Tides Marine
Tides Marine, founded in 1991 and headquartered in Deerfield Beach, FL, designs and manufactures self-aligning drip-free propeller shaft seals, rudder bearings, and custom SailTrack systems for OEM boat builders, service yards, and vessel owners worldwide, distributing via direct offices in the US, UK, Spain, and Australia and an authorized dealer network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersDeerfield Beach, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Tides Marine does
Tides Marine, Inc. is a privately held Florida corporation founded in 1991 that designs and manufactures self-aligning, drip-free mechanical propeller shaft seals, rudder bearings, and sail-handling track systems for the global marine industry. The company's core product families — SureSeal, seriesOne, StrongSeal, and SmartSeal (NMEA 2000) for shaft sealing; Upper Rudder Bearings and Rudder Port Bearings Types C through K plus Tube Systems for rudder support; and SailTrack for mainsail handling — are built at its ISO 9001:2015-certified, ABS-compliant machine shop in Deerfield Beach, FL, with patented measuring discs supporting custom SailTrack production in 150+ luff groove profiles. Products carry ABS type approval across five families and Lloyd's Register approval, and are specified as OEM equipment by 30+ boat builders including Hatteras, Sea Ray, Viking Yachts, Princess Yachts, Beneteau, Bertram, Cabo, Carver, Sunseeker, and Fairline.
Tides Marine sells through a hybrid distribution model: direct e-commerce via the company WebStore and inside/phone sales from four regional offices in the United States (Deerfield Beach), United Kingdom (Poole), Spain (Palma de Mallorca), and Australia (Doonan, QLD), layered on top of an authorized distributor/reseller network spanning the United States, Canada, Latin America, the Middle East, and Australia. Publicly disclosed unit pricing ranges from roughly $22 for SailTrack slides to $429 for large rudder collars, with custom build-to-order parts quoted on request and subject to a 15% restocking fee on returns. Beyond hardware, the company generates aftermarket and warranty-replacement revenue through a 2-year / 2,500-engine-hour limited warranty (1 year for seriesOne), serves boat yards, sail lofts, and end-vessel owners, and acts as distributor for Wave International's Wavestream Bilge Filtration line.
The firm is founder-influenced (Jeff Strong is referenced by customers as the head of the company), self-funded with no disclosed venture or private equity backing, and has been operating continuously for 33 years with no public revenue, funding, or M&A history disclosed in the source material. Long-tenure customer testimonials (13–20+ years of in-service product life) and serial-number-tracked SailTrack installations (since April 1, 2008) evidence strong installed-base retention across both OEM and retrofit channels.
Tides Marine firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tides Marine
- Legal name
- Tides Marine, Inc.
- Website
- https://tidesmarine.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Tides Marine, founded in 1991 and headquartered in Deerfield Beach, FL, designs and manufactures self-aligning drip-free propeller shaft seals, rudder bearings, and custom SailTrack systems for OEM boat builders, service yards, and vessel owners worldwide, distributing via direct offices in the US, UK, Spain, and Australia and an authorized dealer network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tides Marine industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Marine Hardware
- NAICS
- Boat Building (336612), Boat Dealers (441222)
- SIC
- Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730), Fabricated Rubber Products, Nec (3060)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Deck Fittings & Hardware (Bitts, Fairleads, Cleats, Anchors & Chains) (IMAJAIAK)
Keywords
Where Tides Marine is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Deerfield Beach
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Tides Marine business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales (WebStore and Distributors): Tides Marine sells proprietary marine hardware directly through its own e-commerce WebStore (https://www.tidesmarine.com) and indirectly through an authorized distributor/reseller network. Products are physical, manufactured items (shaft seals, rudder bearings, SailTrack, slides, collars, hose, clamps) sold as one-time purchases. Pricing is unit-based (e.g., SH-402 Universal Joint $30.13–$33.92, SH-600 Luff Slide $22.62–$27.63, SH-500 Headboard Slide $37.71–$43.29, RUD COLLAR-90MM $206.71, RUD COLLAR-70MM $175.49, RUD COLLAR-50MM $165.69, RUD COLLAR-40MM $157.15, RUD COLLAR-4000 $429.36, RUD COLLAR-4500 $258.18, RUD COLLAR-5000 $284.09).
- Custom / Non-Standard Parts: Custom-manufactured and non-standard parts (e.g., custom rudder bearing sizes/lengths, custom SailTrack shapes) are sold on a build-to-order basis. Customers are responsible for cost unless the order is cancelled within 12 hours; once production has started, the customer is charged. SailTrack returns carry a 15% restocking fee.
- Warranty Replacement Revenue Protection: Limited Warranty (2 years or 2,500 engine hours; 1 year for SeriesOne) provides for replacement parts or reimbursement of original sales price at Tides' option. Warranty exclusions on PDQ MV34 and SureSeals used with sub-4-cylinder engines define the boundary of after-sale liability.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Universal Joint w/10mm Stud (SH-402) – SailTrack slide |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Luff Slide (SH-600) – SailTrack slide |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Headboard Slide (SH-500) – SailTrack slide |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Rudder Collar 90MM (316 Stainless Steel) |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Rudder Collar 70MM (316 Stainless Steel) |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Rudder Collar 50MM (316 Stainless Steel) |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Rudder Collar 40MM (316 Stainless Steel) |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Rudder Collar 4000 (4-inch imperial, 316 Stainless Steel) |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Rudder Collar 4500 (4 1/2-inch imperial, 316 Stainless Steel) |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Rudder Collar 5000 (5-inch imperial, 316 Stainless Steel) |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Restocking / RMA Pricing Policy |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
Tides Marine product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tides Marine designs, manufactures, and sells proprietary self-aligning drip-free propeller shaft seals, rudder bearings and sealing systems, and the SailTrack mainsail handling track-and-slide system for marine vessels. Products are built to ABS standards at an ISO 9001:2015 certified facility in Deerfield Beach, FL, with in-house custom machining for non-standard sizes. Sales channels include a direct e-commerce WebStore, inside/phone sales, four regional offices (USA, UK, Spain, Australia), and a global authorized distributor and OEM network.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SureSeal: Drip-free, self-aligning propeller shaft seal product line offered in imperial and metric sizes.
- seriesOne
- StrongSeal
- SmartSeal
- SailTrack
Products and services
- SureSeal Self-Aligning Drip-Free Shaft Seal Self-aligning, drip-free mechanical propeller shaft seal designed for OEM and retrofit installations on inboard-powered marine vessels. The lip seal can be changed while the vessel remains in the water, eliminating haul-out for routine service. Available in imperial and metric sizes, with corresponding shaft seal kits, housings, spare seal carrier kits, fittings, and water pick-up kits. Sold through the WebStore, regional offices, and authorized distributors.
- seriesOne Shaft Seal Companion self-aligning propeller shaft seal offered alongside SureSeal for marine applications where a 1-year limited warranty is acceptable. Available in imperial and metric shaft seal kits and housings.
- StrongSeal Lip Seal Imperial and metric lip seals intended for heavier-duty propeller shaft sealing applications, paired with StrongSeal shaft seal kits, spare seal carrier kits, and housings. Sells standalone as replacement lip seals or as part of complete StrongSeal kits.
- SmartSeal NMEA 2000 Shaft Seal Connected propeller shaft seal built on the NMEA 2000 marine networking standard, enabling registration, telemetry, and integration with vessel electronics. Sells as a SmartSeal component kit with dedicated user and installation manuals.
- Upper Rudder Bearing (URB-LP and URB-STD) ABS and Lloyd's approved self-aligning upper rudder bearings accommodating up to 10 degrees of off-axis alignment between the rudder shelf and rudder stock. Available in low profile (URB-LP) and standard (URB-STD) variants, imperial and metric, with custom sizes and lengths produced on request.
- Rudder Port Bearings (RPB Types C-K and Tube Systems) Range of rudder port bearings designed to eliminate metal-to-metal contact between the rudder stock and the hull. ABS-certified across types C, D, E, G, H, and Tube Systems, with Type I separately certified. Imperial and metric sizes available across types C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K and Tube Systems.
- SailTrack Track and Slide System High-performance mainsail handling track and slide system produced in more than 150 different mast luff groove shapes (internal flat A3 through R8, internal round A11 through G17) plus common external track shapes (5/8, 7/8, 1 inch) and CMPE configurations. Track is UV-stable, unaffected by salt water, and available in seamless lengths up to 64 feet. Custom-measured using patented blue measuring discs mailed to customers at no charge, with serial number tracking from April 1, 2008 onward.
- Rudder Collars (Imperial and Metric) Rudder collars in 316 Stainless Steel offered in imperial sizes (40 to 50mm equivalent imperial) and metric sizes (40mm to 90mm), used in conjunction with Tides Marine rudder bearings and sealing systems.
- Marine Hose, Clamps, and Fittings Supporting marine hardware offered alongside the core shaft seal and rudder bearing lines, including articulated, straight silicone, injection, and multi/single articulated hose; hose clamps; retaining rings; and water pick-up fittings and tee fittings.
- Rudder Lip Seals Lip seals and spare seal carrier kits specifically sized for rudder applications, sold in imperial and metric sizes.
- Wavestream Bilge Filtration Systems Wavestream Bilge Filtration Systems (Systems 1, 2, and 3), replacement cartridges, and hose connectors distributed by Tides Marine on behalf of Wave International, with orders placed through Tides Marine.
Companies that use Tides Marine
Customer profileNamed customers45 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Tides Marine technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature9 records
Tides Marine partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Wave International (Wavestream Bilge Filtration)minorTides Marine is a 'proud distributor' of Wavestream Bilge Filtrations. The Wavestream product line (System 1, System 2, System 3, cartridges, hose connectors) is presented on the Tides Marine homepage with a link to waveinternational.co.uk. Customers are directed to 'contact us to order' Wavestream products via Tides Marine.
- NQAcoreNQA is the certification body that audits and certifies Tides Marine's ISO 9001:2015 quality management system. The Quality Policy page states 'Tides Marine, Inc. is ISO 9001:2015 Certified by NQA' and the certificates page displays the NQA-ANAB ISO 9001 logo with a link to the NQA certificate.
- American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)coreABS issues type-approval certificates for Tides Marine products. Individual ABS certificates cover SureSeal Shaft Seals, Upper Rudder Bearings (URB), Rudder Port Bearings Types C/D/E/G/H and Tube Systems, Rudder Port Bearing Type I, and Hose Adaptor with Pneumatic Bladder. Tides Marine 'builds and designs to ABS standards'.
- Lloyd's RegistercoreLloyd's Register has issued an approval certificate (LR-CERF-2027) for Tides Marine SureSeal Shaft Seals and Rudder Port Bearings. The certificate is published on the Tides Marine Certificates page.
- American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC)minorTides Marine is a member of the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC), the US standards-setting body for recreational boating. ABYC membership is stated on the About Us page.
- National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA)minorTides Marine is a member of the NMMA, the US recreational marine industry trade association, displayed via the NMMA certification logo on the website footer.
- Citimarine StorecoreUS authorized distributor of Tides Marine products with locations in Miami FL (10801 NW 33rd St, 800-766-5256) and Fort Lauderdale FL (3001 SW 2nd Ave, 954-357-3443).
- Fisheries SupplycoreUS authorized distributor based in Seattle WA (1900 NB Northlake Way #10, 800-426-6930), serving Pacific Northwest marine customers.
- FJ Propeller MiamicoreUS authorized propeller and marine parts distributor based in Miami FL (2225 NW 25th Ave, 305-635-1308) carrying Tides Marine products.
- Frank & Jimmies PropellercoreUS authorized distributor based in Fort Lauderdale FL (200 SW 6th Street, 954-467-7723). Referenced by customer testimonials (commercial fishing customer) as the recommended dealer where a Tides dripless shaft seal was purchased.
- General PropellercoreUS authorized distributor based in Bradenton FL (1410 8th Ave. East, 800-313-6025).
- Lauderdale PropellercoreUS authorized distributor based in Fort Lauderdale FL (2990 West State Road 84, 954-791-2240).
- Miller Island PropellercoreUS authorized distributor based in Baltimore MD (2200 Sparrow Point Road, 410-477-4500) serving Mid-Atlantic marine customers.
- Western Marine MarketingcoreUS authorized distributor based in Costa Mesa CA (711 W 17th Street STE A11, 949-574-7494) serving Southern California marine customers.
- Kawartha PropellercoreCanadian authorized distributor based in Buckhorn, ON (A-14 Fire Rite 25, 705-657-8752).
- Western Marine Company / Transat MarinecoreCanadian authorized distributor group with offices in Vancouver BC (1494 Powell Street, 604-253-7721) and Barrie ON (352 King Street Unit 4, 705-721-0143) operating as Western Marine Company and Transat Marine.
- Azzi Sport MarineminorInternational distributor based in Jounieh, Lebanon (Main Beach Road, +961 9 850 373), serving Middle East customers.
- Distribuidora Apui SRLminorInternational distributor based in Puntarenas, Costa Rica (+506 2661 3606) serving Central American customers.
- JJ Marine and Propeller ServicesminorUS-based distributor (937 NW 8th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311, 954-439-8750) explicitly 'serving Central and South America'.
- Tides Marine Australia (authorized distributor)coreAuthorized Australian distributor listed separately from the direct Tides Marine Australasia/Pacific office (P.O. Box 1708, Noosaville DC, Queensland AU 4566, +61 402 062 447).
- iPromoteminoriPromote provides interest-based advertising cookies on the Tides Marine website per the Cookie Policy.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Tides Marine competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wichard (Wichard Sailing): Wichard is a French marine hardware manufacturer producing sail track, slides, shackles, and hardware for sailing OEMs and the aftermarket — directly comparable to Tides Marine's SailTrack product line.
- Duramax Marine: Duramax Marine manufactures marine bearings, stuffing boxes, and shaft sealing systems for commercial and recreational vessels — directly comparable product categories to Tides Marine's rudder bearings and shaft seals.
- PYI Inc. PYI Inc. is a direct competitor in dripless propeller shaft seals and marine stuffing-box replacement products, serving the same OEM builders, yards, and vessel owners with overlapping product positioning and similar price points.
- Groco: Groco manufactures marine seacocks, stuffing boxes, and dripless shaft seal systems, serving similar vessel owners, yards, and OEM builders with overlapping shaft-sealing product categories.
- Buck Algonquin Marine Hardware: Buck Algonquin designs and manufactures marine hardware including rudder hardware, shaft accessories, and seals — a closely comparable product portfolio for OEM boat builders and the marine aftermarket.
Broad incumbents
- Mercury Marine: Mercury Marine is a leading marine propulsion OEM selling engines, sterndrives, and integrated sealing components to recreational boat builders — overlapping with Tides Marine's OEM channel and aftermarket customers.
- Volvo Penta: Volvo Penta is a global marine propulsion OEM whose engines and drive systems often integrate shaft seals and bearing assemblies; competes with Tides Marine indirectly as a bundled propulsion supplier to many of the same boat builders.
- Schaeffler Marine: Schaeffler is a global bearing and industrial seal manufacturer with marine product lines supplying rudder and stern gear bearings — competing in the same approval-driven (ABS/Lloyd's) channels as Tides Marine.
- Selden Mast: Selden Mast is a major mast and rig supplier that designs and ships track, slides, and mainsail handling systems to sailing OEMs globally — a broad incumbent in the sail-handling hardware category overlapping SailTrack.
Regional players
- R&D Marine (UK): R&D Marine is a UK-based manufacturer of marine bearings and stern gear, serving European OEMs and refit yards with products that overlap Tides Marine's rudder bearing and shaft seal lines in the European market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Tides Marine social profiles
Digital presenceTides Marine financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tides Marine leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Tides Marine subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Tides Marine funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tides Marine 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 Tides Marine
What does Tides Marine do?
Tides Marine designs, manufactures, and sells proprietary self-aligning drip-free propeller shaft seals, rudder bearings and sealing systems, and the SailTrack mainsail handling track-and-slide system for marine vessels. Products are built to ABS standards at an ISO 9001:2015 certified facility in Deerfield Beach, FL, with in-house custom machining for non-standard sizes. Sales channels include a direct e-commerce WebStore, inside/phone sales, four regional offices (USA, UK, Spain, Australia), and a global authorized distributor and OEM network.
Is Tides Marine a public or private company?
Tides Marine is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Tides Marine founded?
Tides Marine was founded in 1991. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Tides Marine based?
Tides Marine is headquartered in Deerfield Beach, United States, in the North America region.
How does Tides Marine make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales (WebStore and Distributors) is the primary driver. The others are custom / Non-Standard Parts and warranty Replacement Revenue Protection.
Who are Tides Marine's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wichard (Wichard Sailing), Duramax Marine, PYI Inc., Groco and Buck Algonquin Marine Hardware. Broad incumbents are Mercury Marine, Volvo Penta, Schaeffler Marine and Selden Mast. R&D Marine (UK) is listed as a regional player.
Does Tides Marine have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tides Marine.
What industry is Tides Marine in?
Tides Marine's product category is Marine Hardware. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAJAIAK, Deck Fittings & Hardware (Bitts, Fairleads, Cleats, Anchors & Chains). Its NAICS code is 336612 and its SIC code is 3730.