BIGWAKE AND WEST MARINE JOIN FORCES TO INTRODUCE NEW WAY TO BUY A BOAT

PORTLAND, OR. – BigWake Inc, an innovative sales and distribution company for new powerboats, has teamed up with West Marine (Nasdaq: WMAR), the nation's largest specialty retailer of boating supplies and services, to make regionally best selling boats available nationally, and to dramatically streamline the boat-buying process.

BigWake has been selected as the new-boat channel for West Marine, and in turn West Marine will be the exclusive provider of all marine accessories offered to BigWake customers. The companies have also jointly developed a range of boat-specific commissioning kits, so new boat owners can get out on the water immediately, equipped with all the necessary safety and convenience products. “Our partnership with BigWake provides West Marine’s entire inventory of over 40,000 quality marine products to new boat owners – at the moment they need our help most,” said Tony Gasparich, West Marine’s VP of Internet Sales. Gasparich went on, “The values shared by BigWake and West Marine begin with our core commitment to 100% satisfaction and providing the ultimate customer service to boaters, which further strengthens our relationship.”

BigWake functions as a “virtual dealer,” by means of its broad array of partnerships. Boats are brought directly in front of buyers through an aggressive schedule of boat shows, boating events and a mobile boat show that displays the boats in front of popular West Marine retail stores. A schedule of current viewing locations is maintained on the BigWake website. To address rigging and post-sale service, BigWake has teamed up with well-established, high-quality boat service companies throughout the country that commission each new boat, offer operating instructions and provide manufacturer-approved ongoing servicing and maintenance.

After consumers physically encounter BigWake boats at these venues, the company makes the experience of actually purchasing a new boat fast and fun, by putting the power in the consumer’s hands. Traditional new boat buying transactions, from walk-in to final order, often take between 8-30 hours of salesperson interaction. This time-consuming process is significantly reduced with BigWake’s easy-to-use website, which eliminates the stress and guesswork of buying a boat by making all the costs visible. The site includes 3rd party reviews, outfitting guides, insurance, financing, and a boat configurator that lets buyers select different options, to see how they affect the final price and even calculate monthly payments.

“West Marine has become the undisputed marine accessories leader through total customer commitment. Our emphasis at BigWake is also totally customer-first,” says BigWake CEO Adrian Russell-Falla. “We’re here to give marine recreation consumers what they want: clear, up-front pricing, freedom from “sales-guy” games, convenient packaged solutions – and better access to a broader range of select high-quality products. Consumers also expect to receive high-quality service after the sale from a responsive, dedicated source; BigWake delivers all those things, thanks to our nationwide network of certified service partners. We’re convinced that finding innovative and efficient ways to serve consumers better isn’t just good business for us, it’s an imperative for the entire boating industry to grow. We’re delighted that industry leaders like West Marine agree, and are joining in with our efforts.”

For further information please contact Adrian Russell-Falla, CEO, at (503)-221-0400 x101 or visit www.bigwake.com