Hells Canyon Marine

What Hells Canyon Marine does

Hells Canyon Marine (HCM) is a privately held, custom aluminum jet boat manufacturer operating from a single facility in Clarkston, Washington, in the Lewis-Clark Valley near Hells Canyon on the Snake River. Founded in 2005 and acquired by current owner/CEO Mark Heuett in 2015, the company designs and builds all-welded aluminum jet boats purpose-built for shallow-water and whitewater navigation in the Pacific Northwest, with documented capability to operate in as little as 5 inches of water. Its product portfolio spans two brands: HCM (Granite 20'-24' family/recreational series, Twin 26'-29' dual-engine series, and Sled 22'-24' outdoor series) and Phantom (Invader, Sniper, and Switchback 21' ultra-shallow-water models, acquired in 2016). Core technology centers on a proprietary 5-to-7 stringer system with 7-to-11 floating bulkheads, a Delta bottom with 11-degree V, computer-controlled shear cutting, press brake forming, and double-welded marine-grade aluminum seams, with components sourced from Hamilton jet pumps and Kodiak/Indmar/KEM/ROTAX engines.

The company serves two primary segments: recreational boaters (families and individuals using boats for wakeboarding, beach hopping, fishing, camping, and whitewater running) and commercial guides/outfitters requiring durable platforms for paid excursions on Northwest rivers. HCM also reaches hunters and anglers needing shallow-water access to remote locations. The business model is direct-to-consumer only: customers visit the Clarkston shop, call a direct line to General Manager Clint Heuett, or submit a custom build inquiry form; pricing is quote-based with no published list, and each boat is built to specification with extensive customization of hull, powerplant, and interior. The firm also generates incidental revenue from used boat resale (trade-ins and consignments) and aftermarket parts/accessories. Marketing is lean and digital, centered on the company website, an active YouTube channel showcasing builds and river footage, a newsletter, and direct sales engagement. Hells Canyon Marine is entirely founder-owned with no disclosed institutional investors, operates from a single domestic location, and is not a public company.

Name

Hells Canyon Marine

Legal name

Hells Canyon Marine

Website

https://hellscanyonmarine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hells Canyon Marine is a privately held, founder-owned custom aluminum jet boat manufacturer in Clarkston, Washington, serving Pacific Northwest recreational boaters and commercial river outfitters with shallow-water, whitewater-capable boats under the HCM and Phantom brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Aluminum Jet Boat Manufacturing

NAICS

Boat Building (336612)

akta.pro primary industry

Semi-Custom & Series Production Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAEAM)

Keywords

• Custom aluminum boats
• Jet boat manufacturing
• Shallow water boats
• Whitewater jet boats
• Boat building services

Headquarters

HQ city

Clarkston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Aluminum Jet Boat Sales: One-time purchase of custom-built aluminum jet boats. Customers work with HCM to specify configurations, powerplants, and features. Boats are built to order with extensive customization options.
2. Used Boat Sales: Occasional resale of pre-owned boats, including trade-ins and customer consignment.
3. Parts and Accessories: Aftermarket parts, trailers, and accessories for jet boats.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hells Canyon Marine designs and manufactures custom all-welded aluminum jet boats under two brand lines: HCM (Granite, Twin, Sled series) and Phantom (Invader, Sniper, Switchback). Boats are built to order in Clarkston, WA in lengths from 16' to 29', featuring proprietary Delta bottom designs for shallow water navigation down to 5 inches, Hamilton jet pumps, and premium Kodiak, Indmar, KEM, or ROTAX powerplants. Customers configure engines, pumps, interiors, and accessories through a custom build sheet process.

Product overview

Hells Canyon Marine is a custom aluminum jet boat manufacturer offering two primary brand lines: HCM (Hells Canyon Marine) and Phantom. The HCM brand includes the Granite Series (20'-24' versatile family boats), Twin Series (26'-29' dual-engine models for larger groups/commercial use), and Sled Series (22'-24' outdoor recreation-focused boats). The Phantom brand specializes in ultra-shallow water navigation boats including Invader, Sniper, and Switchback models (all 21'). All boats feature all-welded aluminum construction with jet pumps for shallow water capability, with the company's differentiation coming from proprietary Delta bottom designs, jig-based construction, and extensive customization options. The company also offers used boats and a build-your-own-boat customization service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HCM: Primary brand for standard aluminum jet boats including Granite, Twin, and Sled series.
• Phantom

Products and services

• Granite Series Versatile family-oriented aluminum jet boat available in 20', 21', 22', 23', and 24' lengths. Designed for recreational use including wakeboarding, beach hopping, fishing, and shallow river navigation. Features Kodiak engines, Hamilton jet pumps, diamond plate aluminum floors, and customizable configurations.
• Twin Series

Quantifiable outcome

• Shallow water operation down to 5 inches depth
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature7 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• North River Boats: Oregon-based aluminum jet boat manufacturer offering custom-built heavy-gauge welded boats for whitewater, fishing, and commercial use. Highly comparable semi-custom production model and PNW focus.
• Aluminum Chambered Boats (ACB): Idaho-based custom aluminum jet boat builder targeting the same Pacific Northwest whitewater/river market, including shallow-water and recreational models. Most direct competitor to HCM/Phantom in the PNW river jet boat niche.
• Willard Marine: Aluminum boat builder specializing in heavy-gauge welded aluminum craft for commercial, patrol, and recreational applications. Comparable custom aluminum boat manufacturing with similar marine-grade construction approach.
• Alumaweld Boats: Oregon-based welded aluminum boat builder serving sport fishing, commercial, and recreational markets with heavy-gauge hulls. Comparable construction methodology and PNW customer base.
• Jet Craft / Hammerhead Boats: Canadian aluminum jet boat manufacturer producing shallow-water and whitewater river boats. Closely comparable product type (aluminum jet boats for extreme shallow water) with international reach.
• Brava Boats: Idaho manufacturer of custom aluminum jet boats for shallow water and whitewater applications, directly serving the Snake/Salmon river PNW market. Same semi-custom aluminum jet boat category as HCM.
• Weldcraft Marine: Pacific Northwest aluminum welded boat builder producing heavy-gauge sport fishing and commercial vessels. Similar all-welded aluminum construction, custom build process, and regional commercial/recreational customer base.
• Renegade Boats: Custom aluminum jet boat builder known for whitewater and shallow-water river boats in the Mountain West and PNW regions. Comparable build quality, customer base, and shallow-water specialization.

Broad incumbents

• Lowe Boats: Large-volume aluminum boat manufacturer offering jon boats, bass boats, and jon/jet combos at mass-market price points. Overlaps in aluminum boat category but at much lower price points and broader distribution than HCM's premium custom niche.
• SeaArk Boats: Larger established aluminum boat manufacturer (jet and outboard models) serving commercial, patrol, and recreational markets nationally. Broad incumbent overlap in aluminum jet boat category but at significantly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/hcmboats?sub_confirmation=1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3350856

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Hells Canyon Marine