What Forespar does

Forespar Products Corporation, founded in 1966 by Robert Foresman in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, is a privately held designer, manufacturer, and distributor of specialty marine hardware and plumbing for sailboats and powerboats. The company's portfolio spans more than 30 product lines organized into Sailboat Gear (whisker poles, spinnaker poles, boom vangs, tiller extensions, mast hardware, leisure furl in-boom furling systems), Powerboat Gear (Nova Lift cranes, Nova Davit and Motor Mate lifting systems), a proprietary Marelon® corrosion-free polymer plumbing system (ball valves/seacocks, thru-hulls, deck fills, drains, fittings, plus a Pro Series for OEM builders), safety equipment (Sta-plug emergency plugs, lightning dissipaters, MOB strobes), and a Performance Care+ consumables line led by Tea Tree Power® mold and odor eliminators and MareLube and Lanocote lubricants. Marelon®, an ABYC- and ISO-compliant polymer compound, is the most differentiated technical component and is the anchor of the company's competitive identity.

The business operates on one-time product sales through a multi-channel go-to-market: an authorized global dealer and chandlery network, international sales agents for non-US markets, and a direct e-commerce storefront on forespar.com for select consumer products and replacement parts. Pricing is largely quote-based for hardware sold via dealers, while a small set of consumer SKUs (e.g., Tea Tree Power gel and spray formats) carry published retail prices ranging from $7.95 to $156.45. Customers are segmented horizontally across recreational and competitive sailboat owners, powerboat operators needing deck hardware and lifting solutions, and a secondary OEM boat builder channel accessed via the Marelon Pro Series. The company employs 11-50 people, has no disclosed outside funding, and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2016, indicating long-tenured, founder-influenced private ownership.

Name

Forespar

Legal name

Forespar Products Corp.

Website

https://forespar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Forespar Products Corporation is a privately held, 58-year-old U.S. manufacturer of specialty marine hardware and proprietary Marelon® corrosion-free plumbing for sailboat owners, powerboat operators, and boat builder OEMs, distributed globally through dealers and direct e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Hardware

NAICS

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

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Deck Fittings & Hardware (Bitts, Fairleads, Cleats, Anchors & Chains) (IMAJAIAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Piping, Valves & Pumps (Deck/Service Systems Components) (IMAJAIAI), Deck Machinery & Mooring Systems (Winches, Windlasses, Capstans) (IMAJAIAA)

Keywords

• Marine hardware
• Sailing equipment
• Marine plumbing
• Boat accessories
• Davit systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Rancho Santa Margarita

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Marine Hardware Products: One-time product sales of marine hardware including whisker poles, spinnaker poles, davits, boom vangs, and sailing accessories. Revenue generated through direct purchases and dealer network.
2. Marelon® Plumbing Components: Sale of proprietary Marelon® corrosion-free marine plumbing parts including valves, thru-hulls, and fittings. Both retail and OEM (Pro Series) channels.
3. Boat Care Products: Performance care products including Tea Tree Power® mold/mildew eliminator, LanoCote® lubricants, and MareLube™ valve lubricants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Forespar designs, manufactures, and sells marine hardware and plumbing products for sailboats and powerboats, including whisker poles, spinnaker poles, boom vangs, davit and lift systems, and the proprietary Marelon® corrosion-free polymer plumbing system. The company also produces boat care products such as Tea Tree Power mold eliminators and Lanocote anti-corrosion lubricants, serving both the aftermarket and OEM/boat builder channels.

Product overview

Forespar is a diversified supplier of sailing and marine hardware products founded in 1966. The company offers an extensive portfolio of marine equipment organized into three main categories: Sailboat Gear (including whisker poles and spinnaker poles in aluminum, carbon fiber, and composite materials, boom vangs, tiller extensions, mast hardware, and sailing accessories), Marelon Plumbing (a proprietary corrosion-free marine plumbing system with ball valves/seacocks, thru-hulls, deck fills, drains, and fittings), and Powerboat Gear (including davit systems, boat care products, and cabin accessories). The product line also includes the Leisure Furl in-boom mainsail furling system, safety equipment such as emergency plugs, lightning dissipaters, and MOB markers, and boat care products like Tea Tree Power mold/mildew eliminators, MareLube lubricants, and Lanocote anti-corrosion coatings. The company serves both OEM and aftermarket markets through a network of dealers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Marelon®: Corrosion-free marine plumbing system including ball valves, seacocks, thru-hulls, and related plumbing components.
• Leisure Furl®
• Nova Lift™
• Nova Davit™
• Motor Mate™
• Tea Tree Power®

Products and services

• Whisker Poles Telescoping poles in aluminum, carbon fiber, or composite constructions used to hold sails out from the bow when sailing downwind; includes Twist Lock, Tri-Reacher, Line Control, and 50/50 Aluminum Carbon variants for sailboat owners.
• Spinnaker Poles
• Boom Vangs / Yacht Rod
• Marelon Plumbing System
• Marelon Pro Series Valves
• Leisure Furl Boom System
• Nova Lift
• Nova Davit
• Motor Mate
• Cargo Mate
• Tea Tree Power
• MareLube Lubricants
• Lanocote Anti-corrosion Lubricants & Coatings
• Sta-plug Emergency Plug
• Lightning Master Static Dissipater
• Floating Man Overboard Strobe Light

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• International Sales AgentsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional agents and distributors facilitating sales outside the United States to international markets

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Harken: Leading manufacturer of sailing hardware (blocks, winches, furling systems) for racing and cruising sailboats. Directly overlaps Forespar's pole, furling, and rigging categories and competes for the same OEM and dealer relationships.
• Ronstan: Specialist in sailing hardware including blocks, furlers, tracks, and rig components. Directly comparable to Forespar's pole, track, and sail-handling product families, with a similar racing/cruising customer base.
• Sea-Dog Line: Broad-line marine hardware and rigging supplier covering cleats, hinges, hardware, and sailing accessories. Comparable to Forespar's general sailing hardware and deck fittings business with similar distribution model through marine dealers.
• Garhauer Marine Hardware: U.S.-based marine hardware manufacturer of poles, blocks, rigging, and sail-handling products. Competes head-to-head with Forespar in whisker poles, spinnaker poles, and general sailing hardware at similar price points and dealer channels.
• Wichard: European manufacturer of marine hardware and safety equipment (shackles, snap hooks, furling, jacklines). Comparable to Forespar in marine fittings, safety, and rigging categories with strong OEM presence.
• Schaefer Marine: Manufactures marine hardware including furling, winches, and deck hardware for sailboats and powerboats. Closely comparable in product breadth and customer base to Forespar's sailing and powerboat hardware lines.
• Edson International: Specialty marine hardware manufacturer serving sailboats and powerboats with pumps, steering, and pedestal systems. Comparable to Forespar as a long-tenured, sub-scale U.S. marine hardware specialist selling engineered components through dealers and OEM channels.

Broad incumbents

• Perko: Long-established U.S. marine hardware manufacturer of lighting, hardware, and navigation products. Comparable to Forespar as a broad-line, dealer-channel marine hardware supplier with similar longevity and customer base.
• Lewmar: Large, established marine hardware OEM supplying winches, windlasses, anchors, hatches, and furling systems globally. Overlaps with Forespar across multiple product lines but operates at meaningfully greater scale and with broader OEM penetration.

Emerging players

• Beckson Marine: Specialty manufacturer of marine hardware accessories including thru-hulls, pumps, and deck plates. Overlaps with Forespar's Marelon plumbing and deck hardware categories, focused on smaller-volume, niche-engineered components.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/foresparsailing
• YouTubeforespar.com/support/videos.shtml
• Facebookforespar.com/facebookoverview.shtml

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Forespar