What Walstrom Marine does

Walstrom Marine is a privately held, multi-location marine dealership and marina operator founded in 1946 in Harbor Springs, Michigan. The company sells new and pre-owned recreational boats across 30+ brands — including Tiara Yachts, Sea Ray, Regal, Pursuit, Chris-Craft, Beneteau, Azimut, Nordic Tug, Crest, and Starcraft — spanning entry-level 15-foot runabouts at ~$22K to 74-foot motor yachts priced above $2.9M. Inventory of approximately 181 boats (56 new, 125 used) is supported by an integrated service, parts, storage, dockage, and fuel operation across nine Michigan locations: Harbor Springs (headquarters), Charlevoix, Traverse City, Bay Harbor, Holland, Cheboygan, and Algonac.

Revenue is generated through six streams: new boat sales, used boat sales and brokerage, marine service and repair (including Volvo Penta IPS/DPS/EVC drivetrain upgrades, Garmin electronics integration, and custom helm fabrication), boat storage and marina dockage, parts and accessories, and in-house financing/warranty/protection products via a centralized Business Office. The go-to-market combines enterprise field sales at physical showrooms, a comprehensive e-commerce-style website for inventory browsing and financing applications, and event-driven customer acquisition through boat shows, Demo Days, yacht showcases, and social events across Michigan's boating season.

The company employs 51-100 staff and is pursuing geographic expansion in West Michigan (Grand Rapids, Holland, Muskegon, Kalamazoo markets via an expanded Sea Ray territory in 2026), a West Bay property acquisition with potential marina development, and the buildout of a Registered Marine Technician Apprenticeship pipeline. Recent milestones include the 2022 acquisition of Grand Bay Marine, a 2025 brand refresh, leadership transition from Tom Ervin to Jeremy Anderson, and receipt of Sea Ray's Unrivaled Support Award (NPS 65+) in 2025 and 2026. Michigan Clean Marina certification through October 2031 underscores operational sustainability credentials.

Name

Walstrom Marine

Legal name

Walstrom Marine Inc.

Website

https://walstrom.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Walstrom Marine is a privately held, multi-location marine dealership founded in 1946, operating nine showrooms and marinas across Michigan to sell new and used boats, service vessels, and provide storage and dockage to Great Lakes recreational boaters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Dealership and Boat Sales

NAICS

Boat Dealers (441222), Ship Building and Repairing (336611)

akta.pro primary industry

Boat & Personal Watercraft (PWC) Retail (CRAMAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Parts, Accessories & Maintenance Supplies Retail (CRAMAIAB), Docking, Anchoring & Mooring Equipment Retail (CRAMAIAI), Marine & Boat Finance (FSAKADAH)

Keywords

• Boat dealership services
• Marine service center
• Yacht sales brokerage
• Boat storage marina
• Marine parts accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Harbor Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Inventory / Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. New Boat Sales: Sales of new boats from branded manufacturers including Tiara Yachts, Sea Ray, Regal, Pursuit, Chris-Craft, and others. Inventory spans from 15-foot runabouts to 74-foot motor yachts.
2. Used Boat Sales & Brokerage: Resale of pre-owned vessels and brokerage services helping customers list and sell their boats. Inventory includes boats from 1956 to recent model years across all major brands.
3. Marine Service & Repair: Full-service repair and maintenance including mechanical systems, electronics, Volvo Penta drivetrains, teak restoration, and custom upgrades. Services available at all locations.
4. Boat Storage & Dockage: Dry storage, wet slip dockage, and marina services at Harbor Springs, Charlevoix, Traverse City, Cheboygan, and Algonac locations.
5. Parts & Accessories: Sale of marine parts, accessories, and supplies through parts departments at service locations.
6. Financing & Protection Products: Business Office provides financing solutions, warranty packages, and protection plans for boat purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Walstrom Marine is a multi-location boat dealership and service provider in Michigan's Great Lakes region selling new and used boats from brands such as Tiara, Sea Ray, Regal, Pursuit, and Chris-Craft. The company delivers comprehensive marine services including repair, maintenance, custom electronics integration, parts, boat storage, marina dockage and fuel, and in-house financing and warranty products through nine physical showrooms and marinas and a transactional e-commerce website.

Product overview

Walstrom Marine is a marine dealership and service provider operating as a multi-location boat dealership with supporting service facilities. The core offering consists of new and used boat sales across multiple branded manufacturers (Tiara, Pursuit, Chris Craft, Regal, Sea Ray, Navan, Crest, Starcraft, and many others), complemented by marine services including repair and maintenance, parts and accessories retail, boat storage, dockage and fuel services, and business office operations offering financing and warranty packages. They also provide boat valuation and listing services. The company publishes an annual Docklines Magazine covering lifestyle content for the boating community. Nine locations serve the Great Lakes region from Harbor Springs, Charlevoix, Traverse City, Bay Harbor, Holland, Cheboygan, and Algonac.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New Boat Sales Sale of new recreational boats from Tiara Yachts, Sea Ray, Regal, Pursuit, Chris-Craft, and other manufacturers, with inventory spanning from 15-foot runabouts to 74-foot motor yachts. Customers can browse inventory online, request quotes, schedule walkthroughs, apply for financing, and complete purchases at one of nine Michigan showroom locations.
• Used Boat Sales and Brokerage Resale of pre-owned vessels and brokerage services helping customers list and sell their boats, with inventory including boats from 1956 to recent model years across all major brands.
• Marine Repair and Maintenance Full-service marine repair and maintenance including mechanical systems, electronics, Volvo Penta drivetrains, teak restoration, and custom upgrades performed by certified marine technicians at all nine Michigan locations.
• Boat Storage Dry storage and wet slip dockage for boats at multiple Michigan locations including Harbor Springs, Charlevoix, Traverse City, Cheboygan, and Algonac, providing seasonal and year-round storage solutions.
• Dockage and Fuel Marina dockage services and fuel availability for recreational vessels at Walstrom's Michigan marina locations, including the Algonac Harbour Club.
• Parts and Accessories Sale of marine parts, accessories, and supplies through parts departments at service locations to support repair services and customer needs.
• Business Office (Financing, Warranty, and Protection) In-house financing solutions, warranty packages, and protection plans offered through the Business Office to support boat purchases.

Quantifiable outcome

• Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 65 or higher
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Michigan Clean Marina FoundationcoreOthers · 30 April 2026The Michigan Clean Marina Foundation administers the Michigan Clean Marina Program that certifies marinas for environmental responsibility. Walstrom Marine's Cheboygan and Harbor Springs locations have achieved Clean Marina certification, demonstrating commitment to protecting water quality through responsible practices.
• Northwest Michigan Works!coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026Walstrom Marine partnered with Northwest Michigan Works! to launch a U.S. Department of Labor Registered Marine Services Technician Apprenticeship. The program combines 6,000 hours of on-the-job training with 435 hours of structured technical instruction through employer and vendor-supported coursework. This addresses workforce development needs in Northern Michigan's marine industry.
• Sea Ray BoatsflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWalstrom Marine is an authorized Sea Ray dealer with expanded territory in West Michigan including Grand Rapids, Holland, Muskegon, and Kalamazoo markets. Sea Ray is one of the world's leading pleasure boat creators and Walstrom has received multiple Unrivaled Support Awards for customer satisfaction.
• Tiara YachtscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWalstrom Marine is an authorized Tiara dealer, offering Tiara Sport and Tiara Yachts models. The company performs specialized Tiara service including Volvo Penta systems upgrades and electronics modernization on Tiara vessels.
• Regal MarinecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Regal dealer offering the full lineup of Regal sport boats, surf boats, and cruisers. Walstrom Marine has been recognized at Regal's Accelerate dealer meetings for customer satisfaction.
• Pursuit BoatscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Pursuit dealer for fishing boats, dual consoles, and offshore vessels. Pursuit is a premier fishing and offshore boat manufacturer.
• Chris-CraftcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Chris-Craft dealer for the classic American boatbuilder's lineup of runabouts, sport boats, and yachts known for timeless design.
• Algonac-Clay Township Historical SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWalstrom Marine supports the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society as part of community giving from its Algonac Harbour Club location, preserving local history.
• Little Traverse Bay Humane SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWalstrom Marine hosts events including the 'Howl at the Moon' fundraiser at its Harbor Springs storage facilities, supporting the local humane society.
• Holland Police DepartmentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWalstrom Marine's Holland location supports the Holland Police Department as part of community engagement in the Holland area.
• VanderLeek Cup Hospice RegattaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWalstrom Marine supports the VanderLeek Cup Hospice Regatta at its Holland location, combining sailing competition with charitable fundraising.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• MarineMax: Largest recreational boat retailer in the United States with hundreds of locations nationwide. Comparable to Walstrom as a multi-brand authorized dealer of premium OEMs (Sea Ray, Tiara, etc.) offering sales, service, finance, and storage — but operates at far greater scale and across multiple U.S. regions.
• OneWater Marine: Public multi-brand boat retailer operating dealerships across the U.S. Offers the same multi-brand authorized-dealer model as Walstrom across premium brands, with integrated finance, service, and storage. Operates at much greater scale and geographic breadth than Walstrom.

Direct peers

• SkipperBud's: Multi-location boat dealer and marina operator headquartered in Wisconsin with strong Great Lakes presence. Directly comparable to Walstrom as a regional multi-brand authorized dealer (Sea Ray, Regal, Tiara, etc.) offering sales, service, storage, and dockage across the upper Midwest.
• Galati Yacht Sales: Multi-location yacht and sportfish dealer representing premium brands including Viking, Princess, and Tiara along the Gulf Coast. Directly comparable to Walstrom in business model (multi-brand authorized dealer, full-service sales/service/marina) but serves a different geographic market.
• Jefferson Beach Yacht Sales: Multi-location boat dealer in Michigan and Florida authorized for premium brands including Sea Ray, Tiara, and Pursuit. Directly comparable to Walstrom as a Great Lakes multi-brand authorized dealer with overlapping brand partnerships and similar service/storage offerings.
• Bosun's Marine: Multi-location boat dealer and marina operator in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic offering new and used boat sales, service, and storage. Comparable to Walstrom as a multi-brand authorized dealer for premium recreational boat brands with integrated service and marina operations.
• Big Thunder Marine: Family-owned multi-brand boat dealer in the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri region. Comparable to Walstrom as a privately-held, family-led multi-brand authorized dealer of premium recreational brands (Sea Ray, Regal, etc.) with full-service sales, service, and storage.

Regional players

• Hall Marine Group: Multi-location boat dealer in the Carolinas and Georgia authorized for premium brands including Tiara and Pursuit. Comparable to Walstrom in multi-brand authorized dealer model and service capabilities, but operates in the Southeast U.S. rather than the Great Lakes.
• Beacon Marine (formerly Lujack's): Multi-location marine dealer in Iowa and the upper Midwest representing premium brands including Sea Ray and Pursuit. Comparable to Walstrom as a regional multi-brand authorized dealer offering sales, service, and storage, though with smaller geographic footprint.

Others

• BoatUS (Boat Owners Association of the United States): Membership-based boating services organization offering insurance, financing, towing, and consumer resources. Adjacent to Walstrom's business as an ecosystem participant — BoatUS provides financing and protection products that compete with Walstrom's in-house Business Office offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@walstrommarine
• Xx.com/walstrommarine
• Facebookfacebook.com/walstrommarine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/walstrom-marine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Walstrom Marine