history and background of the marathon boat manufacturing co. inc

Marathon Boats Co. Inc. Marathon Boat Owners Group

Marathon Boat Owners Group

From various the sources of available information found thus far, as well as investigating the Coast Guard Records reveals five companies that used the Marathon name: The one most commonly referred to is the company which fabricated boats out of Kershaw, South Carolina, Lancaster County: Marathon Boat Manufacturing Co. Incorporated.

* Marathon Boat Manufacturing Co. Inc. was originally owned by Ed & Sandy Fitchett. Mr. Ed Fitchett who had apparently been a previous design engineer for Wellcraft, wanted to produce lower priced quality cruisers: not economy but value based cruisers similar to that of Sea Ray and others at an affordable price. Each boat was hand built in the Marathon factory at the Kershaw location – from start to finish. All models made were produced at this one factory. Mechanical items such as controls and motors were all bought in direct from the manufacturer. “These were quality boats and we made them with pride”.

*It was reported by the New York Times – Financial Desk – August 24, 1984 – Late City Final Edition, Section D, Page 8, Column 1, that: “Aeronca Inc., a manufacturer of aircraft parts based in Charlotte, NC., said it acquired just over 50 percent of Marathon Boat Manufacturing Co. of Kershaw, SC.”

Marathon Boat Manufacturing Co. Inc. existed for approximately seven years: between December 21, 1982* and July 1, 1989* when they were out of business, as were many other comparatively smaller boat manufacturing companies of those years as the recession of the “80’s” took its toll.

Original Location and Address of Marathon Boats

*Following are direct links to the US Environment Protection Agency Records on the original Marathon

Boat Manufacturing Co. Inc. of Kershaw, South Carolina: (*See Reference/Source Footnote 5-R05)

http://iaspub.epa.gov/enviro/fii_query_detail.disp_program_facility?p_registry_id=110002193572

http://oaspub.epa.gov/enviro/fii_query_dtl.disp_program_facility?p_registry_id=110002193572

http://www.epa-echo.gov/cgi-bin/get1cReport.cgi?tool=echo&IDNumber=110002193572

History and Background of the Marathon Boat Manufacturing Co. Inc.

MARATHON BOAT CO INC

1 LITTLE DUDE AVENUE, (P.O. BOX 186)

KERSHAW, SC. 29067

EPA Registry Id: 110002193572

EPA Site #: SCD071262083

(Lancaster County)

Latitude:34.568481 / Longitude:-80.572875

http://iaspub.epa.gov/enviro/fii_query_detail.disp_program_facility?p_registry_id=110002193572

http://oaspub.epa.gov/enviro/fii_query_dtl.disp_program_facility?p_registry_id=110002193572

http://www.epa-echo.gov/cgi-bin/get1cReport.cgi?tool=echo&IDNumber=110002193572

http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/fii/frs_facility_site/registry_id.html



“The Torch

Logo”

In 1990, after the Marathon Boat Manufacturing Co. Inc. went out of business, Marathon Cruisers Inc. was created. They were also based out of the original Marathon Boat location in Lancaster County: 1 Little Dude Avenue, Kershaw, South Carolina but they also went out of business in 1995. From our knowledge, there was no activity on this property since the closure of Marathon Cruisers until 2005 when the property was abandoned and listed for sale.

From the US Environmental Protection records: The following listing is found under Lancaster County, South Carolina: (*See Reference/Source Footnote 06-R06)

LANCASTER COUNTY

SITE NAME CITY/STATE TYPE SITE EQC DISTRICT EPA ID NO

MARATHON BOAT MFG. CO. KERSHAW, SC CATAWBA SCD071262083 Abandoned Boat Company with numerous fifty-five

gallon drums abandoned at the site.

Following is the 2005 sale listing documents of the original Marathon Boat Manufacturing CO. INC.: Lands and Warehouse in Kershaw, South Carolina:

History and Background of Marathon Boat Manufacturing Co. Inc. (Continued)



*2005 sale listing documents of the original Marathon Boat Manufacturing CO. INC: Lands and Warehouse in Kershaw, South Carolina.

Marathon Boat Manufacturing CO. INC. Property Listing



Marathon Boat Manufacturing CO. INC. Property Listing (Continued)



* Maps of the original Marathon Boat Mfg. CO. INC. area.

Aerial 1

Aerial 2



Maps of the original Marathon Boat Mfg. CO. INC. area. (Continued)

Aerial 3

Aerial 4



Maps of the original Marathon Boat Mfg. CO. INC. area (Continued)

Road 1

Road 2



Maps of the original Marathon Boat Mfg. CO. INC. area (Continued)

Road 3

Road 4

history and background of the marathon boat manufacturing co. inc

Documents