Fred Cotey, an icon in the marine industry who helped develop changes in pontoon design, performance, safety standards and engineering, recently passed away.
"Fred's vision and work within the industry will be greatly missed, but the standards he set will carry on to future generations of boaters," says Bob Menne, president of Premier Marine. "He was a true ambassador of boating."
Cotey had a vast career in the marine industry and worked for Luger Boats, HydroStream and Forester Boats before moving to Premier Marine in 1992.
At Premier, Cotey spearheaded the development of the PTX performance package to accommodate the power and size of sterndrive engines in pontoons. In 1994 Premier introduced the PTX package to the outboard market, setting the standard for performance, handling and ride across the industry.
