Keefe Kaplan Maritime

What Keefe Kaplan Maritime does

Keefe Kaplan Maritime, Inc. (KKMI) is a privately held, full-service boatyard founded in May 1996 by Ken Keefe and Paul Kaplan in Point Richmond, California. The company operates two physical facilities on the San Francisco Bay — one in Pt. Richmond (530 W Cutting Blvd) and one in Sausalito (420 Harbor Drive, Clipper Yacht Harbor) — providing comprehensive marine maintenance, repair, and refit services. Its service portfolio spans ten core disciplines: bottom painting, electrical/electronics, engine installation and service, finish painting and detailing, gel coat and fiberglass repair, haul and loading, rigging, systems and equipment, welding and fabrication, and woodworking and carpentry. Both facilities hold Clean Marine certifications (the only West Coast operator with two), and KKMI claims the largest indoor workspace footprint among Bay Area yards.

KKMI serves a horizontal mix of customer segments including recreational boat owners, commercial fishermen, racing sailboat owners (Pacific Cup participants), and classic/antique vessel owners. Revenue is generated through quote-based professional service fees for labor and materials across project-by-project engagements, supplemented by retail revenue from marine chandlery stores at both locations (operated six days per week since 2023). The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer and sales-led: customers submit service inquiries or electronic work orders via the website, and project managers coordinate estimates, scheduling, and ongoing communication.

The company differentiates on regulatory compliance (Clean Marine certification), environmental stewardship (smallest antifouling paint testing program in Northern California), craftsmanship quality (team averages 23 years of experience), and infrastructure scale. Strategic partnerships with AkzoNobel (eco-friendly coatings) and Electric Yacht (electric propulsion) extend its service menu into higher-margin specialty offerings. Marketing is conducted through a long-running content program (the "Knewsletter" newsletter and "From the Bilges" blog with 80+ volumes), social media, community events, and earned media coverage in trade publications. The company has been recognized with the Boat Yard of the Year award from the American Boat Builders and Repairers Association and twice as Small Industry of the Year by the California Water Environment Association. Following co-founder Ken Keefe's retirement in May 2021, Paul Kaplan continues as principal owner and operator, with the company maintaining a family-business structure and no external investment or parent company involvement.

Name

Keefe Kaplan Maritime

Legal name

Keefe Kaplan Maritime, Inc.

Website

https://kkmi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Keefe Kaplan Maritime is a privately held, full-service boatyard operating two Clean Marine certified facilities in the San Francisco Bay Area (Pt. Richmond and Sausalito), providing maintenance, repair, and refit services to recreational boaters, commercial fishermen, and racing yacht owners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boatyard and Marine Maintenance Services

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance (811310)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial Ship Repair & Drydocking (TLAKAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mechanical Systems Repair (Engines, Propulsion, Pumps) (TLAKAKAF), Electrical, Automation & Control Systems Repair (TLAKAKAG), Marine MRO Parts & Consumables Distribution (TLAKAOAJ)

Keywords

• Boat yard services
• Marine maintenance
• Vessel repair
• Boat hauling
• Marine chandlery

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Boat Yard Services: Full-service boat maintenance and repair including bottom painting, electrical, engine service, finish painting, gel coat, fiberglass, rigging, systems, welding, and woodworking services. Revenue generated through service fees for labor and materials.
2. Marine Chandlery/Supply Store: Pt. Richmond marine supply store operating six days per week, serving DIY customers in the yard and neighboring marinas following West Marine's local closure

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

KKMI operates two full-service boatyards in the San Francisco Bay Area (Pt. Richmond and Sausalito) that deliver marine maintenance, repair, and refit services for recreational and commercial vessels, including bottom painting, electrical and electronics, engine service, finish painting and detailing, gel coat and fiberglass repair, hauling and storage, sailboat rigging, marine systems installation, welding and fabrication, and marine carpentry. The company also runs two marine supply chandleries serving DIY customers six days a week. All services are delivered by in-house project managers and certified technicians supported by an experienced craftsman workforce.

Product overview

KKMI operates as a full-service boat yard offering a comprehensive suite of marine maintenance and repair services from two Bay Area locations (Pt. Richmond and Sausalito). The core service portfolio includes Bottom Painting, Electrical/Electronics, Engine Installation & Service, Finish Painting & Detailing, Gel Coat & Fiberglass Repair, Haul & Loading, Rigging, Systems & Equipment, Welding & Fabrication, and Woodworking & Carpentry. Additionally, KKMI operates retail chandleries at both locations for marine supply sales. The company specializes in both recreational and commercial vessels, with particular expertise in high-performance racing sailboats. KKMI also partners with Electric Yacht for electric propulsion systems and AkzoNobel/International Paint for marine coatings application.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bottom Painting Antifouling paint application and testing on vessel hulls to prevent marine growth, using products from brands such as Pettit, Trinidad, and Z*Spar, with an active in-house testing program for new antifouling coatings.
• Electrical / Electronics Installation, repair, and upgrades of marine electrical and electronic systems including shore power, wiring, and onboard equipment for boat owners.
• Engine Installation & Service Installation, maintenance, repair, and service for diesel and gasoline marine engines for boat owners and commercial operators.
• Finish Painting & Detailing Hull and topside painting including Awlgrip application, non-skid deck coatings, custom colored hulls, and full exterior detailing for recreational and commercial vessels.
• Gel Coat & Fiberglass Repair Fiberglass hull repair, gel coat restoration, and composite repair for damaged or weathered vessels.
• Haul & Loading Boat hauling using travelift equipment, blocking, and short- or long-term storage for vessels requiring dry-dock maintenance or off-season storage.
• Rigging Sailboat rigging services including standing rigging, running rigging, mast installation, and rod rigging for racing and cruising vessels, delivered from KKMI's dedicated in-house rig shop.
• Systems & Equipment Installation and repair of marine systems including plumbing, steering, propulsion systems, and general equipment servicing.
• Welding & Fabrication Metal fabrication and welding services for stainless steel, aluminum, and other marine metals used in vessel construction and repair.
• Woodworking & Carpentry Marine carpentry services including teak deck restoration, wood repair, custom woodwork, and refinishing for classic and modern vessels.
• Chandlery (Marine Supply Store) Retail marine supply store at both KKMI locations offering boating equipment, parts, paints, cleaners, and maintenance supplies for DIY boaters.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% of KKMI clients made podium finishes in Pacific Cup; 43% won their class; clients won both racing and cruiser divisions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Prop (High Speed Ferry Company)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2018High speed ferry company that partnered with KKMI and AkzoNobel to apply eco-friendly Intersleek bottom paint as a fuel-saving solution.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• West Marine (chandlery only): A national marine chandlery retailer where KKMI's expanded Pt. Richmond supply store directly captured demand following West Marine's local store closure. Comparable as a marine retail/commercial supplier channel rather than as a service competitor.
• KKMI Sausalito (Clipper Yacht Harbor) co-tenants: Clipper Yacht Harbor is the marina where KKMI Sausalito operates; comparable marine service and marina tenants at adjacent Northern California harbors form the broader peer ecosystem for yard services and chandlery.

Broad incumbents

• Hinckley Yacht Services: A well-established East Coast luxury yacht service network with multiple boatyard locations offering maintenance, refit, painting, and systems work. Comparable in service breadth and premium-customer focus to KKMI, though geographically distant and broader in scope.
• Rybovich: A premium superyacht refit and service facility in Palm Beach, Florida offering paint, mechanical, electrical, and systems work for large vessels. Comparable in service portfolio (bottom paint, mechanical, electrical, systems, carpentry) and quality positioning, though focused on larger yachts.
• Safe Harbor Marinas: The largest marina and boatyard network in the United States, operating hundreds of locations with integrated service, storage, and chandlery operations. Represents the scaled, consolidated version of KKMI's boatyard-plus-chandlery model.
• Brewer Yacht Yard Group: A multi-location boatyard network on the East Coast and Great Lakes providing seasonal storage, maintenance, repair, and commissioning services. Comparable as a multi-yard marine service operator with a similar full-service yard model.

Direct peers

• Spicer's Boatyard: A full-service boatyard in Sausalito's Liberty Ship neighborhood offering haul-out, bottom painting, rigging, and marine systems. Direct geographic competitor to KKMI's Sausalito yard for SF Bay recreational and racing sailboat customers.
• Boatworks of Sausalito: A full-service boatyard located in Sausalito, California offering haul-out, bottom painting, engine service, rigging, and woodworking. Directly competes with KKMI's Sausalito location for the same North Bay recreational sailboat and powerboat owner customers.

Regional players

• New England Boatworks: A full-service boatyard in Portsmouth, Rhode Island offering storage, repair, painting, rigging, and systems work for sail and power vessels. Comparable service mix and quality positioning to KKMI but operating exclusively in New England.
• Hayes Marine Service: An independent boatyard providing bottom painting, engine service, and boat maintenance at locations in Northern California. Comparable regional peer offering similar core boatyard services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KKMIyards
• Facebookfacebook.com/kkmiboatyard
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kkmi-boatyard

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Keefe Kaplan Maritime