Limestone Boat Company relaunches heritage brand
Limestone Boat Company, a brand primarily recognized in the northeast United States and parts of Canada for the past 35 years, has re-launched with new ownership.
Scott Hanson, a marine industry veteran, now serves as Limestone’s new chief executive officer. Earlier this year, he and his partners acquired the global manufacturing and Limestone branding rights from Mark Ellis Design LLC, purchased the Limestone molds, and created the Limestone Boat Company. Hanson and his team have also engaged Ellis to be involved with the evolution of existing designs and new model creations.
Hanson brings over 30 years of marketing and business management experience to Limestone having worked for and with many leading domestic and international consumer packaged goods, financial and automotive manufacturers throughout his career before taking the helm of Rossiter Boats in 2007.
“We recognized the history and future potential of the Limestone brand and decided to secure the global licensing rights,” said Hanson. “We’ve relocated the manufacturing operations to Tennessee, and we’ve engaged Mark Ellis to assist us with guiding the new model designs of which he originally created, and we’ve grown our team with some elite sales professionals and staff.”
Starting his own firm, Mark Ellis Design in 1975, Ellis has been active for 45 years designing and developing the iconic Limestone, Legacy, Pilot, BlueStar and Abaco powerboat brands as well as many well-known sailboats.
“I’m excited and pleased to be part of the Limestone rejuvenation and to be working with Scott and his assembled team,” said Ellis. “Limestone has had an enthusiastic following of experienced owners over the last 35 years. It’s great that Scott and the new Limestone Boat Company will bring this brand forward and introduce it to a wider audience. I’m truly looking forward to its rebirth and evolution.”
Initial product offerings over the current 2021 and following 2022 model year will provide a nine-model lineup ranging from 17’ to 29’, complete with runabouts, cuddies, center and dual consoles with classic day boat and fish arrangements.
Limestone has partnered with a renowned, centrally-located U.S. manufacturer that has a 40+ year history in manufacturing quality boats dealers and boaters have counted on for decades. They also offer substantial capacity for growth in their 145,000 sq. ft. facility, a large skilled labor force, and a management team that brings to bear generations of experience with household boat brands in the saltwater and freshwater markets.
“Our focus in re-launching this heritage brand has encompassed a transformation of the models themselves,” added Hanson. “Limestone is best known for their timeless design, big water performance, quality, and functionality. Its recognizable, unique deep V hull and forward flair provide a forgiving ride and an unmatched assurance of safety. We are building upon this history, but with an eye to the future, as we currently bring modernity into the product line.”
Limestone models have primarily been sterndrive, with outboard configurations typically used commercially and in coastal New England, but the current and future designs move the models to outboard engine applications. The move to focus solely on outboards is a major evolution for the model line-up, enhancing their accessibility, usability, performance, safety and maintenance characteristics.
