Chris McLellen of New Baltimore was an automation engineer for the automotive industry.

No surprise there.

In a state where automotive manufacturing is as common here as fishing boats and food manufacturing is in Alaska, many of Michigan’s automation engineers design, develop and implement systems and processes that create everything from front struts and seatbelts to motor pumps and fuel systems.

After 15 years of working on automotive supplies, however, McLellen switched gears.

Now, to the delight of sailors across the country he has become the exclusive manufacturer of the Sunfish sailboat.

“My dad was a boater. It was powerboats that he was interested in but I was a sailor,” McLellen said, during a tour of his factory in Marine City.

Joining him was a team of more than 20 people including McLellen’s daughter, Sarah, who not only inherited her father’s passion for sailing but boat manufacturing.

“I think it’s awesome,” said Sarah. “He got me into sailing. It’s kind of crazy. All of the boats are being made here and then they go everywhere.”

Sunfish history

The Sunfish sailboat was launched in 1952. Its maker was Alcort, Inc., a company founded by Alex Bryan and Cortlandt Heyniger, as in Al-Cort. Their design was wider than earlier models and had a footwell cockpit for greater comfort.

What people loved about it then and continues today under the stewardship of SERO Innovation is its simplicity.

Just about anyone could learn to sail a Sunfish.

During its heyday you could visit any summer camp in Michigan that involved sailing and chances are there would be a Sunfish on the beach, according to Todd Riccardi of Boston, Mass., vice-president of sales for SERO Innovation. While at a winter Detroit boat show, Riccardi said he heard dozens of stories from people who learned to sail on a Sunfish or went to a camp that used them. Many of them were also very excited to hear that SERO was in the business of making them again.

A historical timeline provided by SERO shows that Sunfish’s production changed hands several times over the years:

• 1969-1986: Alcort was acquired by AMF, which continued to produce the popular boat

• 1986-1988: Loveless and DeGarmo took over operations under the name Alcort Sailboats, Inc.• 1988-1991: Pearson Yacht Company took over manufacturing

• 1991-1997: Sunfish/Laser, Inc., managed production.

• 1997-2007: Vanguard became the builder

• 2007:-2024: Laser Performance oversaw production, shifting manufacturing to China

In 2021, McLellen came up with the idea for another sailboat similar to the Sunfish but with a bigger footwell cockpit.

“We developed this little sailboat that was compatible with the Sunfish,” McLellen said, during a tour of his factory in Marine City. Stored throughout the warehouse were several versions of the SOL sailboat.

“The overall dimensions are the same but we opened up the hull to make it bigger,” McLellen said, noting that their design had room for a sailor and a few kids. By 2022, SERO Innovation’s SOL was gaining a following among sailors and fueling the company’s place among Michigan’s boat manufacturers.

“I think it’s great,” said Nicki Polan, executive director of Michigan Boating Industry Association (MBIA), an advocate for boating in Michigan and often the host of the boat shows held at Huntington Place in Detroit. “Anytime we gain an employer and create jobs in this state there are many benefits.”

“I don’t have a breakdown for the manufacturing impact versus the retail impacts, but I do know that according to the National Marine Manufacturer’s Association (NMMA) recreational boating has an $11.7 billion economic impact on Michigan’s economy each year,” Polan added. “It supports nearly 1,500 marine businesses and more than 45,000 jobs.”

Michigan boat manufacturers

The fact that the Sunfish made its way to China was unfortunate but also unusual as 95% of the boats sold in the United States are made domestically.

“Many of them are right here in Michigan,” said Polan, noting that in addition to boats, Michigan is also home to several engine manufacturers as well including ILMOR Marine in New Hudson.

According to the NMMA there are 116 manufacturers in Michigan with NAICS Code 3366 related to marine products. Some of the more recognizable names in the boat manufacturing industry include:

• Tiara Yachts out of Holland

• Tial Sport and Crest Marine, Owosso

• Avalon and Tahoe pontoons, Alma

• Manitou pontoons, Lansing

• Hinckley Yachts, Trenton

• Tiara Yachts, Grand Craft, Lilypad Labs and Ghost Works Marine, Holland

• Glastron, Four Winns, Scarab Jet Boats in Cadillac. Also in Cadillac is the headquarters for Well Craft.

• Harrington Marine, Fennville

• Hurley Marine, Escanaba

• Ryba Marine, Cheboygan

• Thoroughbred Boat Company, Manistee

• Paddle King pontoons, Carson City

• Van Dam Boats, Boyne City

“The growth we’re seeing in the recreational boat manufacturing sector is a clear indicator of our state’s manufacturing strength and skilled workforce,” said Delaney McKinley, executive vice president of operations for the Michigan Manufacturers Association, which has been around since 1902. “This industry not only supports thousands of good-paying jobs, but also reinforces our reputation as a hub for innovation and high-quality production. We’re proud to see local manufacturers expanding and thriving, contributing significantly to both our economy and our communities.”

Here are a few other reasons why Michigan is consistently ranked in the top five boating states:

•It’s abundance of water, be it rivers, ponds, streams or Great Lakes

• Supports 45,010 jobs and 1,478 small businesses

• Has more than 815,000 boat registrations, ranking it second in 2023

• $1.6 billion in marine expenditures including new boat purchases, trailers, engines and accessory sales in the state and $57.7 billion across the U.S. (ranked top three for marine expenditures in the U.S.).

“We’ve always had a rich ship building history here,” said Jim Cottrell of Marine City, who came out to see McLellan and his crew sailing a few Sunfish on Lake St. Clair. “My grandfather used to build row boats and power boats.”

“This is big for Marine City,” said Laura Merchant, director of the Marine City Area Chamber of Commerce. “We’re excited to see them grow and to grow with them.”

Family owned and sailed

Since leaving the automotive industry for a career in boat manufacturing McLellen has had little time for reflection. Like a sailor out at sea with a good wind behind him, he has forged ahead from an e-commerce retailer for boat parts to a manufacturer. It’s only now that SERO Innovation has dropped its anchor in Marine City that he’s had time to think about what he and his crew are creating.

“It’s nuts. Since this all came together I’ve just been trying to get through the day,” he said. “I never really stopped to think about it.”

As a sailor and the father of four he has always known the venture would mean a lot to parents, summer camps and sailing schools.

Polan concurred.

‘I’ve heard kids can learn to sail as early as 8 or 9 years old. I believe Sunfish has been around for more than 60 years and this boat brand is one of the most popular for youth sailing competitions,” said Polan. “Youth sailing education is readily available in Michigan and serves as a great tool to teach kids sailing skills that can be useful throughout life’s adventures such as teamwork, trust, communication, responsibility and the importance of taking care of our water.”

The people he heard from during their time at the boat show over the winter also confirmed interest in the Sunfish.

“It’s not about the boat itself as much as it is about the experience,” said Riccardi.

The cost for a Sunfish is about $5,700.

That includes the hull, sail and blades, which makes it an affordable choice for sailing schools and summer camps or Mother’s Day.

Additionally, it only weighs about 120 pounds, so, you don’t have to have a trailer much like a kayak or paddleboard.

“It’s super exciting,” McLellen said, of his journey in becoming a boat manufacturer. “When you see something you can do you just dive in, and worry about the rest later.”

Now the only thing he’s worried about is the supply chain for the parts he doesn’t make and the expectations that go along with an iconic brand like Sunfish.

“It’s like Nike and Coke. There’s a large number of sailors out there today whose roots go back to the Sunfish.”

For more information visit seroinnovation.com/.