Cape Cod Ship Building Co.

What Cape Cod Ship Building Co. does

Cape Cod Ship Building Co. is a privately-held, traditional boat builder based in Wareham, Massachusetts that manufactures, maintains, and stores fiberglass sailboats. The company's current lineage dates to 1947, when it acquired small boat designs from Herreshoff Manufacturing Company and concurrently founded the Zephyr Division as a dedicated in-house sparmaking operation. The active production fleet comprises 10 sailboat models spanning 15-foot day sailers (Mercury, Bull's Eye, Herreshoff H12½), 17–25 foot day sailers (DaySailer, Rhodes 18, Raven), 30-foot one-design racers (Shields, Atlantic), and 18–23 foot cruisers/overnighters (Goldeneye, Marlin Heritage). Seven retired designs — including the MK Dinghy, Beverly Dinghy, Gemini, Cape Cod Knockabout, Cape Cod Cat, Herreshoff H26, and Mercer 44 — remain available via custom order using maintained molds. Underlying technology centers on fiberglass hull construction with aluminum spars and woodwork finishing; Zephyr Division produces mast and boom extrusions in multiple sizes (#0 through #5 plus custom sections), goosenecks, wire, fittings, and complete Rhodes 19 spars.

The business operates five revenue streams: (1) build-to-order custom sailboat manufacturing with quote-based premium pricing and long production cycles, (2) replacement parts for current and discontinued Cape Cod-built models shipped via UPS Ground or freight, (3) indoor/outdoor sailboat storage and repair services for vessels under 15 tons and 7-foot draft, (4) Zephyr Division mast/boom extrusions and rigging hardware sold to external marine customers, and (5) branded gift merchandise including belts ($30), maintenance kits ($260), bronze plaques ($268), half models ($1,025–$1,500), and the Yachts By Herreshoff book. The customer base consists of individual sailors, families, and one-design racing fleet members seeking traditional designs with modern fiberglass construction. Go-to-market is sales-led and direct — boats are built and delivered from the Wareham dock, parts are ordered via the company website, and storage/repair pricing is currently being restructured toward a quote-based model. The company serves primarily the Northeast US market, with class associations (Bullseye, Shields) and regatta partnerships functioning as the primary community-driven distribution channels.

Name

Cape Cod Ship Building Co.

Legal name

Cape Cod Shipbuilding Co.®

Website

https://capecodshipbuilding.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cape Cod Ship Building Co. is a privately-held Wareham, Massachusetts boat builder that manufactures fiberglass sailboats (15–30 ft), spar components, replacement parts, and storage/repair services for individual sailors, one-design racing fleets, and cruisers in the Northeast US.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sailboat Manufacturing

NAICS

Boat Building (336612)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Sailing Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Semi-Custom & Series Production Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAEAM)

Keywords

• Fiberglass sailboat manufacturing
• Custom boat building
• Marine spars rigging
• One design racing sailboats
• Boat storage repair

Headquarters

HQ city

Wareham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Boat Manufacturing: Build-to-order custom sailboats across multiple designs ranging from 15' day sailers to 44' cruisers. Each boat built to customer specifications with extensive optional equipment lists. Long production cycles with premium pricing.
2. Replacement Parts: Parts sales for Cape Cod Shipbuilding built boats including Daysailer, H-12 1/2, Bull's Eye, Mercury, and Shields. Also includes discontinued boat parts on custom basis. Shipping via UPS Ground or freight truck.
3. Storage and Repair Services: Sailboat storage (indoor/outdoor) and repair services for boats under 15 Tons with max 7 foot draft. Services include off-season inspection, bottom painting, hull refinishing, fiberglass repairs, and aluminum spar work. Engine work arranged with outside contractors.
4. Zephyr Spar Products: Specialized sparmaker producing mast extrusions, goosenecks, wire and fittings, and Rhodes 19 spars. Serves both current production boats and can duplicate small class boat spars. Maintains competitive spars for one design class support.
5. Gifts and Merchandise: Gift items including belts, maintenance kits, plaques, ornaments, hats, keychains, half models, and the Yachts By Herreshoff book. One-time purchase items with premium pricing for collectors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cape Cod Ship Building Co. manufactures custom-built fiberglass sailboats ranging from 15-foot day sailers to 30-foot one-design racing sailboats and 23-foot cruisers. The company operates the Zephyr Division for mast and boom extrusions, goosenecks, wire and fittings, and Rhodes 19 spars, and provides supporting sailboat storage, fiberglass repair, replacement parts, and nautical gift merchandise.

Product overview

Cape Cod Shipbuilding Co. is a traditional boat builder offering a portfolio of sailboats and marine components. The product line includes 10 active production sailboats ranging from 15-foot day sailers (Mercury, Bull's Eye, Herreshoff H12½, DaySailer, Rhodes 18, Raven) to 30-foot one design racers (Shields, Atlantic) and cruisers (Goldeneye, Marlin Heritage). Additionally, 7 retired boat designs remain available via custom orders using existing molds (MK Dinghy, Beverly Dinghy, Gemini, Cape Cod Knockabout, Cape Cod Cat, Herreshoff H26, Mercer 44). The company operates the Zephyr Division as a specialized sub-brand producing mast and boom extrusions, goosenecks, wire and fittings, and Rhodes 19 spars. Services include boat storage (up to 15 tons, 7-foot draft) and repair (fiberglass, woodwork, aluminum rigging). The company also sells replacement parts and nautical gift merchandise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Zephyr Division: A small old-line sparmaker dedicated to proven designs and meticulous construction of spars for both small and large sailboats, ranging from dinghy and one design racing spars to spars and rigging for yachts up to fifty feet.

Products and services

• Mercury 15'
• Bull's Eye 15'
• Herreshoff H12½ 15'
• DaySailer 17'
• Rhodes 18'
• Raven 25'
• Shields 30'
• Atlantic 30'
• Goldeneye 18'
• Marlin Heritage 23'
• Zephyr Division Mast and Boom Extrusions
• Zephyr Division Goosenecks
• Zephyr Division Wire and Fittings
• Zephyr Division Rhodes 19 Spars
• Boat Storage and Repair Services
• Boat Parts
• Gift Items and Merchandise

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Hanse Yachts: German-based global sailboat manufacturer offering production cruising sailboats. Overlaps in fiberglass sailboat production but serves broader international market with higher-volume manufacturing approach.
• Beneteau: Global mass-market sailboat and motor yacht manufacturer with Oceanis and First sailboat lines. Competes in similar product categories but at vastly larger scale with global dealer distribution.
• Sabre Yachts: Established Maine-based yacht builder offering both sailboats and motor yachts. Overlaps in semi-custom sailboat manufacturing and New England boatbuilding heritage, but operates at larger scale with broader product portfolio.
• Catalina Yachts: Large-scale American sailboat manufacturer producing day sailers, cruising sailboats, and one-design racing boats. Significant overlap in product categories but operates at substantially larger scale with broader dealer network.

Direct peers

• Tartan Yachts: Traditional American sailboat manufacturer producing custom and semi-custom fiberglass sailboats. Directly comparable in product category (sailboats 15-50 ft), build-to-order model, and heritage American boatbuilding positioning.
• Morris Yachts: Maine-based builder of traditional-style sailboats with focus on classic design aesthetics and modern construction. Similar heritage positioning and premium semi-custom sailboat offerings.
• Hinckley Yachts: Heritage New England-based builder of luxury sailboats and motor yachts with similar focus on craftsmanship, customization, and premium positioning. Comparable in serving traditional sailing customers with made-to-order builds.
• C&C Yachts: Traditional performance sailboat builder with strong one-design and racing heritage. Comparable in serving competitive sailors and producing fiberglass sailboats in similar size ranges.
• J Boats: Specialized sailboat builder focused on one-design racing and performance cruising sailboats. Comparable in serving one-design class competitors and the racing-oriented segment of the traditional sailing market.
• Bristol Yachts: New England traditional sailboat builder serving similar customer base interested in classic-design cruising yachts. Comparable in product type and traditional American boatbuilding heritage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Cape Cod Ship Building Co.