Theres still guys who have their pickup trucks with leather interiors just as plush as the nicest automobile wholl throw a bag of concrete in the bed of it. He and his wife, Dianne, founded Scout in 1989, setting up shop in a small brick barn. What is this new boat is all about? But we came out of the period between 2008 and 2010 with 18 new models. This year, for instance, the Charleston builder introduced the 251 XS, a 25-foot center console that marries the characteristics of shallow-water and offshore boats. In addition, William Ferguson was promoted to vice president of manufacturing; Courtney Guice is now administrative vice president; and Stevie Potts was promoted to vice president of product development and engineering. We dont get snow in Charleston, but I think where we were there was 10 inches of accumulation, which is unheard of. The company was founded by Potts and his wife Dianne in 1989. That dealership eventually was sold and just did away with building the little boat. The man behind the company is president and CEO Steve Potts. The bottoms of all of our fiberglass lids were polished. In the mid-'70s [the Outboard Shop] was bought out by a new company that had no desire to build boats, so Scout Boats went away - for the time being. Share on Facebook They currently produce 23 models ranging from 17'-53'. These internal promotions take long-standing employees and elevate them to new positions, as well as position Scout founder and owner Steve Potts as the Chief Executive Officer of the growing boatbuilder. At the end of the day, being a business thats very labor-intensive, its about how well we deal with human behavior. During that two-year period our competitors hardly came out with anything. A: Thats right. I personally studied the art of boatbuilding and self-taught myself how to do it better for 20 years. That was a poke in my eye. It's basically two tunnels that have horizontal planing surfaces outboard, before you reach the chines. Q: You've talked about unique design aspects of your boats, but what separates Scout when it comes to construction? Those companies that do what they do consistently like we do, and a number of other companies that we compete with I think that investment part of making a decision is important. Today and since 2009 Scout has had, on average, better than 25 percent annual growth. Photographs are copyright by law. Read Next: An exclusive interview with Scout Boats President, Steve Potts, describing the 53 LXF, Scout's largest boat to date! Scout Boats, Inc. has made a number of personnel changes at its South Carolina-based headquarters. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? Dave Wallace, president. Weve built a team here that will continue to take us into the future. The 15 was a wider and longer version of it. Copyright 2023 Great Lakes Boating | Published by Harris Publishing, Inc. In 1977, he moved the operation to Charleston, South Carolina, where it remains today.Over the years, Scout Boats has grown into one of the leading manufacturers of center console fishing boats in the world. . The ones that are out there, those customers are proud of them. Without advocacy, the marine industry wouldn't have a voice. Id say sometime in the early 70s that little design and that name went away. Its very personal to a lot of people. We highly recommend giving them a call if youre in the market for a new boat you wont be disappointed! They had several paragraphs saying what a clever design this was, that [the builder had] incorporated tempered glass and the boat has this beautifully shaped T-top. Stevie Potts, vice president of product development and engineering. They can use them as a tender, as a cruiser, and some of the boats, the 35s and 30, we have accommodations below deck that can make them a weekender if they want that. Did something stoke your fire? Thats where the name Scout came from. Scout Boats, Inc. Website. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2020-2021. A: Today were right at 850 a year. Want to know when we have important news, updates or interviews? That helps us with the brand image that we have. You are responsible for regularly reviewing this Policy and any changes thereto. A: Were right at 240 employees now, and my five-year plan going forward thats going to take us to 2019 is to be at 500 employees. We really work hard on this. Q: Do you think this is a long-term trend toward larger outboard-powered center consoles? And if we dont understand that as much as you can make a pickup truck look stylish and be comfortable to ride in and look nicer than just a utility vehicle, thats the same thing thats going to apply to what we do. I always had fond memories of building that little fishing boat, so I felt like I wanted to carry that on. Overview. Are Scout Boats Worth The Money? Our goal is to provide you with an experience that delivers the information, resources and services that are helpful to you. Dave has been my right hand for 22 years running the day-to-day operations, and its only fitting that he assumes the role of president for the company hes been so crucial in helping grow for more than two decades.. A: Long-term value. Were probably conservative as it relates to most other builders in that we dont work outrageous hours, we just dont do some of the things. A: Being a fisherman I love to do a variety of types of fishing, and I think a lot of boaters do, too. The norm was the Euro-style transom - a deck line that dropped back to transom height where the outboard hangs. Scout is a debt-free company. Scout was founded with a handful of employees and a couple of molds in a small brick building back in 1989 by Steve and his wife Dianne Potts. In our Talkin' Boats interview, I wanted to find out how he caught the boating bug and what motivated him to become a builder. A: With some models, as much as six months. We would build the boats during the week, and during the weekend Id put them behind my pickup truck on a little tandem trailer and we would deliver them. Are they becoming more family boats because of the styling and comfort, combined with functionality? Boats are like everything else: you get what you pay for. What else is helping the popularity of these boats? Scout was founded with a handful of employees and a couple of molds in a small brick building back in 1989 by Steve and his wife Dianne Potts. No one else in the industry has even come close. Scout Boats CEO & Founder Steve Potts will unveil the company's new flagship and LXF fleet leader - the 420 LXF - at this year's Miami International Boat Show. Required fields are marked *. A new $3 million dedicated product development and engineering building is going up at Scout Boats Inc . So I think theres a little bit of a trend and growth in that market segment, but I dont think its a huge market segment as far as the number of boats that are being sold. Notable industry-first innovations over the years include: You cant talk about Scout without talking about its flagship model, the stunning 420 LXF. The company was founded by Steve Potts, who is still the owner and president of Scout Boats. I worked my way up and became a manager. I have done a lot of experimenting with hull bottoms to get better speed, better fuel efficiency, a softer ride. It wasn't all smooth sailing. The hull designs were very distinctive. We had the business going from February 1989 and had a handful of dealers seven or eight in the Carolinas. The most important thing is durability - how will it hold up in the harsh elements, in the salt water. It has a prouder bow and more freeboard forward so that you can run offshore and not feel like you are going to stuff the bow and get into trouble. Share on Twitter Along with Potts' son Stevie, and daughters Sherrie and Stephanie, who also have key roles in the business, Scout now employs nearly 450 . Ive been a boatbuilder all my life, starting in my teens, said Steve Potts. It was all fiberglass. We still incorporate the Air-Assist design in our 15, 16, 17 and 18. The provisions of this Policy apply to all such mobile access and use of mobile devices. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. If you do not continue to use the EPG websites following a change to our Policy but take no other action with respect to your personal information, our use of that information will remain subject to our Policy as it was in effect prior to the change. @ferrari #Fe, Find your Zen and Wellness at the @senseiporcupine, @mariolopez is the official #ManCrushMonday #Celeb, Happy St. Pattys Day Read the latest articl, @harrystyles - see how he is traveling on his worl, Here are our top looks from last nights red carpet, #LucidAir Grand Touring Performance not only has a, What celebrity do you want to see next? A: One of the things is our methodology. Weve added to a lot of the interior of Plant B, in particular bridge cranes. How did this develop? So we started out with a little 14- and 15-foot design that was sort of a derivative from the mid- to late-60s, when I worked for a little local dealership that built a boat called Scout. Every one of those things I knew we needed to get right. He is from United States. Look no, Cant get enough What is your dream car? Company Description:? Discover t, Experience luxury dining like never before with Ch, Experience the most talked about events of Super B, The final countdown has started for @celebfightnig, Hopping on this trend #Reels #Trending #ferrar, Wow! I am going to go back again to my days as a teen working at the Outboard Shop. A: It was a very humble beginning just myself, my wife [Dianne] and a helper, literally in a brick barn or a garage. From the very first 14-footer to the now expansive offering of more than 21 class-leading models ranging from 17'-53', one of the many consistent items that set Scout Boats . Plus, with options like outriggers and trolling motors, Scout has everything you need to make your time on the water as productive (or relaxing) as you want it to be. From that point forward, even to this day, our challenge has really been to manage [the growth of] a business with people and training and hiring, the facility and new designs, so it was a different kind of challenge, but a challenge nonetheless. Scout Boats was founded by South Carolina-resident Steve Potts a man that continues to this day to be on the shop floor daily working on the models back in 1989. If you do not agree to these terms, do not use the services. I think its because as boatbuilders we expect consumers to think like we think that this is whats always worked. They now have over 200 dealerships across the United States and sell their boats in over 30 countries around the globe. What prompted you to write the letter? So I did. Theres a lot of big-boat-itis out there. It was in research and development for three years prior to its debut, getting outfitted with numerous state-of-the-art innovations and amenities. He bought a shed plus 13', 14' and 17' molds to begin producing a flats-style boat. It was really myself, my wife, and at the time my 12-year-old son, who today is the vice president of development, and my 9-year-old daughter. We developed lots of bigger models that were unique in styling and performance. Find contact details for 700 million professionals. Scout Boats are made in Charleston, South Carolina. This is more than just a big bay boat. Other recent Scout 53s went to a Vegas casino owner and a Latin pop star. Not the Steve Potts you were looking for? Of your boats, Inc. has made a number of personnel changes at its South Carolina-based headquarters there. Little boat 18 new models growing significantly in 2020-2021 weve built a team here that continue! Sometime in the industry has even come close: do you think this whats. Spends money 2008 and 2010 with 18 new models new $ 3 million dedicated product development and building! 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