Pontoon boat company Whisper Marine LLC is expanding its marine portfolio into a new category of recreational boating, following the acquisition of Illinois-based Crownline Boats, a manufacturer of sport, deck, and cruiser vessels.
This latest deal was Whisper Marine’s second acquisition in the last six months, following the December 2025 purchase of Qwest Pontoons.
Whisper Marine is part of Whisper USA, LLC, an American manufacturer of outdoor lifestyle products founded and led by CEO Dave Hatley. Headquartered in Johnson City, Tennessee, Whisper USA designs and manufactures hot tubs, swim spas, cold plunges, luxury golf carts, utility terrain vehicles and boats at facilities in Tennessee, Michigan, and now Illinois.
Crownline has delivered more than 90,000 boats to dealers and customers worldwide. Whisper Marine plans to invest in product innovation and expanded capacity at the Southern Illinois facility, according to the company, and to grow the Crownline dealer network.
“Crownline is one of the most respected names in American boatbuilding, and we are excited to carry it forward,” says Hatley.
Whisper says the Crownline acquisition is part of a multiyear strategy to build a portfolio of American-made marine brands serving distinct segments of the recreational boating market. Included in the acquisition was a 360,000-square-foot facility that Whisper will use to continue growth in Illinois and provide additional jobs.
American Honda is restructuring its Power Sports & Products center (PS&P), putting its powersports, power equipment, and marine divisions under a unified structure to strengthen product strategy and sales capabilities.
The news comes on the heels of a successful 2025-’26 fiscal year in which the powersports and marine divisions surpassed their sales goals.
Established in 2020, PS&P originally included the sales operations and after-sales experience divisions, which collectively supported Honda’s powersports, power equipment, and marine businesses. In 2024, marine became a standalone division. This year, PS&P transitioned to a business-unit structure combining sales operations. Under the new organization, each business division manages its own sales, service and marketing functions, while sales operations acts as a shared resource to provide support across all three businesses.
Honda says it intends to continue evolving PS&P toward a self-reliant North American operation. The marine division will focus on strengthening relationships with boat builders, expanding its dealer network, and broadening its product lineup. The powersports division is now focused on growing its core business while advancing future mobility initiatives, and the power equipment division will expand its lineup of battery-powered lawn-and-garden products, generator and engine sales, and strengthen its e-commerce presence.
To lead the new organizational structure, John Stevens has been promoted to vice president of PS&P Business and Sales, while Jeremy McGuire will serve as director of sales operations. Each of the three PS&P divisions is now led by a dedicated director of sales, service and marketing, with Bill Savino leading powersports, Barry Dlugasz heading power equipment, and Josh Matthews overseeing marine.
“Building on the momentum of a successful 2025-’26 fiscal year, this evolution of our Power Sports & Products center will help us strengthen collaboration, accelerate innovation and respond quickly to customer needs,” says Stevens. “By bringing marine back into the PS&P structure and strengthening our capabilities, we’re setting the foundation for sustained growth in North America.”