Bristol Marine

What Bristol Marine does

Bristol Marine is a privately held full-service boatyard network founded in 1998 by naval architect Andy Tyska in Bristol, Rhode Island, after acquiring the former Pearson Yachts facility. The company operates four physical locations across the Eastern United States — Wardwell Boatyard in Bristol, RI; Bowers Shipyard in Somerset, MA; Samples Shipyard in Boothbay Harbor, ME; and Huckins Yacht in Jacksonville, FL (acquired in 2025) — combining traditional maritime trades (wooden boatbuilding, shipwright services, marine carpentry) with modern repair and refit capability, including Awlgrip paint application, metal fabrication, mechanical systems work, and yard and rigging services. Capacity spans travel lifts up to 77 tons and a 700-ton marine railway, supported by multi-bay paint booths, heated and unheated indoor storage, slips, and moorings at each site.

Revenue is generated primarily through project-based and time-and-materials professional services contracts covering restoration, refit, maintenance, and repair, supplemented by recurring revenue from seasonal and transient boat slips, moorings, and indoor/outdoor storage. The customer base spans individual recreational boat owners, classic and custom yacht owners (including Huckins heritage vessels), and historic-vessel preservation clients such as government and maritime academy projects (e.g., the eight-year restoration of the 156-foot National Historic Landmark schooner Ernestina-Morrissey). The company is an authorized Yanmar (2005), Cummins (2018), and Yamaha (2022) dealer, and maintains technical partnerships with Awlgrip, Seakeeper, Volvo, and Interlux.

Bristol Marine is privately held with no disclosed external institutional investment and has grown from a single DIY storage yard into a four-location network via three acquisitions (Bowers/Somerset in 2012, Samples/Boothbay in 2017, and Huckins/Jacksonville in 2025). Implied headcount is 101–250, supported by long-tenured customer relationships (Allwether Marine Services for 15+ years on a fleet of a dozen-plus yachts; BLACK WATCH since 2015) and by flagship project credentials such as the Ernestina-Morrissey delivery in 2022.

Name

Bristol Marine

Legal name

Bristol Marine

Website

https://bristolmarine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Bristol Marine operates a four-location full-service boatyard network across the Eastern US (Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, Florida), delivering restoration, refit, maintenance, and storage services for recreational boats, classic yachts, and historic vessels through six in-house marine trades.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Boatyard Services

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Ship and Boat Building (33661), Boat Building (336612)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730), Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)

akta.pro primary industry

Yacht & Recreational Boat Service & Refit (TLAKAKAD)

Keywords

• Boatyard services
• Yacht restoration
• Marine repair
• Boat maintenance
• Vessel refit

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Marine Service, Repair & Maintenance: Revenue generated from providing ongoing maintenance, repair, and service for boats across all four locations, including mechanical work, paint, carpentry, metalwork, and rigging services. Primarily project-based and time-and-materials billing.
2. Restoration & Boat Building: Revenue from full restoration and new boat building projects, ranging from multi-year historic vessel restorations (e.g., Ernestina-Morrissey) to custom yacht restorations. Typically fixed-scope project contracts.
3. Refit Services: Revenue from yacht refit projects including systems upgrades, cosmetic improvements, and structural modifications. Paired with a dedicated project manager per customer to manage timelines and budgets.
4. Storage, Slips & Moorings: Revenue from seasonal and transient boat slips, moorings, and indoor/outdoor storage facilities at all four locations. Storage includes heated and unheated options for boats of various sizes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bristol Marine operates four full-service boatyards delivering comprehensive marine services including vessel restoration and boat building, routine maintenance and repair, multi-trade refits, and storage, slips, and moorings. Specialty trade work spans marine carpentry, shipwright services, paint/gelcoat/fiberglass, metal fabrication, mechanical and engine systems, and yard and rigging operations. Service is delivered to recreational, commercial, classic yacht, and historic vessel owners across the East Coast.

Product overview

Bristol Marine is a full-service network of boatyards operating as four distinct locations across the Eastern United States: Wardwell Boatyard in Bristol, RI (flagship), Bowers Shipyard in Somerset, MA, Samples Shipyard in Boothbay Harbor, ME, and Huckins Yacht in Jacksonville, FL. The company offers a comprehensive suite of marine services organized around six core trade specialties: Paint/Gelcoat/Fiberglass, Marine Carpentry, Shipwright Services, Metal Fabrication, Mechanical Systems & Repair, and Yard & Rigging. These trade services support four primary service offerings: Restoration & Boat Building, Maintenance & Repair, Refit Services, and Storage/Slips/Moorings. The acquisition of Huckins Yacht Corporation in 2025 expanded the portfolio to include custom yacht building under the historic Huckins Yachts brand, known for its Quadraconic hull designs since 1928. Bristol Marine serves boats from recreational to commercial vessels, handling everything from routine maintenance to complex restorations of historic wooden vessels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Huckins Yacht: Yacht building and service brand acquired in 2025, operating from Jacksonville, Florida since 1928, known for Quadraconic hull design and classic yacht craftsmanship.

Products and services

• Restoration & Boat Building Full restoration of historic or well-used vessels and custom boat building from scratch, combining traditional techniques (plank-on-frame, cold-molded construction) with modern technology for both wooden and fiberglass boats. Customers include individual yacht owners and historic vessel preservation projects.
• Maintenance & Repair Comprehensive maintenance and repair services including winterization, hull and deck maintenance, underwater protection, and damage repairs for boats of all materials, owned by recreational and commercial vessel operators.
• Refit Services Vessel modernization through updates and improvements to systems, cosmetics, and arrangements, ranging from small projects to multi-year comprehensive refits. Each engagement is paired with a dedicated project manager to manage timelines and budgets for the yacht owner.
• Storage, Slips & Moorings Waterfront and inland storage solutions including heated and unheated indoor storage, outside storage, seasonal and transient slips, and moorings across all four Bristol Marine locations. Available for boats of various sizes.
• Paint, Gelcoat and Fiberglass Marine painting services specializing in Awlgrip and Awlcraft spray applications, gelcoat matching and repair, fiberglass repair, spray varnish, and underwater gear coating for boat owners.
• Marine Carpentry Boat-specific woodworking services including teak decking, exterior wood details, interior refits, surface and veneer work, and exterior hardware maintenance for vessel owners.
• Shipwright Services Traditional wooden boatbuilding and restoration services including plank and frame replacement, hull refastening, caulking, plank-on-frame construction, and wooden spar building and repair for owners of historic and classic wooden vessels.
• Metal Fabrication Custom metal fabrication and repair in aluminum and stainless steel including bow rails, t-tops, tuna towers, fuel tanks, and modifications to existing structures for boat owners.
• Mechanical Systems and Repair Engine and drive service, maintenance, and repair for diesel and gas engines, including plumbing, HVAC, electrical, steering, fuel, and freshwater systems. Operates as an authorized Yanmar, Cummins, and Yamaha dealer.
• Yard & Rigging Services Hauling, launching, mast stepping, and transport services with varying lifting capacities across Bristol Marine locations, including 50-ton lift in Bristol, 70-ton lift in Somerset, 25-ton lift plus railways in Boothbay, and 35-ton and 77-ton lifts in Jacksonville.
• Huckins Yachts Custom Yacht Builds Custom yacht building under the historic Huckins Yachts brand (established 1928), recognized for innovative Quadraconic hull designs and one-of-a-kind yachts blending timeless elegance with advanced technology, now part of the Bristol Marine family following the 2025 acquisition.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ernestina-Morrissey restoration completed after nearly 8 years, returning the 156-foot National Historic Landmark schooner to active service as a sail-training vessel.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• YanmarcoreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized Yanmar dealer since 2005, providing engine sales, service, and maintenance for Yanmar diesel engines across all Bristol Marine locations.
• YamahacoreTechnology or IntegrationYamaha dealer since 2022, providing outboard and inboard engine sales, service, and Yamaha certification training for employees. Specializing in Yamaha outboards at the Southport Island and Boothbay facilities.
• CumminscoreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized Cummins dealer since 2018, providing engine and drive system service and maintenance across Bristol Marine yards.
• AwlgripcoreTechnology or IntegrationSpecializing in Awlgrip and Awlcraft spray application for hull topsides, deck, and superstructure paint. Somerset yard built around paint quality with a 90-foot paint booth.
• American Boatbuilders Association (ABBA)minorOthersIndustry association membership indicating participation in the organized marine trades community.
• American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC)minorOthersIndustry standards and certification body membership. ABYC standards compliance informs marine electrical and systems work.
• Bristolite (Bristolite Real Estate)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBristolite Real Estate crew completed the new boardwalk at the Somerset Bowers Shipyard location, connecting north and south docks. Partnership between Bristol Marine and Bristolite for waterfront infrastructure projects and real estate development around the Franklin Street Marine Corridor.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Derecktor Shipyards: Multi-location U.S. shipyard (NY and FL) specializing in yacht refit, repair, and large-vessel work; directly comparable service capabilities and customer segments.
• Newport Shipyard: Rhode Island full-service shipyard handling yacht refits, storage, and service for the New England superyacht community; directly comparable on service mix and customer profile.
• Washburn & Doughty Associates: Maine-based shipyard with commercial vessel construction and repair capabilities including marine railways; comparable for large-vessel hauling and restoration work.
• Hinckley Yacht Services: New England-based full-service yacht builder and service network with comparable capabilities in refit, storage, and high-end customer service; directly competes for the same coastal-yacht owner segment.
• Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding: Maine-based custom builder and full-service yard doing restoration, refit, and new construction for yachts — a direct competitor in the Maine/NE heritage and custom-yacht space.
• Front Street Shipyard: Belfast, Maine full-service yard with travel lifts and yacht service capabilities; competes for the same coastal yacht service and refit work in the New England market.

Broad incumbents

• Safe Harbor Marinas: The largest U.S. marina and boatyard operator with hundreds of locations; overlaps with Bristol Marine on storage, service, and refit at the network level but does not focus on heritage restoration or wooden boatbuilding.

Others

• Classic Boat Lover / Hood Maritime (former Ted Hood legacy yards): Heritage marine design and service operations tied to Ted Hood, where founder Andy Tyska trained as a naval architect; thematically linked as a steward of New England yacht-building tradition.
• American Boatbuilders Association (ABBA): Marine industry buying and standards cooperative of which Bristol Marine is a member; provides ecosystem context for peer operating practices and procurement leverage.
• Independent Boatyard (IBEX-aligned independents): Industry association and trade group for independent boatyards like Bristol Marine; not a competitor but the principal professional network and standards body for the company's peers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wetbristol
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Bristol Marine