Tiara Yachts, the Michigan Builder of Understated Open Yachts

What Leon Slikkers built after the non-compete

Leon Slikkers founded Slickcraft in the 1950s and sold it to AMF in 1969. A non-compete clause kept him out of powerboats for a while, so in 1974 he started S2 Yachts in Holland, Michigan, building sailboats. When the restriction ended, S2 introduced the Tiara powerboat line in the late 1970s, and Tiara soon became the company's main business. S2 ended sailboat production in 1989.

The Slikkers family still owns and runs S2. Its saltwater sister, Pursuit, was founded within S2 in 1977 and has belonged to Malibu Boats since 2018. That continuity gives Tiara a consistent identity: conservative styling, careful engineering and a focus on quality over flash.

From the classic Open to the LS and LE

For decades Tiara's signature was the Open, an express cruiser with a big cockpit, a single-level helm and a comfortable cabin, equally at home fishing or cruising. The Tiara 3100 Open set that template. Drawn by Leon Slikkers with Ed Wennersten and introduced in 1979, it sold around 800 boats in its first ten years, received a sharper, deeper-vee hull with prop pockets in 1992 and stayed in the catalog until the 3200 Open took over in January 2004. With prices from roughly $25,000 for a tired early boat to around $145,000 for a late diesel example, it is the cheapest way into a Tiara, though the redesigned post-1992 hull is the better offshore choice.

The Tiara 3500 Open, which we also cover in depth, is the bigger step in the same tradition: a 35-footer with an 18-degree deep-V bottom, a hardtop helm deck and room for a family to sleep aboard, sold with gas or Cummins diesel inboards around the turn of the century. It still sells briskly on the used market because it does everything well, and the 3500 name later moved to the IPS-powered 3500 Sovran.

The modern range has moved toward outboard and pod power. The LS series of luxury sport yachts, from the 35 LS to the 56 LS, was Tiara's first line designed around outboards. The Tiara 43 LE, which we also cover, takes the outboard idea further with an enclosed helm deck, fold-down terraces and two cabins, running on triple outboards on early boats and twin Mercury Verado V12 600s from 2024. The LX series rounds out the lineup.

Tiaras are built heavier than many production boats, with solid hardware, thick gelcoat and neat wiring and plumbing, which shows up in how well they age.

Tiara resale and what to check

Tiaras hold value better than most American production boats, especially in the Great Lakes, Northeast and Florida, where dealers are strongest. Older inboard models remain popular with buyers who want a well-built boat at a reasonable price, but the age of the engines and systems matters.

• Review engine hours and service records, especially on older inboard gas or diesel models.
• On older Opens such as the 3100, check deck core moisture, fuel tanks and whether the boat has the original or the 1992 hull.
• On IPS models, check pod service and any drive replacements.
• Inspect hardtop and windshield seals for leaks.
• Check the generator, air conditioning and electrical systems on larger boats.