BlackJack Boats, Saltwater Bay Boats From the Arkansas Hills

A saltwater brand built far from the coast

Knoxville, Arkansas, sits hundreds of miles from the nearest redfish flat, which makes BlackJack an unlikely Gulf Coast favorite. The boats come from K2 Marine, a regional builder led by brothers Bill and Gary Kenner, whose family name has been connected with boatbuilding for around 70 years.

K2 runs two labels. Frontier covers the value end of the bay boat market, while BlackJack is the premium saltwater line. It made its debut in 2004 with the 224, and a dozen years later the 256 Bay joined it.

How the Kenners build

Every BlackJack is laid up and assembled by hand on molds the Kenners designed themselves. The hull uses a Carolina-style flare and a concave bow that throw spray down and outward, plus pronounced lifting strakes to help it climb onto plane. Laminates are hand-laid and vacuum bagged, stringers are fiberglass filled with foam, and no wood goes into the structure.

The company has never pushed for volume or a long model list. Salt Water Sportsman described the brand as a well-kept secret among guides and serious anglers, which captures how BlackJack has grown, mostly by word of mouth on the docks.

Three boats and no more

The lineup stays deliberately short. The 224 is the original and smallest boat. The 256 Bay is a technical poling and sight-casting platform with raised decks. The 256 Coastal, first shown as a prototype in 2019 and built since 2020, uses that same hull with a lower deck arrangement aimed at choppier open water and family use.

Our BlackJack 256 Coastal review goes through its deck design, weight, fuel capacity, power options and pricing in detail.

Guides, dealers and resale

Most used BlackJacks are found along the Gulf, from Texas and Louisiana to Florida, with another pocket in the Carolinas. Because so many owners are working guides, some boats have logged commercial-level hours. That can be fine if the maintenance was done on a professional schedule, but the engine records need to prove it.

Limited production keeps used values firm. BlackJack dealers and the dense web of Yamaha outlets along the Gulf handle service.

• Pull a Yamaha diagnostic report for true engine hours.
• Inspect the transom and jack plate bolts for stress cracking.
• Check baitwell plumbing and pumps.
• Look over trailer axles, bunks and brakes for salt damage.