What MACkite does

MACkite Boardsports Center is a privately held specialty retailer founded in 1998 and headquartered in Grand Haven, Michigan. The company sells water sports equipment across kiteboarding, wing foiling, eFoil, wake foiling, surf/SUP foiling, and hydrofoil component categories, distributing more than 100 premium brands including Slingshot, Duotone, Naish, Cabrinha, F-One, North, Axis, AFS, and Code Foils. Its product catalog spans kites, boards, control bars, harnesses, foils, wings, electric foil systems and foil-assist units, custom cross-brand adaptors, hardware, and waterwear (wetsuits, drysuits, safety gear). A distinguishing offering is its custom hydrofoil adaptor line that resolves cross-brand compatibility between competing foil systems.

The company operates a hybrid direct-to-consumer model: a BigCommerce-powered e-commerce storefront at mackiteboarding.com, a physical retail and lesson facility at 14324 172nd Ave, Grand Haven, MI, and 800-number phone sales support. It complements retail with paid lessons for kiteboarding, wing foiling, and eFoil (booked via Viking Bookings, including Muskegon, MI), and generates educational content through dedicated Knowledge Centers covering Foil, Wing Foil, Parawing, eFoil, Foil Assist, and Kiteboarding disciplines.

Revenue mechanics are primarily unit-based product sales (new, open-box, used/demo, clearance 40-70% off) across entry-level to premium price points ($3.50 hardware to $1,700+ foil packages), supplemented by lesson services. Geographic footprint is anchored in the Great Lakes region, though the storefront supports international shipping. The company appears founder/owner-operated with no disclosed external investors, management team, or formal partnerships.

Name

MACkite

Legal name

MACkite Boardsports Center

Website

https://mackiteboarding.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MACkite is a privately held specialty retailer founded in 1998 in Grand Haven, Michigan, selling kiteboarding, wing foiling, eFoil, and hydrofoil equipment from 100+ brands via e-commerce, a single physical showroom, and lesson services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Sports Equipment Retail

akta.pro primary industry

Water Sports Equipment Retail (Wake, Ski, Tow, Tubes) (CRAMAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Surfing & Kitesurfing Experiences (Lessons, Camps) (THAJAJAJ)

Keywords

• Water sports retail
• Kiteboarding equipment
• Wing foiling gear
• Hydrofoil components
• Electric foil boards

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Haven

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Primary revenue from retail sales of water sports equipment including kiteboarding gear, wing foiling equipment, eFoils, hydrofoils, boards, accessories, and waterwear. Operates both e-commerce and physical retail with new, open-box, used/demo, and clearance inventory.
2. Lesson Services: Revenue from instructional services including kiteboarding lessons, wing foil lessons, and eFoil lessons conducted at their Grand Haven, MI location with online booking via Viking Bookings platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MACkite is a specialty water-sports retailer selling kiteboarding, wing foiling, eFoil, wake foiling, surf/SUP foiling equipment, and hydrofoil parts across 100+ brands through an e-commerce storefront and a Grand Haven, MI retail/lesson facility. The company complements product sales with professional instruction (kiteboarding, wing foil, eFoil lessons) and extensive Knowledge Center educational content covering gear selection and cross-brand compatibility.

Product overview

MACkite Boardsports Center is a specialty e-commerce retailer and service provider offering a comprehensive range of boardsports equipment centered around hydrofoil technology. The core product portfolio spans six main categories: kiteboarding gear (kites, boards, control bars, harnesses), wing foiling equipment (wings, boards, foil sets), eFoil products (complete electric foils and foil assist units), wake foiling gear, general hydrofoil components (masts, wings, stabilizers, hardware, custom adaptors), and surf/SUP foiling equipment. The company also sells waterwear (wetsuits, drysuits) and provides lessons for kiteboarding, wing foiling, and eFoil riding. A significant focus is placed on hydrofoil parts and cross-brand compatibility, with extensive offerings of masts, wings, stabilizers, and custom adaptors supporting over 100 different brands including Slingshot Sports, Duotone, Naish, Cabrinha, F-One, North, Axis, AFS, and Code Foils. The company operates as both an e-commerce platform and physical lesson center located in Grand Haven, Michigan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kiteboarding Equipment Complete kiteboarding gear including kites (freeride, big air, surfstyle, lightwind, foiling-friendly, freestyle/wakestyle, snow/power), kiteboards (wakestyle, kite surfboards, freestyle, freeride, women's, lightwind), control bars, harnesses (waist and seat), trainer kites, travel/day bags, and accessories, sold to riders from beginners to experienced freeride and competition-level athletes.
• Wing Foiling Equipment Wing foiling gear including wings (foil wings and Parawing), boards (traditional, mid-length, downwind, inflatable), foil sets, harnesses, board bags, wing skate accessories, snow winging equipment, and MACkite Value and Parawing bundled packages.
• eFoil Products Complete electric hydrofoil boards from brands including Waydoo, Flightboard, Lift, and HydroFlyer, plus Foil Assist Units from Foil Drive, Duotone, Manta, Waydoo eAssist, and FLITELab (including AMPJet Board Set and AMP components) that convert standard hydrofoils into motorized setups, plus recommended foil-assist boards, parts, accessories, and used/demo inventory.
• Wake Foiling Equipment Wakefoiling gear including wake hydrofoils, wake hydrofoil boards, wakefoil accessories, and bundled Wake Foil Packages and Pump Foil Packages designed for boat wake riding and manual pump foiling.
• Surf and SUP Foiling Equipment SUP foiling and prone surf foiling equipment including hydrofoil packages, foil sets, and specialized surfboards designed for wave riding with hydrofoils.
• Hydrofoil Parts and Accessories Extensive hydrofoil component inventory including complete foil sets, mast sections (carbon and aluminum), wings and planes (front wings, stabilizers, tail wings), hardware (bolts, screws, T-nuts, plates), and cross-brand compatibility components for assembling and maintaining foils.
• Custom Hydrofoil Adaptors Custom adapters enabling cross-brand hydrofoil compatibility, including fuselage adapters (e.g., Duotone to North), plate adaptors (Moses/SabFoil, Cedrus, F-One, Axis to Cabrinha), and universal track nuts, solving compatibility issues between different foil brands and board mounting systems.
• Waterwear Water sports apparel including wetsuits, drysuits, beanies, booties, gloves, waterwear tops, changing towels, safety gear, and branded merchandise.
• Kiteboarding, Wing Foil, and eFoil Lessons Professional on-water instruction for kiteboarding, wing foiling, and eFoil riding, delivered in Muskegon and Grand Haven, MI with online booking via Viking Bookings, a student lesson portal, and detailed lesson policies.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Real Watersports: US-based specialty retailer of kiteboarding, wing foiling, and surf foiling equipment with both e-commerce and physical stores. Closest direct competitor to MACkite, operating a similar multi-discipline boardsports specialist model with lessons and content-driven marketing.
• Progression Sports: Florida-based kiteboarding specialty retailer and school with online and physical retail operations. Comparable to MACkite as a direct competitor in the kiteboarding retail-plus-instruction vertical.
• Big Winds: Hood River, OR-based specialty kiteboarding and windsurfing shop with retail, lessons, and equipment sales. Comparable to MACkite as a destination kiteboarding specialist serving a regional wind/water sports community with deep category expertise.
• Kite Paddle Surf: Florida-based specialty water sports retailer focused on kiteboarding, paddleboarding, and foiling equipment with lessons. Directly comparable multi-discipline water sports retailer with similar retailer-plus-instruction business model.
• Windance Sports Center: Pacific Northwest kiteboarding and water sports center offering retail, lessons, and gear sales. Directly comparable to MACkite in combining a physical lesson center with multi-brand equipment retail across kiteboarding and foiling disciplines.

Emerging players

• Waydoo: Chinese-based eFoil manufacturer whose products are carried by MACkite. Emerging direct-to-consumer player in the eFoil category with growing global distribution — a peer relevant for understanding channel dynamics and category expansion.

Broad incumbents

• Slingshot Sports: Kiteboarding, wing foiling, and hydrofoil brand carried by MACkite. Functions as both a key supplier and a competitive force through its direct channels; relevant peer for understanding pricing power and category dynamics.
• Naish: Global manufacturer of kiteboarding, wing foiling, SUP, and surf foiling equipment carried by MACkite. Represents a broader incumbent that competes not only as a supplier but increasingly through direct-to-consumer channels, pressuring independent retailers like MACkite.
• Lift Foils: Leading eFoil manufacturer whose products are sold and serviced by MACkite. Comparable as a participant in the eFoil category and a peer in the broader hydrofoiling ecosystem, with growing direct-to-consumer retail presence.
• Cabrinha: Global kiteboarding, wing foiling, and surf foiling brand with full vertical manufacturing and direct retail. Comparable to MACkite's product mix and a peer in the broader ecosystem, though operating as a brand rather than retailer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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 MACkite