Portland Yacht Services
Portland Yacht Services is a privately held, full-service boatyard and shipyard in Portland, Maine, founded in 1981, operating a 23-acre waterfront facility with a 330-ton travel lift to serve recreational boaters, commercial vessel operators, and heritage sailing vessels across haul-out, repair, storage, and refit services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Portland Yacht Services does
Portland Yacht Services is a privately held, full-service boatyard and shipyard headquartered in Portland, Maine, founded in 1981 by Phineas and Joanna Sprague. The company operates two divisions — Portland Yacht Services (PYS) serving recreational boaters and Portland Ship Yard (PSY) serving commercial fishing, tourism, government, military, and large passenger ferry operators — from a 23-acre waterfront facility at 100 West Commercial Street featuring a 330-ton travel lift, dedicated machine shop, rigging and woodworking shops, paint/fiberglass department, outboard service department, and indoor/outdoor storage. The core service offering spans haul-out, seasonal and long-term storage, mechanical and engine repair (inboard and outboard), fiberglass and Awlgrip paint systems, rigging and mast stepping, custom carpentry, marine electronics and systems installation, yacht management, and bottom paint and detailing, with technical staff holding ABYC, NMEA, and manufacturer (Mercury Master, Yamaha Master, Honda, Suzuki) certifications.
The company earns revenue through a mix of professional services billed at publicly disclosed hourly rates ($79–$225/hr depending on trade and on-site/off-site), unit-priced haul-out and launch fees tiered by vessel length (up to $58/ft for vessels over 100 feet), annual and seasonal boat storage on a per-square-foot basis ($6.25–$17.50/sqft), seasonal winterization and commissioning services, and a Boat Sales Department that operates as an authorized dealer for Bass Cat Boats, Suzuki, Honda, AlumaCraft, Bentley, Manitou, Mercury, and Yamaha brands — with customer financing facilitated through Sheffield Financial. The White Rock Outboard division, acquired in January 2023, operates as a separate retail and service channel for outboard motors and small boats. Pricing is fully transparent on the company website, with a 3.25% shop/environmental surcharge and tiered winter (Oct 16 – May 15) and summer (May 15 – Oct 16) storage seasons. Customer concentration is dispersed across recreational boaters, commercial vessel operators, offshore cruisers, heritage sailing vessels, and ferry operators in Maine and adjacent New England waters.
Go-to-market is primarily direct-to-consumer at the physical yard, augmented by authorized-dealer partnerships (channel) for new and pre-owned boat sales and a marine financing partnership. Marketing relies on the company website and blog, Instagram and Facebook presence, community sponsorships (BVI Spring Regatta, SailMaine, Maine Boatbuilders Show, Portland Boat Show), and structured talent pipelines through The Landing School and Portland Arts and Technology High School. The firm is independently owned by the Sprague family with no external institutional investors disclosed, operates with approximately 60 employees, and has executed two acquisitions (White Rock Outboard in January 2023 and the Portland Boat Show in March 2025) alongside an active facility expansion through the construction of Buildings H and I scheduled to complete in August 2025.
Portland Yacht Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Portland Yacht Services
- Legal name
- Portland Yacht Services
- Website
- https://portlandyacht.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Portland Yacht Services is a privately held, full-service boatyard and shipyard in Portland, Maine, founded in 1981, operating a 23-acre waterfront facility with a 330-ton travel lift to serve recreational boaters, commercial vessel operators, and heritage sailing vessels across haul-out, repair, storage, and refit services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Portland Yacht Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Marine Boatyard and Shipyard Services
- NAICS
- Ship Building and Repairing (336611)
- SIC
- Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Commercial Ship Repair & Drydocking (TLAKAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Underwater Hull Inspection, Cleaning & Propeller Services (TLAKAKAJ)
Keywords
Where Portland Yacht Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Portland Yacht Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Marine Service & Repair: Revenue generated from comprehensive marine repair, maintenance, and refit services including engine work, fiberglass, welding, rigging, painting, carpentry, and systems installation. Charged at hourly labor rates plus materials. Services are quoted per-project or hourly.
- Haul-Out & Travel Lift Services: Fees charged for vessel haul-out and launch operations using travel lift equipment, with pricing based on vessel length and weight tiers.
- Boat Storage: Indoor heated, indoor cold, and outdoor storage services for vessels, charged per square foot based on hull length and beam. Additional services include shrink wrapping, pressure washing, and spar/mast storage.
- Boat Sales (New & Pre-Owned): Revenue from sales of new and pre-owned boats through authorized dealer partnerships with Bass Cat Boats, Suzuki, Honda, AlumaCraft, Bentley, Manitou, Mercury, and Yamaha brands. Also handles consignment and trade-in transactions.
- Winterization & Seasonal Services: Seasonal de-commissioning and commissioning services including outboard winterization (priced by HP and stroke type), inboard winterization, mast stepping/unstepping, and shrink wrapping.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hourly Labor Rates |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Trailer Services |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Travel Lift Services |
| Subscription | Annual | Storage Rates — Winter Season (Oct 16 – May 15) |
| Subscription | Seasonal | Storage Rates — Summer Season (May 15 – Oct 16) |
| Unit Pricing | Annual | Outboard Winterization |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mast Stepping & Unstepping |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Portland Yacht Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Portland Yacht Services operates a full-service boatyard and shipyard in Portland, Maine, providing haul-out (up to 330 tons), seasonal and long-term storage, mechanical and engine repair, fiberglass and paint, rigging, custom woodworking, electronics, machine shop fabrication, and refit services for recreational and commercial vessels. The company also operates authorized dealerships for new boats and outboard engines through its Boat Sales Department and White Rock Outboard division.
Product overview
Portland Yacht Services operates as a full-service marine boatyard and shipyard with two divisions: Portland Yacht Services (PYS) for recreational and commercial vessel maintenance, repair, storage, and refit services; and Portland Ship Yard (PSY) for commercial and government vessel servicing. The service portfolio spans haul-out and storage (up to 330 tons), mechanical and engine work, bottom paint and detailing, fiberglass and Awlgrip paint, rigging and mast services, custom woodworking and cabinetry, marine electronics, machine shop fabrication, and yacht management coordination. The company also operates a Boat Sales Department for new and pre-owned vessels, supported by authorized dealer partnerships for Bass Cat Boats, Suzuki, Honda, AlumaCraft, Bentley, Manitou, Mercury, and Yamaha brands. Following its January 2023 acquisition of White Rock Outboard, the company expanded its outboard sales and service capabilities under that division.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Portland Yacht Services (PYS) Boatyard
- Portland Ship Yard (PSY)
- White Rock Outboard
- Yacht Management Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 330-ton vessel haul capacity
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Portland Yacht Services
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Portland Yacht Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Portland Yacht Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Portland Boat ShowcorePortland Yacht Services acquired the Portland Boat Show in March 2025, a long-standing staple of New England's maritime community. The acquisition reinforces PYS's commitment to the regional boating industry. The next show is scheduled for February 25–March 1, 2026, at the Portland Sports Complex.
- Bass Cat BoatscorePortland Yacht Services is an authorized dealer for Bass Cat Boats, offering new boat sales to customers in the Portland, Maine region.
- Suzuki MarinecorePortland Yacht Services is an authorized dealer for Suzuki Marine outboard engines, and White Rock Outboard is also an authorized Suzuki dealer. Both entities sell and service Suzuki outboard motors.
- Honda MarinecorePortland Yacht Services and its White Rock Outboard division are authorized dealers for Honda Marine outboard engines, covering sales and service.
- AlumaCraft BoatscoreWhite Rock Outboard, a division of Portland Yacht Services, is an authorized dealer for AlumaCraft Boats, offering new boat sales.
- Bentley PontoonscoreWhite Rock Outboard is an authorized dealer for Bentley Pontoon Boats, expanding the company's product range in the pontoon segment.
- Manitou Pontoon BoatscoreWhite Rock Outboard is an authorized dealer for Manitou Pontoon Boats, providing pontoon boat sales and service.
- Mercury MarinecoreWhite Rock Outboard is an authorized dealer for Mercury Outboards, offering Mercury Marine engine sales and factory-certified service.
- Yamaha MarinecoreWhite Rock Outboard is an authorized dealer for Yamaha Outboards, with factory-trained technicians providing sales and service.
- BVI Spring RegattaminorPortland Ship Yard has been a sponsor of the BVI Spring Regatta for four consecutive years, sending crew members Brent Sullivan and Rob Windsor to compete aboard the foiling catamaran Timbalero 3. Owner Phin Sprague has supported sailing events since Antigua Classic's Week.
- SailMainecorePortland Yacht Services is a longstanding supporter of SailMaine, providing infrastructure, boat maintenance, and advocacy to support affordable sailing programs for the Portland community. PYS founder Phineas Sprague helped establish SailMaine in the early 2000s and provides winter storage and maintenance for SailMaine's fleet.
- Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS)corePortland Yacht Services partners with PATHS to provide hands-on training, internships, and mentorship for students interested in marine careers. PYS offers access to its facilities, expert technicians, and career development programs to support technical education in boatbuilding, marine systems, and repair.
- The Landing SchoolcorePortland Yacht Services, Portland Ship Yard, and The Landing School in Arundel form a collaborative network supporting Maine's maritime industry. The Landing School trains marine professionals in boatbuilding, marine systems, and yacht design with a high job placement rate, and many graduates go on to work at PYS.
- White Rock OutboardcoreWhite Rock Outboard, acquired by Portland Yacht Services in January 2023, is a Maine-based marine service provider. The acquisition retained all White Rock Outboard employees and expanded service offerings for recreational and commercial boaters in the Maine market. White Rock Outboard operates as a division of PYS specializing in outboard engine sales, service, and repowers.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Portland Yacht Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Sheffield Financial: Marine and recreational vehicle financing provider serving boat dealers across the U.S. Channel/financial partner of PYS enabling boat buyer financing, not a direct competitor but tightly coupled to PYS's dealer sales motion.
- The Landing School: Marine trades education institution in Arundel, Maine training boatbuilders, marine systems technicians, and yacht designers. Adjacent ecosystem partner that supplies PYS with trained technicians and that PYS actively supports, but not a competitor.
Broad incumbents
- Safe Harbor Marinas: Largest owner and operator of marinas and boatyards in North America with extensive New England footprint including service, storage, and brokerage. Broad incumbent offering overlapping capabilities but at significantly greater scale across many geographies rather than specializing in a single regional yard.
- Brewer Yacht Yard Group: Network of full-service yacht yards across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic offering storage, maintenance, and brokerage. Comparable as a multi-location Northeast service operator though more distributed and brokerage-led than PYS's single-site heavy-lift model.
Direct peers
- Front Street Shipyard: Full-service boatyard and shipyard in Belfast, Maine offering haul-out, storage, repair, and refit services for sailing yachts and powerboats. Directly comparable as a regional Maine/New England yard competing for the same recreational and commercial vessel customer base with similar full-service capabilities.
- Newport Shipyard: Full-service shipyard in Newport, Rhode Island with travel-lift capacity, refit, storage, and yacht management serving yacht owners in the Northeast. Comparable as a high-end Northeast yard competing for the same offshore cruiser and large recreational vessel clientele.
- Hinckley Yacht Services: Yacht services division of The Hinckley Company with multiple New England yards offering storage, repair, brokerage, and yacht management. Closely comparable full-service model with multiple Northeast locations and similar premium recreational/commuter clientele.
- Boothbay Harbor Shipyard: Maine-based boatyard offering haul-out, storage, repair, and marine services along the mid-coast. Direct regional peer competing for similar Maine recreational boaters and commercial fishing vessels.
Regional players
- Camden Boatyard & Marine Ways: Maine-based marine service operation offering boat storage, repair, and custom fabrication along Penobscot Bay. Regional Maine peer with overlapping repair and storage offerings, though smaller scale.
- Rybovich: Premier yacht service facility in West Palm Beach, Florida with large travel-lift capacity, refit, painting, and yacht management focused on superyacht clientele. Operates in the same category (large-vessel refit and service) but in a different geography (Southeast U.S. vs. Northeast).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Portland Yacht Services social profiles
Digital presencePortland Yacht Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Portland Yacht Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles17 records
Portland Yacht Services subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Portland Yacht Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Portland Yacht Services M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Portland Yacht Services
What does Portland Yacht Services do?
Portland Yacht Services operates a full-service boatyard and shipyard in Portland, Maine, providing haul-out (up to 330 tons), seasonal and long-term storage, mechanical and engine repair, fiberglass and paint, rigging, custom woodworking, electronics, machine shop fabrication, and refit services for recreational and commercial vessels. The company also operates authorized dealerships for new boats and outboard engines through its Boat Sales Department and White Rock Outboard division.
Is Portland Yacht Services a public or private company?
Portland Yacht Services is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Portland Yacht Services founded?
Portland Yacht Services was founded in 1981. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Portland Yacht Services based?
Portland Yacht Services is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Portland Yacht Services make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Marine Service & Repair is the primary driver. The others are haul-Out & Travel Lift Services, boat Storage, boat Sales (New & Pre-Owned) and winterization & Seasonal Services.
Who are Portland Yacht Services's main competitors?
Others on record are Sheffield Financial and The Landing School. Broad incumbents are Safe Harbor Marinas and Brewer Yacht Yard Group. Direct peers are Front Street Shipyard, Newport Shipyard, Hinckley Yacht Services and Boothbay Harbor Shipyard. Regional players are Camden Boatyard & Marine Ways and Rybovich.
Does Portland Yacht Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for Portland Yacht Services.
What industry is Portland Yacht Services in?
Portland Yacht Services's product category is Marine Boatyard and Shipyard Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAKAKAA, Commercial Ship Repair & Drydocking, with a secondary code of TLAKAKAJ, Underwater Hull Inspection, Cleaning & Propeller Services. Its NAICS code is 336611 and its SIC code is 3730.