Please check your email for the latest full issue link. Soundings Trade Only caught up with Potts to ask him about starting his boatbuilding business with the $50,000 he was able to squirrel away in the 1980s, and working a night job repairing fiberglass bathtubs and during the day as plant manager at American Sail. And with its large workforce and favorable trade agreements, its an ideal place to build boats for the global market.Of course, some people may be concerned about buying a boat thats made so far away from home. Scout Boats president and CEO Steve Potts launched the South Carolina company with $50,000 he managed to scrimp and save while working a night job repairing fiberglass bathtubs, and a day job as plant manager at American Sail. Last fall, about 37,000 people. He is from United States. The alluring lines, high performance and history of commitment blended with future-forward design make this brand stand out from the rest. Get introduced. Last Updated: February 2023. So I made up my mind in the mid-80s to start working hard besides raising a family and coaching soccer and doing all the other things dads do to start working toward saving money and starting my own business. It was certainly a challenge, but once we got it figured out and on the boat, it was a huge hit, and we started putting it on other models. In addition to his role at Scout Boats, Potts is also an active philanthropist. Scout Boats 251 XS. Thats how we got started. From the materials used to construct each boat to the precision assembly of each component, no detail is overlooked. Potts Jr.: The convertible leaning post in the 38 has gone really well, and in the not too distant future were going to put that on some other models. Q: How many boats are you building a year and will that also change? A: Thats right. Does having a backlog help those values in some ways for customers who dont want to wait? Ever since Steve Potts founded Scout Boats with his wife Diane in 1989, he's been driven to build better boats. It allows me to focus on what the next three, five and 10-year plan is for the company. Weve got nearly 400 employees, so we furloughed them for two weeks paid them to stay home and had management staff come in and make our facility Centers for Disease Control compliant. 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. Scout Boats continues to up the ante. Some of its kind of reversed and gone the other way. COLUMBIA - Scout Boats Inc., a manufacturer of sport fishing boats, is expanding its Dorchester County facility in response to increased customer demand - both domestically and overseas. The company was founded by Potts and his wife Dianne in 1989. "We've married the two worlds with this design." With 22 degrees of deadrise at the transom and a relatively narrow hull form (10-foot, 9-inch beam) for this type of boat, the 345SFX will run through the . Copyright 2023 Boating Industry I think theres a lot of brands that create a glut of late-model used stuff. When complete, the new Plant D will be offer 100,000 square feet of dedicated manufacturing space for the company's new 530 LXF model set to debut in late 2018, along with an additional 20,000 square feet . This Policy will be referenced by all such mobile applications or mobile optimized websites. Weve built a team here that will continue to take us into the future, said Potts. It has more of a sporty look. Id say sometime in the early 70s that little design and that name went away. We had the scale model being 3-D-printed. I spent the next 30 years driving Scout to new levels, not only self teaching myself business and management along the way, but learning that surrounding yourself with like-minded, driven individuals was crucial to continued success. So two-thirds of that investment is dedicated to Plant C and the other third is for improvements not only on the site, but also in some of the existing factory. The 420 rivals even some of the larger luxury sportfishing machines with its appointments, technology and attention to detail. A World-Class Organization from Humble Beginnings Scout's owner, founder and president Steve Potts, has been working in the boat-building industry since he was 14. 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The design I started with was a real high-end, real finely finished fishing boat sort of a simple boat, but it was still a saltwater fishing boat. Scout added a $13 million expansion to their yard outside of Charleston to accommodate the popular new model's twin-stepped, carbon-epoxy hull design, with plans to build one 530 a month once production is in . Scout Boats are actually built in Thailand!Thats right, these top-quality vessels are crafted in Asia. In Plant A we build everything from 17 to 25 feet, and in Plant B we build everything from 27 up to 35. Theyve got a 3- by 5-inch smartphone that can do 10 times more than you got on a boat, so the boat seems antiquated and dated because its not condensed and user-friendly. As it's a serious fishing boat you are certain to want to spend some time trolling and the 345XSF is a perfect platform for the task. These bigger boats we build, we work with Molly Ditzler at Vectorply. I personally studied the art of boatbuilding and taught myself how to do it better for 20 years. Scout Boats employs over 400 team members at the Summerville facility.The companys commitment to quality craftsmanship is evident in every aspect of the manufacturing process. Our competition would say, You want to get blood and guts all over that nice interior? But if you look at it today, its more the norm and not the exception. Scout Boats builds luxury sportfishing centre console, dual console, crossover, and inshore/bay boat models ranging from 17-53ft. It wasnt that long ago, I can remember Stevie wanted a hydraulic platform on the side of this center console and I said, That is ridiculous. I dont know that consumers want to labor over a boat. Are, Preparing for takeoff w/ @grantcardone , Riding the Red Sea in luxury @smunet.net @scoutboats.com Steve Potts Phone Number Found 5 phone numbers: 843278XXXX . A: Its always been our motto here in R&D to create something that doesnt exist. Shes got a doctorate degree in composites. Next year this time, you should see a lot of products coming, says Stevie Potts, who at 43 serves as vice president of research and development. "The creation of 200 more jobs in the Lowcountry and the release of one of the largest fiberglass center console boats in the world is a significant milestone for Scout Boats and South Carolina." Scout currently builds luxury sportfishing center consoles, dual consoles, luxury crossover, and inshore/bay boat models ranging from 17' to 53 . Steve Pottsmoves full time toCEOof the company, Dave Wallacehas been namedPresident, William Fergusonhas been promoted toVice President of Manufacturing,Courtney Guicehas elevated toAdministrative Vice President andStevie PottsisVice President of Product Development & Engineering. We formed a partnership with Garmin and Power Products, which at the time was making the CZone systems, and went digital with our bigger boats. Can you speak to that? 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. Whether youre looking for a weekend getaway or extended cruising, the Scout 42 is an excellent choice. So it isnt for lack of creativity. I came up with the idea of working with one of our vendors to surface-mount them and put this glass panel over the top, to make it look like they were all built-in, sort of like a glass cockpit in an airplane. Q: And that plant will cost $2.5 million? Has that approach resonated with people other than anglers? See who you know in common. A: With some models, as much as six months. For 50 years Ive had my hands on my craft, and on building a successful business. Being out on a boat is really, in essence, an island surrounded by water, and when youre in a boat with family and friends, you feel a sense of security, of not getting infected with this disease. With a pair of Yamaha 350s, the 345XSF will do 55.5 knots (64mph), with a best cruise at 3500 rpm @25.1 knots (29mph) getting 89L/h, also for 3.5L/NM. With the smaller boats, everythings very structured, and we do some customization mainly at the end of the line. How much are you growing? Employee retention right now is obviously a huge thing. Secondly, Scout has a great reputation amongst customers. 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. This article was originally published in the November 2020 issue. Boats are like everything else: you get what you pay for. We also had an idea to eliminate some of that aluminum structure in the back, and having a cleaner look that blends into the console and the deck. Theres one hydraulic spinner that makes it do four or five different things. You are responsible for regularly reviewing this Policy and any changes thereto. Highest Scout Rank: Distinguished Eagle Scout, Silver Buffalo . Founder and Vice President of Research and Development of Scout Boats, 2023 Active Interest Media All Rights Reserved, Annual Branded-Content Special Advertising Sections. He is a member of famous with the age 54 years old group. COLUMBIA, S.C. - Scout Boats Inc., a manufacturer of sport fishing boats, is expanding its Dorchester County facility in response to increased customer demand - both domestically and overseas. Today, were taking a look at where Scout boats are made. We worked with an Italian company that helped us design the interior. 97 views, 4 likes, 0 loves, 0 comments, 1 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from SkipperBud's: Why Scout Boats? A: Im glad you mentioned that because that has been a struggle. The building we were in was pretty much leveled. When companies start calling boats units, I think they lose a little touch of what were all about. Steve Potts, CEO and founder of Scout Boats, is a man with a vision. But in the 30 years since theyve been around, theyve made a big splash in the industry.So where are these impressive boats made? Length 7.50 m 10 Passengers. I think the coastal fishing segment is the SUV and pickup trucks of the boating world. Steve and his wife Dianne had a dream of starting a boat company. No one else in the industry has even come close. Digital switching, we were one of the first companies to build digital from analog as far as wiring. Voice of the Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie & Superior The company is building an additional 30,000 square feet onto its 182,000-square-foot facility. Whether youre looking for information on a specific model or just want to chat about boating in general, the team at Scout Boat customer service is always happy to help. The factory is located on 63 acres and features over 500,000 square feet of production space. It isnt like flipping a switch or youre just going to build bigger molds and bigger fiberglass pieces.Thats probably going to limit the number of people getting into it. The bottoms of all of our fiberglass lids were polished. Having 30 switches on the dash on your boat is cool. Over 400 hours were put into testing the epoxy-infused double stepped hull developed for this model. The South Carolina native and father of three says he has always taken a conservative approach to business. Were very proud of the fact that there are people out there trying to find a used Scout, and there are not many out there. Q: And what about the shift into larger boats? The 330s got a really cool interior, along with the unique seating layout with the transom seat. Do you think thats part of a larger trend? A $40 million yacht belonging to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos was untied from its mooring at a Lake Huron marina, police said. 10/15/2021 12:00:00 AM | General Government Relations. The company's $2.5 million investment is expected to create 300 jobs. As an industry, one of the things weve really tackled is doing some different things with the features, having the electrical and electronic systems be more integrated so its more like other consumer products. The companys most recent expansion, a $13 million project, is for production of the 530 LXF flagship. I think another advantage is that because of the economies of scale we hand-build boats just like companies that are much, much bigger. That boat was built for five or six years. The 420, a model that's been nearly three years in the making, is set to be debuted during a press conference in the Scout Boats booth inside the Miami Beach Convention Center . The 12.8-metre 420 LXF is Scout's largest fishing boat. Weve had a lot of heated moments where he wants to do something, and Ive said, No, Ive learned more what not to do than what to do, and were not going to do that. Over time, Ive basically succumbed to him. Our name stands for innovation, while our models contradict convention. Estimated Net Worth: $3 billion. I think the difference is that my employees can relate to me and I can relate to them. However, we can take a look at some of the key factors that might influence your decision.Firstly, Scout is known for its quality products. There are very few disadvantages that you see with the big stay-in-the-water-type boats. Scout Boats Scout boats are world-renowned for their design and range of luxury models from 17' to 53', each packed with timeless innovations, technology and trendsetting features. Q: Scout has taken the functionality of a sportfishing boat and combined it with luxuries and comforts. The Company offers flat and bay, fish-n-ski, express, and center console boats. 420 rivals even some of the Boating world much, much bigger that little design that! And that name went away smaller boats, is for production of Boating! 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