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Foss Foam Products of Florida, Inc. is the world’s leading producer of sailboat rudders, having manufactured over 50,000 rudders since 1978. As a family-owned company, Foss Foam has been an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for numerous sailboat companies for over 46 years. This long-standing expertise enables us to produce a wide range of replacement rudders as well as rudders for new sailboats. With over 300 molds from dozens of manufacturers in our inventory, we also have the capability to create molds for models we do not currently have.
Foss Foam Products of Florida, Inc.: A Legacy in Foam Manufacturing
In the 1960s, Chuck Foss began formulating and producing foam products in Costa Mesa, California, starting with surfboard blanks. He then developed a twenty-pound-per-cubic-foot density foam ideally suited for rudder fabrication. Under the name The Foss Company, Chuck Foss built most of the rudders for manufacturers in the western United States.
In 1978, Bob Walker and his wife, Maxine, founded Foss Foam in Clearwater, Florida. Starting without any guaranteed customers, they quickly earned the trust of sailboat manufacturers throughout the Eastern United States by producing high-quality rudders. Over time, Foss Foam Products of Florida, Inc. grew to become the world’s leading producer of sailboat rudders.
In 1987, Bob and Maxine’s son, Al Walker, joined the family business, allowing his parents to retire in 1994. In 2000, the Walker family relocated the company to Williston, Florida, in the north-central region of the state, approximately 25 miles west of Ocala and Gainesville. Since the relocation, Foss Foam has experienced steady and sustained growth.
Al Walker’s son, David Walker, began working in the family business as a teenager. He has played a key role in modernizing the company’s manufacturing processes, advancing product and material development, and supporting continued growth and operational stability. David has now assumed leadership of the business, and under his direction, Foss Foam Products of Florida, Inc. is well positioned to continue its leadership in the sailboat rudder manufacturing industry.
Our commitment to quality and craftsmanship remains unwavering. While many companies focus on cost-cutting measures to maximize profits, Foss Foam remains dedicated to producing the highest-quality rudders available—built on decades of expertise, precision, and integrity.