Bob Alkema founded Malibu Boats in 1982 in a small shop in Merced, California. During the first year of operation, Malibu only built two boats per week using a single-hull design. Under Bob's conservative mantra, the tuck and roll upholsterty reflected his persistent perfectionism. By 1984, Malibu was building more than 400 boats a year. In 1988, with a nine percent share of the market, the California plant was at full production. To satisfy increased demand, the company opened a second plant in Tenessee. By the end of the year, Malibu had built almost 1,000 custom ski boats and had been awarded its first of many-to-come product excellence awards from industry publications.