Twisted Marine acquires Scorpion and vows to uphold legacy

Twisted Marine has acquired Scorpion RIBs. Production on new builds of Twisted Scorpions will begin immediately and the company is also offering ‘refreshes’ for anyone with an older model.

Twisted says the entire team is committed to continuing the legacy of Scorpion, ensuring that the brand’s tradition of excellence and innovation endures well beyond boat production.

Jake Cronk, managing director at Twisted Marine says the team has been exploring this acquisition since the news of administration at the beginning of the year around March. 

“We have already created a market position and a household brand name within the marine industry over the last four years as Twisted Marine. Our premium RIB offering with the R-Series used a third party supplier as the base craft. This acquisition puts us as the OEM and allows us to grow and develop our products in-house,” explains Cronk.

In terms of plans for the company, Cronk says: “We have bought the IP and brand along with the assets. As a result we are hoping to develop a world renowned range of craft while preserving the Scorpion heritage. Scorpion is a RIB brand, which reaches across the globe and we are sensitive to its heritage and achievements. We are planning to operate out of the existing site in Lymington and recruit previous employees with intangible knowledge. The Scorpion brand will have a boost of energy and investment to put it back on the podium as the best RIBs in the world.  

“As the OEM we will be able to gain a competitive advantage over our competitors, blending style and performance with sound engineering.”

Short-term challenges, Cronk explains, includes pulling everything together and making Lymington the UK HQ for all Twisted new builds.

“This includes our S-Series T300S, all Northstar RIB builds and new Scorpion/Twisted products,” he says. “Our long term goal is to create world-class performance RIBs and sportboats with a global distribution.” 

Scorpion says that every model is hand-built to the precise requirements of its owner in the Lymington factory. All aspects of the boats’ design, styling, moulding and assembly is done in-house, including the manufacture of the tubes and installation of engines. Because of its total control, it says it can either lengthen or shorten the models to perfectly fit requirements.

Twisted Marine is a relative newcomer on the block. After buying a marine engineering business in Salcombe in 2021, Charles Fawcett (formerly in the automotive market) launched the company to develop a range including ‘resto mod’ 90s power boats, and to develop and build new sports craft.

Twisted Marine’s T700R R-Series RIB with twin 350hp Mercury V10 outboards

In August 2022, Twisted Marine acquired Brighton-based marine engineering business, West Marine Services Limited. At the time, West Marine was an authorised dealer for Volvo Penta, Mercury Marine and Yanmar. The idea was that the business would strengthen Twisted Marine’s dealership links to support customers across the whole of the south coast. 

More recently, the company has expanded its ambitions by collaborating with Archipelago Expedition Yachts (Archipelago). The two have created a luxury catamaran that they say is capable of extreme adventure.

Main image courtesy of Scorpion RIBS via Instagram.

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