Performance East now offering full line-up from Performance Boat builders Statement Marine!

Performance-boat builder Statement Marine said it purchased the assets of Pilini Marine in Clearwater, Fla.

The acquisition originally was reported by SpeedOnTheWater.com. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“It sparked my interest and the deal was presented to me and I jumped on it,” Nick Buis, Statement Marine president, told Trade Only Today. “The deal happened very quickly.”

A key to the transaction was the 34-foot Pilini catamaran, which gives St. Petersburg, Fla.-based Statement an entry into the performance outboard catamaran market. “I’ve known Jay Pilini for more than 35 years, and I’ve owned six of his boats,” Buis said. “Everybody I’ve talked to says the boat works. It’s fast, and it likes rough water.”

Pilini said the he also has a 36-foot version of the boat that he’s in the process of finishing to create more storage and amenities, so Statement will be able to offer a 34- or 36-footer built on the same hull. Most of the boats are being sold with twin Mercury Racing 450R outboards. Three boats being finished at the Pilini facilities will be delivered to customers.

Buis said he plans to price the boats aggressively. He has found a successful niche for his outboard center consoles and plans to do the same with the catamarans. “I learned years ago I’m never going to get the price of a Nor-Tech, and Nor-Tech isn’t going to get the price of a Cigarette,” he said. “You can’t run a business off home runs. You need to get base hits.”

Statement has 30 employees, many of whom have been with the company for the 11 years it has been operating. Buis said production is steady, with Statement building two center consoles a month. The company builds 35- and 38-foot center consoles, as well as a 42-foot go-fast vee-bottom and a 50-foot high-performance catamaran.