Axopar just revealed to Power & Motoryacht plans to launch a new line of boats in partnership with European watersports giant Jobe. Built from the hull of the Axopar Spyder, these boats will offer entry-level pricing with more toys than you can imagine. And it’ll be landing on our shores sooner than you think.
What do you get when you combine a sporty day boat from a boatbuilding giant with Europe’s largest watersports manufacturer? From the looks of it, I’d say a hell of a lot of fun. Axopar just announced to Power & Motoryacht its plans to launch a new line of boats in partnership with Jobe Sports. Built from the hull of the Axopar Spyder, these boats will offer entry-level pricing (approx. $33,000 for the boat) with varying levels of custom graphics and water toy packages.
Some of the toys that will be offered include standup paddle boards, a sea scooter (that looks insanely fun, like a SeaBob on steroids), waterskiis, wakeboards, tubes and so much more. (Say goodbye to that post-purchase schlep to your local marine store!)
Co-founder and Creative and Innovations Director of Axopar Jan-Erik Viitala says that the timing of this partnership is both serendipitous and a coincidence. Thanks to nimble strategizing, he says the Finnish company has sold 25- to 30-percent more boats than expected because of increased demand brought on by the pandemic.
“We saw a socially distant spike worldwide,” says Viitala. “With a boat, you can get into nature and into some really beautiful locations. People want to go outdoors and enjoy the fresh air. People want our boats now more than ever, so we increased our stock. We picked up workers that were laid off from other industries that were shut down.”
Viitala is passionate about two things: the performance of his boats and a mission to bring new people into the sport of boating. He sees this new line of Axopar x Jobes to be the perfect gateway vessel.
“Sometimes coincidences happen at good times. We’ve been looking at each other in the past. They’re coming out with a lot of cool items,” says Viitala. “They look good and offer a lot of value. They try to execute their mission to the best of their knowledge. We share the exact same values.”
This partnership comes on the heels of another widely successful partnership the builder launched with Brabus automobiles. When asked what he looks for in a company to partner with, Viitala’s high energy accelerates to WOT: “Shared passion and shared goals. That’s number one. We are a very dynamic company. When we see something we love, we jump on it. In a way, we’re not doing these partnerships for profit, we do it because the connection is right. We’re trying to get new people into boating. This is the kind of step we need to take to get new boaters.”
Power for factory-direct boats will come from Mercury, ranging from 115- to 200-hp. Dealers, however, can opt for outboard power from other engine manufacturers. He even teased the idea that diesel-powered x Jobes could be possible in time. The first of these fun-ready vessels will be landing stateside as soon as February.
With partnerships like this being so successful for the brand, I ask Viitala if we can expect more collaborations in the years to come. “Oh yes. Oh, yes. When we see a company that has passion for helping the end user, we want to be the first to develop with them,” he said.
Axopar Spyder Specifications:
LOA: 23’7”
Beam: 7’4”
Displ.: 2,650 lb.
Fuel: 60 gal.
Top Speed: 45 knots
Fun factor: Infinity
