S2 Yachts are known better through
their premier Tiara Yachts and Pursuit
Boats lines.
Tiara
Yachts
Leon Slikkers started at Chris-Craft in the joiner department making
cabin tops in 1946. In the early 1950's Leon began building 14'
runabouts in his garage after work. In 1954 he registered the Slickcraft
name, and the following year he left a promising career at the age
of 27 to open his own shop and fulfill his dream. He sold his house
and started a small factory on Washington Avenue in Holland, Michigan.
Leon began experimenting with a new materialcalled fiberglass in
1955.
Within three years, the company put a few of the
boats into production and, by 1963, had stopped building with wood
completely.
In 1969, Leon sold Slickcraft to the AMF Corporation. He stayed
on as President to head up three AMF
companies (including Slickcraft), but eventually realized that the
large corporation's business principles did not match his own and
left after four years. Leon started over in 1974 building sailboats
under the name S2 Yachts. Within ten years, S2 was one of the top
five sailboat manufacturers in the United States, known for building
both quality cruising vessels
as well as racing boats.
Gradually the company began producing high-quality
power boats called Tiara Yachts, and phasing out the sailboats.
S2 Yachts then constructed a second facility in Ft. Pierce, Florida
and, in 1977, added Pursuit to its product line up. In 1983, S2
Yachts purchased the Slickcraft brand name from AMF, and the following
year, Leon Slikkers became Chief Executive Officer and David Slikkers
was named President.
Pursuit
Boats In 1977 the Pursuit series was introduced. In 1983 a new
Pursuit plant is built in Ft. Pierce, Florida. In 1984 Leon Slikkers
becomes Chief Executive Officer, David Slikkers is named President
of S2 Yachts and Construction is completed
on a 200,000 sq. ft. two-level facility in Holland; this brings
the total square feet to nearly 500,000.
In 1989 Pursuit 3250 Open nears completion. Introduction
is set for January 1990 at the New York Boat Show. Pursuit continues
to expand with the addition of 7,000 square feet in lamination,
engineering, customer service and administrative space. Pursuit
Offshore University and Pursuit Tech set new attendance records.
In 2001 Pursuit purchases 32 acres of additional land adjacent to
the existing Fort Pierce facility, for future expansion. Pursuit
introduces the 3070 Center Console at its annual Dealer Meeting
in August 2000. Pursuit introduces the 2670 Cuddy Console at the
Fort Lauderdale Boat Show in October 2000. Pursuit
introduces the new 3800 Express during its annual Chairman’s
Council meeting in May 2001.
Pursuit introduces the new 3070 Express in July
2001. Pursuit introduces the all-new 2670
Denali LS at the Miami International Boat Show. In 2002 Pursuit
prepares to introduce the 2665 Denali LS at it’s October dealer
meeting. In the next few years Pursuit introduced new a manufacturing
system and more models, and in 2006 construction is completed at
the Pursuit factory, the culmination being the launch of automated
production and lamination lines. Leon Slikkers pushes the button
on each line on April 4 to begin the automation process. All
new areas are up and running, including the Design Center, new lamination
areas and coating booths.
