A Lifestyle of Making Waves
Part 1
Catch a wave with adventurous ZF client Marcos Moran, founder of Gator Bait Wakeboard School, Miami's top wakeboarding and wake surfing school. Learn about his unique business and life on the water, from driving for international wakeboarding competitions to teaching students ages 4 to 70+. Also a MasterCraft consultant, Marcos's expertise ensures each of his athletes has an exceptional and safe experience.
Marcos Moran’s life on the water began even before he was born. “My mom went out on boats while she was pregnant with me because that was my family’s lifestyle,” says Marcos, now a seasoned wakeboarding trainer, professional tournament boat driver, and founder of Gator Bait Wakeboard School in Key Biscayne, Florida. Situated off the southeastern coast of Florida close to Miami, Key Biscayne is known for its beautiful beaches, lush parks and residential atmosphere.
With state-of-the-art MasterCraft wake boats powered by Ilmor 6.2L engines and ZF’s ultra-reliable 68 IV marine transmissions, Marcos has built more than just a thriving business—he’s built a life dedicated to sharing the thrill of watersports.
Wakeboarding is a high-adrenaline water sport that combines elements of water skiing, snowboarding, and surfing. Riders are towed behind a boat, using the wake it creates to perform jumps, flips, and tricks. It demands power, control, and flawless boat handling—especially when coaching newcomers or driving for competitions.
From Sandbar Sundays to Wakeboarding Pro
Growing up, every Sunday, Marcos and his family spent the day on the water. “We’d go with aunts and uncles, take three to four boats, anchor out at a sandbar and spend the entire day snorkeling and hanging out.” He learned to waterski at eight, followed by kneeboarding and wakeboarding. By age 14, he was already learning how to drive boats.
While attending Florida International University for business management, Marcos worked at a wakeboarding school, then became a marine mechanic at a dealership. Having gained hands-on experience from every angle of the industry, in 2006, he launched his own venture, Gator Bait Wakeboarding. As a start-up business, he taught lessons from customers’ boats and hauled all the gear required for lessons in his truck.
Powered by Passion and People
Always forging authentic relationships with his customers and industry counterparts, a turning point came when, through a client referral, Marcos was offered the opportunity to run a wakeboarding school through a jet ski business on Key Biscayne. After running the school there for two-and-a-half years, yet another door opened, and Marcos was able to replace the jet ski operation at the prime marina location with his own business. Gator Bait Wakeboarding School has since operated out of Rickenbacker Marina.
A Smooth Ride with ZF
Marcos now runs four 24-foot MasterCraft wake boats equipped with Ilmor 6.2L engines and ZF’s 68 IV transmission for the school’s wakeboarding lessons. It’s a combo he describes as “the best.”
That reliability is crucial for a business built on multiple daily rides and tournament-grade performance.
Unlike the competition’s system, the ZF transmission is a single unit vs. a two-piece unit mated together. ZF’s simpler design has fewer moving parts, leading to reduced issues and better performance.
“It is optimized for tow sports,” explains ZF’s Keith Stanley, senior manager, pleasure craft, for ZF’s industrial technology division – North America & Central America.
Before switching to MasterCraft, Marcos spent years battling constant repairs with another brand. Upon switching to MasterCraft, he recalls feeling an immediate sense of relief at the improved quality. The MasterCraft wake boats with the 6.2L GDI engine, specifically the Ilmor 6.2L GDI, are known for their high performance and efficiency, providing a powerful and responsive driving experience, albeit a quieter ride.
The ZF 68 IV transmissions are case-hardened and contain precisely ground gear teeth for longevity and smooth operation. Additionally, the output shaft thrust bearing is designed to take maximum propeller thrust astern and ahead, altogether aiding in the best ride for newcomers and professional competitors alike.
More Than a Customer—A Collaborator
Marcos’s connection with MasterCraft runs deep. He has known his MasterCraft dealer for the last 19 years as they used to sponsor a tournament in West Palm Beach that Marcos used to drive. When the setbacks with his previous dealer became insurmountable, Marcos knew whom to call.
After his first order, MasterCraft reached out to learn more about Gator Bait, and consequently invited Marcos to join their R&D team as a consultant. In this role, he regularly tests new boat technologies and provides feedback to MasterCraft so they can improve their tow sport boats, which is how ZF met him.
Since switching to MasterCraft for Gator Bait, Marcos has owned 38 of the vessels—all with ZF gear onboard. He’s technically a “MasterCraft Certified” dealer, but doesn’t sell boats; the title enables him to perform his own maintenance, warranty replacements and parts work. All resale boats go through his trusted local dealer. Marcos and his team typically use them for about five months – from 400 to 500 hours – and then provide them for reselling. “I know the boats will last for whoever buys them. There’s no issue there.”
Read on for part two, in which Marcos shares the thrills of his career as a global wakeboarding tournament boat driver and how ZF played a role in his successes.
