Statement Marine, a Small Florida Shop Building Custom Performance Consoles

A sportboat start, then a turn to consoles

Statement made its debut in 2009, when Nick Buis and Todd Werner, his business partner at the time, unveiled the 42 Ultimate at the Miami show, a V-bottom sportboat whose cockpit rode on air suspension. Craig Barrie, a long-time industry hand, came aboard in 2013, later departed, and returned in 2024 as the range stretched to 44 feet and beyond. Building takes place on Wild Acres Road (number 1979) in Largo, just outside Clearwater on the Gulf Coast.

The center console soon took over as the main product. Statement prepared its first two console models for the Fort Lauderdale show in October 2013, and two years later Barrie put the shop's maximum output at roughly two dozen consoles a year. Today's site shows the 350 Open, 380 Open, 360 Cat, the 430 Tigress catamaran console, the 42 Ultimate and the 50 Passion.

Custom paint, long-serving crews and the 350 Open

The company sells itself on low volume and personal attention. Customers configure their boats with the factory directly or through a dealer, the owners work on the shop floor every day, and Statement says the people who laminate and rig its hulls have about a decade with the company on average. Finish is a calling card: an in-house spray booth applies pearl and metallic colors, House of Kolor finishes and one-off graphics to both hulls and outboard cowlings.

Our covered model, the Statement 350 Open, began life in 2013 under the 350 SUV name and is the brand's core offshore console. Its standout features are a properly finished head inside the console and a walk-through transom, and its power has climbed over the years from twin outboards to big triple installations. In 2018 Statement rigged its first boat with triple Verado V8s. The model page has the full specifications and engine history.

Prices, resale and what to check

Statement does not publish prices or instrumented test numbers, so buyers do more homework than with volume brands. We estimate about $450,000 to $650,000 new for a well-optioned 350 Open and $180,000 to $480,000 used. Low production keeps supply thin and helps resale, but very personal paint schemes can narrow the market. Statement sells through a small dealer network and directly from the factory.

A custom boat needs a custom inspection.

• Hours, warranty status and service file for every outboard
• Cracking around the walk-through transom and motor mounts
• Head, holding tank and pumpout plumbing
• Signs of crazing or sloppy touch-ups in the custom paint
• Hardtop welds and electronics box sealing
• Fish box macerators, drains and EVA flooring