Firstmate® is proud to be the #1 choice in remote lift controls. For 20 years, our top priority has always been providing exceptional service and quality products. Starting in satellite communications, our company’s path has made many twists and turns since introducing our initial Firstmate® concept at the 2001 St. Louis Boat Show. We have aided in bringing products to market not only in the marine industry but also in the drive-through industry, trucking industry and hold multiple patents in communications. Throughout all our endeavors, boating has always been our main passion! The invention of the Firstmate® Remote Control System came to be – by accident. Literally. Being boaters on the Mississippi River during their dating years, John and Julie Figura had an upspoken agreement after a day of boating. John cleaned the outside of the boat. Julie cleaned the inside. One day after putting the boat up on the lift, John stepped away. Julie still inside the boat, finished cleaning, decided to jump off the boat onto the dock. Misjudging the distance, Julie ended up falling between the lift and the dock, injuring herself badly. Afterward, during a conversation, Julie said, “If I could have had something inside the boat to lower it by myself, I would have never got hurt.” And the rest is history. John and his team went to work and created a blower box system that was not only safe for boating passengers but easy to use as a second set of hands getting the boat on and off the lift. We strive to make safe, easy-to-use, reliable lift controls for all boaters – since we are boaters ourselves.
