Fish Tale Boats
Fish Tale Boats is a family-owned boat dealership founded in 1996, operating three Southwest Florida locations (Fort Myers, Naples, Bonita Springs) and selling new and pre-owned boats from Grady-White, Robalo, Chaparral, and Premier Pontoons, with factory-authorized Yamaha service and mobile dock-side repairs for individual boaters and SMB buyers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersFort Myers, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Fish Tale Boats does
Fish Tale Boats is a family-owned boat dealership founded in 1996 by the Fricke family, operating three retail locations across Southwest Florida — Fort Myers (flagship, with a 14,000 sq ft service and parts center), Naples, and Bonita Springs — plus a mobile dock-side service fleet. The company sells new boats under authorized dealer agreements with four premium manufacturers (Grady-White, Robalo, Chaparral, and Premier Pontoons) and serves as a Yamaha Pro Elite Plus Dealer for outboards and service. Its core products are new and pre-owned boats, with a complementary aftermarket offering that includes factory-authorized warranty repair, scheduled maintenance, detailing, electronics service, parts, and mobile dock-side service for vessels up to 42 feet, plus financing facilitation through Priority One Financial.
The underlying technology stack is conventional for a multi-location brick-and-mortar dealership: a website (fishtale.com) with inventory browsing, an AI Boat Finder quiz tool used for top-of-funnel lead capture, and a contact-center-driven sales process supplemented by in-person sea trials. The company's competitive positioning rests on the 15+ Yamaha-certified Master Technicians, multi-OEM authorized status, three-location regional footprint, and sustained brand reputation (4.9 Google rating, #1 Robalo Dealer Worldwide for seven consecutive years) rather than proprietary technology.
Revenue is generated through one-time boat sales (new and pre-owned/brokerage), recurring service and parts work, and financing-facilitation transaction fees. Pricing ranges from roughly $40,770 for an entry-level new Robalo R160 to $249,738+ for premium models such as the Robalo R277, with pre-owned units between $49,500 and $169,900. Customer segments are concentrated in Southwest Florida boating families, fishing enthusiasts, and recreational boaters across Lee, Collier, and Charlotte counties — a regional, consumer-SMB market with no enterprise anchors.
Fish Tale Boats firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fish Tale Boats
- Legal name
- Fish Tale Sales & Service Inc.
- Website
- https://fishtale.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Fish Tale Boats is a family-owned boat dealership founded in 1996, operating three Southwest Florida locations (Fort Myers, Naples, Bonita Springs) and selling new and pre-owned boats from Grady-White, Robalo, Chaparral, and Premier Pontoons, with factory-authorized Yamaha service and mobile dock-side repairs for individual boaters and SMB buyers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fish Tale Boats industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Boat Dealership
- NAICS
- Boat Dealers (441222)
- SIC
- Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Boat & Personal Watercraft (PWC) Retail (CRAMAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Semi-Custom & Series Production Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAEAM)
Keywords
Where Fish Tale Boats is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fort Myers
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Fish Tale Boats business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- New Boat Sales: Sale of new boats from authorized dealership agreements with Grady-White, Robalo, Chaparral, and Premier Pontoons manufacturers
- Pre-Owned Boat Sales / Brokerage: Brokerage services for pre-owned boats, including inspection, paperwork handling, and closing services
- Service and Parts: 14,000 sq ft service center with factory-authorized warranty repair, scheduled maintenance, boat detailing, electronics service, and mobile dock-side service for boats up to 42 feet
- Financing Facilitation: Partnership with Priority One Financial for marine lending; dealership facilitates financing applications for customers
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Entry-level boats (Robalo R160) starting at $40,770 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mid-range boats ($100,000-$200,000) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium/luxury boats ($150,000+) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Financing through Priority One Financial |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Fish Tale Boats product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fish Tale Boats is a family-owned boat dealership that sells new and pre-owned boats from four premium manufacturers (Grady-White, Robalo, Chaparral, and Premier Pontoons) plus Yamaha outboard motors through three Southwest Florida locations. The company complements boat sales with a 14,000 sq ft service center providing factory-authorized warranty repair, scheduled maintenance, mobile dock-side service, boat detailing, electronics service, and parts, alongside financing facilitation through Priority One Financial.
Product overview
Fish Tale Boats operates as a traditional boat dealership offering a portfolio of new and pre-owned boats from four premium manufacturers: Grady-White (luxury sportfishing), Robalo (center consoles and dual consoles), Chaparral (bowriders and sport boats), and Premier Pontoons (luxury pontoons). The company also sells and services Yamaha outboard motors. The product portfolio is complemented by comprehensive boat services including repair, maintenance, mobile service, detailing, and electronics service at their 14,000 sq ft Fort Myers facility, plus financing services through Priority One Financial. The company serves Southwest Florida from three dealership locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Grady-White Boats Premium sportfishing boats renowned for exceptional quality and customer satisfaction ratings, sold by Fish Tale Boats as an authorized dealer for over 20 years. Models include the Canyon, Freedom, Express, and Fisherman series targeting serious offshore anglers and dual-console family users.
- Robalo Boats Durable, fishable, and family-friendly center consoles, dual consoles, and bay boats designed for serious saltwater enthusiasts. Fish Tale Boats holds #1 Robalo Dealer Worldwide for 7 consecutive years.
- Chaparral Boats Industry-leading bowriders, deck boats, and surf boats built with precision craftsmanship and innovative design since 1965, including the award-winning OSX series, sold by Fish Tale Boats as an authorized dealer.
- Premier Pontoons Luxury pontoon boats combining style, performance, and comfort for family recreation, including the Sunsation and Sunscape series. Premier Pontoons won the 2024 NMMA Innovation Award for its Troll & Stow System.
- Yamaha Outboards Yamaha outboard motors and marine engines sold and serviced by Fish Tale Boats as a Yamaha Pro Elite Plus Dealer, with Yamaha Master Technicians on staff, Helm Master EX Service Center capability, and Yamaha Repower Dealer status.
- Boat Repair & Maintenance Factory-authorized warranty repair and scheduled maintenance services for Grady-White, Robalo, Chaparral, Premier Pontoons, and Yamaha outboards at the 14,000-square-foot Fort Myers service center accommodating boats up to 42 feet.
- Mobile Service On-dock mobile service fleet with parts-loaded vans that can fix most issues at the customer's dock or marina, plus service trucks that can transport boats up to 42 feet to the dealership.
- Boat Detailing Nanocoating, boat cleaning, and full restoration services designed to protect boat investments and maintain lasting results.
- Electronics Service Certified professionals for diagnostics, repair, installation, and maintenance of boat electronic systems including GPS, fish finders, and communication equipment.
- Parts & Accessories Genuine Yamaha parts and components sourced from major boat manufacturers (Grady-White, Robalo, Chaparral, Premier Pontoons) as well as many other popular marine accessory brands.
- Boat Financing Marine financing offered through a partnership with Priority One Financial for new and pre-owned boat purchases, with competitive rates, loan terms from 12 to 180 months, and pre-approval applications available online with a soft credit check.
- Pre-Owned Boat Sales and Brokerage Sale and brokerage of pre-owned boats, including brokerage services covering inspection, paperwork handling, and closing. Pre-owned inventory ranges from approximately $49,500 to $169,900.
Quantifiable outcome
- 4.9 rating based on 355+ Google Reviews
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Fish Tale Boats
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Fish Tale Boats technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Fish Tale Boats partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- YamahacoreYamaha Pro Elite Plus Dealer with highly trained staff including Yamaha Master Technicians. Repower Dealer and Helm Master EX Service Center. Highest honors in all areas of Yamaha including CSI scores, continuous training, genuine parts, and maintenance reporting.
- Grady-WhitecoreAuthorized Grady-White dealer since 1996. Awarded #1 Grady Dealer with top honors. Sells legendary sportfishing boats renowned for superior quality and customer satisfaction since 1959.
- Robalocore#1 Robalo Dealer Worldwide for 7 consecutive years. Authorized dealer of durable, fishable, and family-friendly center consoles, dual consoles, and bay boats designed for saltwater enthusiasts.
- ChaparralcoreAuthorized Chaparral dealer offering award-winning bowriders, deck boats, and surf boats built with precision craftsmanship and innovative design since 1965.
- Premier PontoonscoreAuthorized Premier Pontoons dealer offering luxury pontoon boats combining style, performance, and comfort. Winner of 2024 NMMA Innovation Award for Troll & Stow System.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Fish Tale Boats competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MarineMax: MarineMax is the largest recreational boat retailer in the United States, operating a national multi-brand dealership network selling new and pre-owned boats with integrated service, financing, and brokerage. It is the most direct comparitor in business model (premium-brand authorized dealer with attached service), with Fish Tale being a denser regional version.
- OneWater Marine: OneWater Marine is a publicly traded multi-brand boat retailer operating dozens of locations across the U.S. selling premium recreational boats (including Robalo, Chaparral, and Grady-White in select stores) with full-service and F&I capabilities. It directly competes with Fish Tale at the brand level and in the broader premium-boat dealer category.
- Galati Yacht Sales: Galati Yacht Sales is a long-standing Florida-based authorized dealer for premium sportfishing and yacht brands (including Viking, Princess, and other premium OEMs) with brokerage and service operations. Overlaps with Fish Tale on premium-brand new-boat sales and brokerage service in the Florida coastal market.
- HMY Yacht Sales: HMY Yacht Sales is one of the largest U.S. yacht and sportfishing brokerages with multiple Florida locations, selling new and pre-owned premium vessels and offering in-house service. Comparable to Fish Tale as a multi-location Florida premium-boat dealer with full-service operations.
Broad incumbents
- Sailfish Boats: Sailfish Boats is a Florida-based sportfishing and dual-console boat manufacturer competing in similar hull categories to Robalo and Grady-White. Comparable as an upstream incumbent in the same saltwater fishing boat segments that Fish Tale retails.
- Yamaha Marine: Yamaha Marine is the outboard engine OEM whose products Fish Tale sells and services as a Yamaha Pro Elite Plus Dealer. Relevant as the dominant supplier of propulsion that anchors the dealership's service-and-parts revenue stream.
- Grady-White Boats: Grady-White is a premium sportfishing boat manufacturer with which Fish Tale holds an authorized dealer relationship (receiving top honors). Comparable as a brand-side incumbent whose distribution channel economics drive Fish Tale's premium inventory access.
- West Marine: West Marine is the largest U.S. specialty retailer of boating parts, accessories, and supplies with nationwide stores. Adjacent comparable in marine aftermarket retail and service-adjacent product categories that Fish Tale taps into via its parts and accessories business.
Emerging players
- Bass Pro Shops / Cabela's: Bass Pro Shops sells boats (including Tracker and other white-label fishing and pontoon brands) nationwide through destination retail. Compares as a broader outdoor retailer overlapping in fishing and pontoon boat categories that Fish Tale also serves via Premier Pontoons and Robalo.
Others
- Boats Group (Boat Trader / YachtWorld): Boats Group operates Boat Trader and YachtWorld, the largest online marketplaces for new and pre-owned boat listings and dealer lead generation. Comparable as an ecosystem enabler that drives lead flow to dealerships like Fish Tale and competes for pre-owned boat brokerage visibility.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Fish Tale Boats social profiles
Digital presenceFish Tale Boats financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fish Tale Boats leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Fish Tale Boats funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fish Tale Boats M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Fish Tale Boats
What does Fish Tale Boats do?
Fish Tale Boats is a family-owned boat dealership that sells new and pre-owned boats from four premium manufacturers (Grady-White, Robalo, Chaparral, and Premier Pontoons) plus Yamaha outboard motors through three Southwest Florida locations. The company complements boat sales with a 14,000 sq ft service center providing factory-authorized warranty repair, scheduled maintenance, mobile dock-side service, boat detailing, electronics service, and parts, alongside financing facilitation through Priority One Financial.
Is Fish Tale Boats a public or private company?
Fish Tale Boats is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Fish Tale Boats founded?
Fish Tale Boats was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Fish Tale Boats based?
Fish Tale Boats is headquartered in Fort Myers, United States, in the North America region.
How does Fish Tale Boats make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. New Boat Sales are the primary driver. The others are pre-Owned Boat Sales / Brokerage, service and Parts and financing Facilitation.
Who are Fish Tale Boats's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MarineMax, OneWater Marine, Galati Yacht Sales and HMY Yacht Sales. Broad incumbents are Sailfish Boats, Yamaha Marine, Grady-White Boats and West Marine. Bass Pro Shops / Cabela's is listed as an emerging player. Boats Group (Boat Trader / YachtWorld) is listed as an others.
Does Fish Tale Boats have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fish Tale Boats.
What industry is Fish Tale Boats in?
Fish Tale Boats's product category is Boat Dealership. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMAIAA, Boat & Personal Watercraft (PWC) Retail, with a secondary code of IMAJAEAM, Semi-Custom & Series Production Yacht Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 441222 and its SIC code is 3730.