Well they are very popular in the "America" version as a Cape Cod Cat. The Pilot - as far as I know - was quite rare so a "following" may be a stretch. Like most classic hulls there are places - like New England in general where these types of boats would probably sell better then others. If it were me - yeah I'd love a neat classic like this - put a small 12-16hp diesel in her, maybe some trap strakes, a pot haul, and a nice hemp push on the bow and it would be a head turner.
About 10 years ago I re-did one of the old 17' "Finest Kind" CC Novi hulls (Later the Stagepoint 17, and recently the Seaway Stagepoint 17). I got more comments from passer by's then any other boat I've ever owned. I fished her hard for 5 years and sold her.