Brunswick Sells Heyday Boats to Rapidly Expanding Whisper Marine
Whisper Marine has acquired Heyday Boats from Brunswick Corporation and will move the brand's production to Illinois.
Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Whisper Marine operates manufacturing and production facilities for Crownline Boats in Illinois, which it acquired in July 2026. The Brunswick-owned Heydey brand offers wake and surf boats and is currently based in Knoxville, Tennessee. There is no timeline for the brand's transfer to Illinois.
The acquisition of Heydey will mark Whisper Marine’s third boat brand purchase in less than a year. It acquired Fountain Powerboats and Nauticstar in February 2026, as well as Qwest Pontoons in December 2025.
Heyday specializes in wake, ski, and surf boats primarily for beginner and intermediate enthusiasts. The company was originally founded in 2016 by watersports industry veterans John Dorton, Ben Haring, and hull engineer "Cotton" Welshan before being purchased by Brunswick later that same year.
The addition of Heydey to Whisper Marine’s portfolio will now them beyond only pontoon and conventional sport boats. It will also give their growing dealer network access to a dedicated wake and surf brand.
“We’re excited to take on Heyday and to bring wake and surf into the Whisper Marine family,” said Paul Hoilman, chief operating officer of Whisper USA.
“Heyday has done something a lot of brands haven’t: it has made the sport reachable for families who never thought a surf boat was in the cards. That is exactly the kind of brand we want to build on, and it fits naturally alongside Crownline, Navion and Whisper Pontoons.”
Whisper Marine will transfer the company's manufacturing assets to the Crownline production facility in West Frankfort, Illinois. The location has been home to Crownline Boats since 1991.
Heydey H22 Heydey H22
As part of the transition, Whisper Marine said it intends to maintain continuity for Heyday’s existing dealers and customers. The company plans to work with current Heyday dealers to keep the brand available in showrooms while giving dealers already carrying Crownline or Whisper Pontoons access to wake and surf boats to their lineups.
“Our dealers are the heart of this business,” Hoilman said. “To Heyday dealers, our message is simple: we’re committed to this brand, we’re going to invest in it, and we want to grow with you.”
Vittorio Bichucher, president of Brunswick Corporation’s Venture Boat Group, said the company believes Heyday’s new owner is well positioned to support the brand’s future.
“Heyday has built a loyal following among dealers and customers, and we are proud of the team that helped establish the brand,” Bichucher said. “We believe Whisper Marine is well positioned to lead the next chapter of Heyday’s growth and success.”
The acquisition continues a period of rapid expansion for Whisper Marine. The company is a division of the larger Tennessee-based Whisper USA, which manufactures a range of outdoor lifestyle products in addition to boats, including electric golf carts, hot tubs and spas, cold plunge tubs, utility terrain vehicles (UTVs), and side-by-sides (SXS).
The company says the recent string of acquisitions are part of a multi-year strategy to build a portfolio of American-made marine brands serving distinct market segments.
Hoilman said the company intends to continue investing in its brands and dealer relationships as the portfolio grows.
“In less than a year we’ve gone from one pontoon line to a full family of American-built boats, and we’re just getting started,” he said. #news #brunswickcorporation #whispermarine #heydey
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