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Who Makes Nitro Boats? (And Where Are They Made?)

Who Makes Nitro Boats? (And Where Are They Made?)

Nitro is among America’s top bass boat brands, and you probably won’t find a lake in the US that doesn’t have a few Nitro bass boats on it. But who makes Nitro boats, and where are they being manufactured?

Nitro bass boats are made by Bass Pro Group’s White River Marine Group, which, measured by volume, is the world’s largest fishing and recreational boat builder. All Nitro boats are made in the USA, as they are manufactured in Clinton, Missouri. 

Keep reading this article and find out everything there is to know about Nitro bass boats and the company that builds them.

What Company Manufactures Nitro Bass Boats?

Since 1996, all of Nitro’s popular bass boats are built by the White River Marine Group. Nitro decided to join White River MG in the 90s as the fishing and recreational boat market became ever more competitive and production costs continued to rise. 

Given that Nitro is still one of America’s top bass boat brands, it’s safe to say that this was a very smart move by them! 

Especially since White River Marine Group is, in turn, owned by the Bass Pro Group, which means that the boat builder is enjoying both a considerable market share and immense popularity by millions of customers all over the US. 

Joining such a big player made a lot of sense to Nitro, and with them being under the umbrella of White River MG, they now had access to a much broader market and lower-priced top-quality materials and components. 

This, in turn, meant more boats at more competitive prices. 

To this day, Nitro boats stand for solid quality and lower retail prices on the final product. 

Much of that is thanks to them joining the White River Marine Group, as it’s pretty likely that they would otherwise have gone under in the increasingly challenging market conditions. 

Where Are Nitro Boats Manufactured?

an image of a nitro Z20 bass boat on its trailer
A Nitro Z20 bass boat (courtesy of Bryan Quigley)

Nitro boats are built in the Nitro boat factory in Clinton, Missouri. This means that all Nitro fishing boats are made in America, which is quite rare in fishing equipment in today’s globalized world. 

It is here, from Clinton, that every boat is transported to retailers all over the country, where they are being sold to thousands of dedicated anglers every year. 

DID YOU KNOW: You can even custom-build your onw bass boat via the Nitro website. Please visit www.nitro.com for more detailed information

Additionally, Nitro trailers also have their own production plant, in which trailers are custom built for every Nitro boat. 

This trailer plant is located in Ozark, Missouri. 

Personally, I find that Nitro is the perfect example of a successful, modern company that has managed to integrate itself into a much larger cooperation while keeping its production at home.

What Are Nitro Bass Boats Made of?

Nitro boat hulls are made of tough and durable fiberglass, resulting in efficient, long-lasting, and lightweight boats. 

Nitro uses hand-laid fiberglass hulls that include woven fiberglass fabric for strength and high durability and chopped fiberglass strand for ultimate puncture resistance.

Furthermore, a custom-molded liner is bonded to the boat’s hull to support the running surface.

The boat’s transom is reinforced by thick, molded knee supports that hold outboards and shallow-water anchors. 

Nitro boat engineering is based on the six Lean Sigma principles, which are also used by many of the world’s leading automobile, aircraft, and medical companies.

These principles of production include the following six steps:

  • Focus on the customer
  • Identify and understand how the work gets done (the value stream)
  • Manage, improve and smooth the process flow
  • Remove Non-Value-Added steps and waste
  • Manage by fact and reduce variation
  • Involve and equip the people in the process

By adopting these core principles, Nitro can manufacture boats more efficiently and with less waste, resulting in top-quality products that are constantly being improved. 

How Much Does a Nitro Boat Cost?

an image of a red Ntrio Z19 bass boat on its trailer
A Nitro Z19 bass boat (courtesy of Jason Maschmeyer)

Ready-built Nitro bass boats can cost between $30,000 and $70,000, while custom-built models can cost a little more than the average price per boat model.

If your boat has to be shipped, there will be additional fees for prepping and freight of approximately $1,500 to $2,000.

Here is a list of all current prices for Nitro bass boats:

Boat ModelPrice (Boat, Motor, and Trailer)
Z17$30,995
Z18$37,795
Z18 Pro$41,395
Z19$45,795
Z19 Pro$50,395
Z20$51,305
Z20 Pro$57,395
Z21$52,595
Z21 Pro$59,995
Z21 XL$59,995
Z21 XL Pro$67,595

How Big Is a Nitro Bass Boat?

The length of a Nitro bass boat ranges from 17 to 21 feet, and the bottom width ranges from 6 and 7 feet.

Here are the lengths of all current Nitro bass boat models if you want to compare them:

Boat Model Length Bottom Width
Z1717′ 4” 6′
Z1818′ 8”6′ 3”
Z18 Pro18′ 8” 6′ 3”
Z1919′ 4”6′ 2”
Z19 Pro19′ 4” 6′ 2”
Z2020′ 2”6′ 3”
Z20 Pro20′ 2” 6′ 3”
Z2121′ 2”6′ 2”
Z21 Pro21′ 2” 6′ 2”
Z21 XL21′ 2” 6′ 2”
Z21 XL Pro21′ 2” 6′ 2”

How Much Does a Nitro Boat Weigh?

On average, Nitro boats weigh between 1,400 and 2,200 lbs. 

For better comparison, I went ahead and checked the weights of all current Nitro bass boat models:

Boat ModelAverage Dry Weight
Z17 1,450 lbs
Z181,700 lbs
Z18 Pro1,700 lbs
Z191,850 lbs
Z19 Pro1,850 lbs
Z202,000 lbs
Z20 Pro2,000 lbs
Z212,150 lbs
Z21 Pro2,150 lbs
Z21 XL2,150 lbs
Z21 XL Pro2,150 lbs

Where Can You Buy Nitro Bass Boats?

Most Nitro bass boats are ordered and purchased directly through the Nitro website or via Bass Pro’s and Cabela’s Boating Centers.

To check their inventories, please visit www.nitro.com or www.bassproboatingcenters.com.

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Featured image courtesy of Vincent J Hytry