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We are Bonafide

It All Started With…

A challenge.  A challenge to design and build something that didn’t seem possible.

Bonafide Kayaks is fairly new with officially announcing the brand late in 2016. The team we have assembled is amongst the most talented and experienced in the paddle sports industry and we are setting our goals high. Our plans are big but our strategy is simple: We will do everything we can to produce the highest quality, most thoughtfully designed, and most carefully engineered fishing kayaks possible. Commitments to manufacturing in the USA, creating jobs, and unparalleled customer service are among our primary objectives.

At Bonafide we are listening, and we will put the end-user first in our designs. We will question conventional thinking, and we will bring forward concepts and products that answer those needs. What we’re doing here at Bonafide is a scientific approach to development. We are allowing data and quantitative measurements to drive our designs and will provide kayaks that are precisely engineered to meet the needs of today’s kayak anglers.

‘16

After countless revisions, months of testing, and letting the data speak for itself, we were able to get the first fully molded Bonafide prototype on the water. At that moment we knew we had captured lightning in a bottle.

Why We Do It

Simply put, we are a group of people who love what we do each and every day. We are paddlers, anglers, entrepreneurs, product designers, engineers, and individuals who enjoy a challenge and being a part of something bigger than ourselves while building a product that brings joy and excitement to the kayak fishing community. Our products aren’t just kayaks they are a vessel used to escape, explore, and for anglers to follow their passion of paddling, fishing, and the outdoors. Our goal is to remain authentic, genuine, and real. Our commitment is to do things differently, in ways that will lead to some of the most innovative products the industry’s ever seen.

Innovation starts where conventional options end. We intend to start this journey at the end of the beaten path and explore different ideas and techniques. In doing so, we will discover things that are not only beneficial to our company but to the industry as a whole.”

The Headquarters

GREENVILLE,
SOUTH CAROLINA

After a long and extremely difficult search, we managed to locate a great manufacturing facility in Greenville, South Carolina. Greenville and the surrounding areas combine to create an American manufacturing powerhouse drawing such companies as BMW, Michelin, Boeing, and Mercedes Benz to name a few, and now Bonafide Kayaks.

10 Quest Dr.
Greenville, SC 29605

Take The Tour

Meet The Team

Everyone involved here at Bonafide Kayaks is a key player and a crucial piece of the company. From molding to marketing we are enthusiasts who enjoy building products to further our obsession with outdoor sports. Each of us contributes with our own unique set up skills and professional experiences that come together to makeup Bonafide Kayaks.

KELLEY
WOOLSEY

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

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JUSTIN
FLOYD

MARKETING, SALES, & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

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LUTHER CIFERS

CEO

Luther is a self-made entrepreneur with an extensive background in manufacturing and mechanical design. He spent the first decade of his career in the automotive industry, designing machines for manufacturing lines. During this time, Luther developed a strong appreciation for domestic manufacturing and how it can positively impact local communities and the lives of employees. In 2009, Luther founded YakAttack, an industry-leading kayak accessory brand, and in 2016 decided to form Bonafide Kayaks, with a goal of producing the highest quality, most fishable kayaks in the world. Luther currently serves as President of YakAttack and CEO of Bonafide Kayaks.

Innovation starts where conventional options end.”

KELLEY WOOLSEY

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

After spending the past 10 years helping build industry giant and Montreal, Quebec-based Pelican International into the largest kayak and SUP supplier in the world, Kelley is happy to be returning to the Greenville, SC area. Prior to Pelican, Kelley headed up marketing and sales for Greenville-based Confluence Watersports (now Confluence Outdoor) as their EVP of Marketing & Sales from 1999 to 2008 and has 10 years of experience as EVP Marketing and Sales at O’neill, Inc. in the Surf Industry prior to that. Kelley was drawn to Bonafide due to the authentic, grassroots culture as well as their family-oriented approach to business.

“I met some of the team at Bonafide, and saw that they lived and truly believed in their message and their culture, and I was eager to become a part of it.  I’m ecstatic about my new role.  I look forward to sharing my excitement and enthusiasm for these brands with our valued customer base and dealer networks!”

 

JUSTIN FLOYD

MARKETING, SALES, & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Justin is a graduate of Furman University located in Greenville, SC where he played Division 1 football and graduated with a degree in Health Science. After graduating he accepted a position at Confluence Outdoor (just a short 15 minute drive from Furman) where he worked for 2 years as a molding trainer. In November of 2017 Justin made the transition over to Bonafide and helped establish molding operations and production processes that would eventually lead to getting quality, American-Made Kayaks shipped out across the country. Justin currently works in Marketing, Sales, and Product development for Bonafide.

 

“The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. The culture of a workplace impacts production, quality, and happiness. Bonafide has built a foundation of like minded people who aspire to be great. Everyone here has a passion for what they do and our product is a testament to that.”

 

 

 

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