle Pamela was used to. Lacking a background in sales but fueled by adrenaline and ambition, Rick knew there was only one thing he wanted to sell: boats.
What began as a personal mission quickly turned into something bigger. His vision and innovation soon outpaced his sales skills, and Centurion Boats took on a life of its own.
Fifty years later, the love story that started it all is still going strong—continuing to inspire a new generation of Centurion boats.
Centurion 50: Innovation
Visionary product innovation has always been the hallmark of Centurion Boats. Shane Stillman and his Product Development Team have carried forward founder Rick Lee’s relentless pursuit of improvement.
In 2016, Centurion took a bold step forward, departing from previous designs to introduce a model line optimized for both rough water ride and superior surf waves. But the true game-changer was the debut of the revolutionary Opti-V Hull—an innovation that produced the Worlds best waves, wake and ride.
Even after 50 years, Centurion remains focused on what’s next—always looking beyond the horizon.
Centurion 50: People
The Centurion Boats community—centered around its headquarters in Merced, California—is grounded in the values that set the company apart. It’s made up of passionate individuals who live and breathe innovation and watersports.
They believe that culture drives performance, and they work every day to prove it—through their craft, their commitment, and every Centurion boat that leaves the line.
Centurion 50: Competition
With demanding 10- to 12-hour days and the constant need to haul wake surfers and equipment, competitions are the ultimate proving ground for any wake boat. And it’s in these high-stakes environments that Centurion Boats truly stand apart.
Ken Scribner, a world championship driver, emphasizes the value of competition feedback in the development process. “Sharing what drivers feel, see, and experience during events—and having the team actually listen—makes Centurion boats better,” he says.
Centurion entered the competitive wake surfing scene in 1996 and has been accelerating its progress ever since. According to Amy Mauzy, Vice President of Marketing and Brand Development, “The buy-in from dedicated wake sports enthusiasts has pushed Centurion to become the world’s best wake boat.”
Scribner adds that it’s competition exposure that gives the brand an edge: “The wake surfing series brings us into a whole new realm of visibility that we simply don’t get through traditional marketing.”
Centurion 50: Giving Back
Waves of Positive Change can begin at any moment and take many forms. Often, they start quietly—like a single drop of water on a still lake, creating ripples that grow into something great.
As Daniel Indelicato, President of Centurion & Supreme Boats, puts it: “We’re here for a bigger purpose now. It’s not just about building boats—it’s about impacting lives.”
At Centurion Boats, giving back isn’t just a mission. It’s the heartbeat of everything they do.
