Robalo Boats, Georgia-Built Fishing Boats Now Under MasterCraft

From a 1969 fishing boat brand to a MasterCraft holding

Robalo traces its start to April 1969 and built its reputation on outboard fishing boats with premium hardware. The company's own early history credits Robalo with introducing the T-top, stainless steel bow rails and the enclosed console head to sportfishing boats, features that are now standard across the industry. C. Raymond Hunt and Associates is among the design firms credited with Robalo hulls.

On June 5, 2001, Robalo became part of Marine Products Corporation, alongside sister company Chaparral, and production moved to Georgia, first at a dedicated plant in Valdosta and now at 300 Industrial Park Boulevard in Nashville, Georgia. In February 2026 MasterCraft Boat Holdings agreed to combine with Marine Products, and it completed the acquisition on May 15, 2026. Robalo now sits beside MasterCraft, Crest, Balise and Chaparral in a group headquartered in Vonore, Tennessee.

Center consoles, Caymans and the three we cover

Robalo builds three families: center consoles from the R160 to the R360, Cayman bay boats and dual consoles. Boats ship from the factory with Yamaha or Mercury power and are priced with a published Reel Deal figure, which makes shopping between dealers simple. New boats carry a lifetime limited hull warranty and a five-year premium component warranty.

The Robalo R222 is a 21-foot 6-inch center console introduced at the dealer conference in Key Largo in the fall of 2013 for the 2014 model year, with 90 gallons of fuel, twin 30-gallon fish boxes, an enclosed head and up to 250 hp. The Robalo 226 Cayman, launched in 2014 and redesigned for 2020, is a 22-foot 6-inch bay boat with 15 degrees of deadrise, 80 gallons of livewells and a 250 hp rating. The Robalo 246 Cayman SD adds a Sky Deck second helm to a 24-foot 6-inch bay boat with 16 degrees of deadrise and up to 350 hp; it arrived for the 2020 model year and lists from $127,995 with a Yamaha F300.

Dealers, resale and the used Robalo

Robalo's strength is distribution. Its dealer network covers the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and many inland markets, so parts, warranty work and trade-ins are easy almost anywhere in the US. Resale is steady rather than premium: Robalos typically sell for less than Grady-White or Boston Whaler equivalents when new and hold value in proportion. Replacement cost has climbed so far that a clean 2020 to 2022 boat often sells close to its original sticker. Early 246 Cayman SDs rigged with Evinrude E-TEC G2 outboards need a repower plan, since BRP ended Evinrude production in 2020.

• Review outboard hours, service records and lower unit condition
• Test every livewell pump and check plumbing under the leaning post
• Inspect the console head compartment for leaks
• Check T-top, hardtop and Sky Deck welds and fasteners
• Look for beaching damage on the keel of bay boats