Cooper Marine

What Cooper Marine does

Cooper Marine, Inc. is a privately held custom catamaran manufacturer founded in 1984 by Ron Cooper and headquartered at 340 17th Avenue South in St. Petersburg, Florida. The company designs and builds commercial-grade catamarans for charter and excursion operators, ferry services, dive and water-activity businesses, fishing charters, and private buyers. Its four core models — the 47 Money Maker, 46 Off Shore, 63C, and 63 Yacht (aft cockpit and flybridge variants) — span base prices from $399,000 to $1,700,000, with each vessel fully customized to the operator's requirements.

The company's underlying technology centers on one-piece molded fiberglass hull and deck construction using the latest composite materials, producing vessels with protected running gear via a molded-in keel design, a build cycle of approximately four months, and fuel efficiency of up to 8 miles per gallon. All vessels meet or exceed U.S.C.G. standards, with certifications scalable from 49 passengers at base configuration up to 149 passengers in U.S. waters (with watertight bulkheads) or 250 passengers in non-U.S. waters (with a second deck). Power packages use Yanmar diesel engines in 315 hp, 465 hp, and 530 hp configurations.

Cooper Marine generates revenue through one-time sales of custom-built vessels, with additional income from optional accessories, electronics, engine packages, and custom interior installations. The company employs 51-100 people and operates a direct, owner-led sales model — Ron Cooper personally engages with each prospective buyer, working closely during design and construction. Marketing is conducted primarily through the company website. Over 130 vessels have been delivered to operators in more than 40 countries spanning Saipan, Saudi Arabia, the Caribbean, and the United States. The company has no external institutional investment, no parent company, and no dealer network.

Name

Cooper Marine

Legal name

Cooper Marine, Inc.

Website

https://coopermarine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Cooper Marine is a St. Petersburg, Florida-based commercial catamaran manufacturer founded in 1984, building custom one-piece molded fiberglass vessels for charter operators, ferry services, and private buyers across 40+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Boat Manufacturing

NAICS

Boat Building (336612)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Catamaran & Multihull Leisure Craft Manufacturing (IMAJAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Luxury Catamaran (Power & Sail) Manufacturing (IMAJAMAF)

Keywords

• Commercial catamaran manufacturing
• Fiberglass boat building
• Passenger ferry vessels
• Custom marine construction
• Charter boat building

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Petersburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Boat Manufacturing and Sales: One-time sales of custom-built commercial catamaran vessels. Base prices range from $399,000 to $1,700,000 depending on model and configuration. Additional revenue from custom options, accessories, electronics, engine packages, and custom interior installations. Lead time approximately four months per vessel.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Cooper Marine is a boat building company based in St. Petersburg, Florida that manufactures custom-built commercial catamaran vessels using one-piece molded fiberglass construction. Founded in 1984 by Ron Cooper, the yard produces passenger ferries, dive and snorkel boats, sightseeing vessels, and charter catamarans for commercial operators, with optional U.S. Coast Guard certification packages available.

Product overview

Cooper Marine is a boat building company that manufactures commercial catamaran vessels. Their product portfolio includes four main models: the Caribbean 63C (base price $999,000), the 63 Yacht (luxury version, $1,400,000-$1,700,000), the 46 Off Shore ($599,000), and the 47 Money Maker ($399,000). These purpose-built commercial catamarans are designed for applications including day charters, snorkeling excursions, sightseeing tours, ferry operations, cruise ship tenders, and dinner cruises. All vessels feature one-piece molded fiberglass construction and can be customized with various layouts, power packages, and accessories to meet individual operator needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 47 Money Maker

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Silver Ships: Alabama-based manufacturer of commercial aluminum workboats, patrol vessels, and passenger boats for government and commercial operators; competes in adjacent commercial-passenger and workboat niches where USCG certification and custom builds are required.
• Polar Boats: Custom builder of USCG-subchapter-certified commercial passenger vessels, including dive boats, ferries, and excursion craft; the most direct head-to-head peer to Cooper Marine in certified custom passenger boats built for tour, dive, and ferry operators.
• Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding: Massachusetts-based commercial vessel builder producing aluminum and FRP passenger ferries, pilot boats, and excursion vessels; directly comparable on USCG-certified commercial passenger boats serving ferry and sightseeing operators in competition with Cooper Marine's catamaran offerings.
• All American Marine: Washington State builder of advanced composite commercial vessels including passenger ferries, excursion boats, and research vessels; comparable on USCG-certified commercial passenger craft built with composite technology, addressing similar ferry and tour-operator customers.
• Gemini Catamarans: U.S.-based catamaran builder producing power and sailing catamarans for cruising, charter, and light commercial use; competes with Cooper Marine in the mid-size cruising/charter power catamaran segment, though at lower passenger capacities and a more retail/leisure orientation.
• Endurance Catamarans: Builder of commercial and expedition-style catamarans for passenger service, research, and dive operations; direct overlap with Cooper Marine's charter, ferry, and excursion target segments using similar fiberglass construction and USCG-oriented designs.

Broad incumbents

• Lagoon Catamarans: Beneteau Group's catamaran brand and one of the world's largest multihull manufacturers; produces sailing and power catamarans including models used in charter and commercial service; a broad incumbent whose size and global dealer network compete indirectly with Cooper Marine's commercial catamaran positioning.
• Leopard Catamarans: Major volume catamaran builder under the Robertson and Caine / MarineMax umbrella, producing power and sailing catamarans for leisure and charter markets worldwide; broader portfolio and dealer network contrast with Cooper Marine's custom commercial focus, but they overlap on passenger-certified power catamarans for charter operators.

Regional players

• South Coast Marine: Custom commercial boat builder in the southeastern U.S. producing USCG-certified passenger vessels, dive boats, and small ferries; regional competitor with overlapping customer base in Florida/Caribbean commercial passenger operators served by Cooper Marine.

Others

• Yanmar Marine (power package supplier): Major marine diesel engine supplier whose 315/465/530 hp Yanmar diesels are the standard power package across Cooper Marine's vessel lineup; an enabling supplier rather than direct competitor, but strategically relevant to Cooper's product economics and supply continuity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cooper-marine

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Cooper Marine