In the early ‘60s, Don Aronow, a charismatic, 34-year-old property developer, turned his attention to boat building under the name Formula. The first boat under the Formula name was a 233 – named Cigarette after a famous rum-running boat from New York. The famous hull shape found its way to Australia via John Haines and the Haines Hunter brand name, later reincarnated bigger and better by Edencraft. The first hulls to wear the Edencraft badge were built in the late 80s. Legend has it that the Haines Hunter factory was closing down and the moulds were for sale, including classics such as; the V19 now known as the Edencraft 6.0 Offshore, the 565, now the Edencraft 565 Sports and the 233 Formula, still known as the 233 Formula today. The moulds eventually found their way to Eden on the NSW South-Coast, where the name Edencraft was born. During this time Edencraft boats were typically sold to abalone divers who sought a tough, commercial-grade boat with a dive door. The hulls have stood the test of time and proved Edencraft are built for life. In May 2016, the Maher Family purchased Edencraft Boats and are now producing these iconic boats in a purpose-built facility in Moolap, Geelong as Edencraft International Pty Ltd. The business has grown rapidly, expanding from 3 to 20+ employees as demand and manufacturing capacity continues to grow.
