Pocock Racing Shells
Pocock Racing Shells is a privately held, family-owned U.S. manufacturer of custom hand-crafted carbon fiber racing shells, serving collegiate, junior, and competitive club rowing programs since 1911 with proprietary Hypercarbon laminate and wing rigger technologies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1911
- HeadquartersEverett, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Pocock Racing Shells does
Pocock Racing Shells is a privately held, family-owned manufacturer of custom carbon fiber racing shells headquartered in Everett, Washington. Founded in 1911 by George and Dick Pocock, the company hand-crafts racing shells (sweep and sculling boats in classes from singles through eights) using aerospace-grade carbon fiber composites, with proprietary technology including the Hypercarbon™ laminate system developed in collaboration with the University of Washington's Department of Chemical Engineering, multiple generations (G5-G8) of carbon fiber wing riggers, the xDeck suspended-seat structural system, and the mathematically designed xVIII hull. Its product portfolio spans four tiers (xVIII, Hypercarbon Comp, Hypercarbon, and Core) across all standard boat classes, plus the MAAS open-water sub-brand, parts and accessories sold through pocockparts.com, and a tiered boat lease program.
The company sells exclusively to U.S. collegiate, junior, and competitive club rowing programs via a direct, quote-based sales motion with no public pricing, supported by a nationwide demo program, trade-in program accepting any manufacturer's boats, and an exclusive boat-provider partnership with the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center. Over 25 NCAA institutions are documented customers (including University of Washington, UCLA, Cornell, Duke, US Naval Academy, and Cal Berkeley), and Pocock hulls — particularly the Hypercarbon K4+ — are described as holding the most NCAA and IRA medals in the category. Operations are run by the Tytus family (Bill Tytus as Advisor, John Tytus as President) with a small craftsman workforce trained in-house, and the business is currently hiring manufacturing staff and a newly appointed VP of Sales (CJ Bown, October 2025) to scale nationwide sales.
Pocock Racing Shells firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pocock Racing Shells
- Legal name
- Pocock Racing Shells
- Website
- https://pocock.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1911
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Pocock Racing Shells is a privately held, family-owned U.S. manufacturer of custom hand-crafted carbon fiber racing shells, serving collegiate, junior, and competitive club rowing programs since 1911 with proprietary Hypercarbon laminate and wing rigger technologies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pocock Racing Shells industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Racing Rowing Shells
- NAICS
- Ship and Boat Building (3366)
- SIC
- Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Day Cruiser, Bowrider & Runabout Manufacturing (IMAJAEAI)
Keywords
Where Pocock Racing Shells is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Everett
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pocock Racing Shells business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Racing Shell Sales: Custom-built carbon fiber racing shells sold directly to collegiate, club, and junior rowing programs. Product lines include xVIII (elite), Hypercarbon Comp, Hypercarbon, and Core series across multiple boat classes (eights, fours, pairs, doubles, singles).
- Parts & Accessories: Replacement parts, riggers, footboards, seats, and accessories sold through pocockparts.com. Universal parts and hardware designed to work across hulls and over time.
- Shell Leasing: Lease options for racing shells including single boat lease, multiple boat lease, and multiple boat elite level lease programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Quote-based custom pricing |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Lease program options |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Pocock Racing Shells product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pocock Racing Shells designs, hand-crafts, and sells custom carbon fiber racing shells for collegiate, club, and junior rowing programs across four product series (xVIII elite, Hypercarbon Comp, Hypercarbon, and Core) in eights, fours, pairs, doubles, and singles. The company also sells replacement parts, riggers, footboards, and accessories through a dedicated parts e-commerce site, offers open water shells under the MAAS brand, and provides multi-year boat lease options.
Product overview
Pocock Racing Shells builds the world's finest racing shells, offering a tiered product portfolio spanning four series: the xVIII (elite-level), Hypercarbon Comp (enhanced carbon performance), Hypercarbon (flagship elite), and Core (durable training). Product line includes eight-person shells (V8), coxed fours (K4+), straight fours and quads (K4-/x), pairs/doubles (K2-/x), and singles (K1), each available in multiple hull sizes for different crew weights. The xVIII series features revolutionary structural innovations including individual seat decks on flotation chambers and bow-mounted carbon wing riggers. The company also offers parts & accessories, open water shells via MAAS, lease programs, and training center partnerships. Founded in 1911, Pocock builds boats for America's fastest crews including top collegiate programs and competitive clubs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- xVIII Large Elite-level eight-person racing shell with radical structural advancements including individual seat decks suspended on flotation chambers paralleling hull length, G7 carbon fiber wing rigger, and carbon/titanium fully-adjustable footboard; designed for heavier crews (185-215 lbs).
- xVIII Medium Elite-level eight-person racing shell featuring the G8 bow-mounted carbon fiber wing rigger that eliminates twisting and bending forces on the pin and removes the need for a bowbrace; designed for crews 150-185 lbs.
- Hypercarbon Comp V8 Elite eight-person racing shell with G6 wing rigger, exposed carbon fiber cockpit, and carbon fiber footboards; built around weight savings that allow more carbon in the hull for increased stiffness.
- Hypercarbon Comp K4+ Elite coxed four with G7 wing rigger, improved stiffness-to-weight layup, and updated decks and coxswain station; available in small, medium, large, and XL sizes.
- Hypercarbon V8 Flagship all-carbon eight-person shell with foam core construction; available with 5th generation carbon fiber wing or aluminum wing riggers; the choice of America's top collegiate teams and a multiple NCAA and IRA championship winner.
- Hypercarbon K4+ America's elite coxed four with more NCAA and IRA medals than any other boat builder; all-carbon layup with foam core; available with carbon fiber or aluminum wing riggers.
- Hypercarbon K4-/x Straight four and quad configuration built for race day or 1V seat racing; available with carbon fiber or aluminum wing riggers; same materials and geometry as the K4 and V8.
- Hypercarbon K2-/x Elite-level pair and double shell with the same materials and geometry as the K4 and V8; fully adjustable carbon fiber footboards usable with rowing shoes or racing sandals.
- Hypercarbon K1 All-carbon single scull with foam core and the stiffest sculling rigger available; custom built to order; available in small and large hulls.
- Core V8 Durable eight-person shell purpose-built for high-use clubs, novice programs, and training fleets; carbon/fiberglass layup with foam core provides a stiff hull that looks and feels like a top racer; T-6 aluminum wing riggers.
- Core K4+/-/x Durable training and racing four with carbon/fiberglass layup and proprietary syntactic resin core; designed for seat racing, river debris, rough landings, and novice handling without sacrificing performance.
- Core K2-/x Pair and double for small-boat training; carbon/fiberglass layup with syntactic resin core, extra-rugged bow for blind dock landing, and anodized aluminum wings.
- Core K1 Entry-level single scull with carbon/fiberglass layup, proprietary syntactic resin core, and aircraft-grade T-6 aluminum wing riggers; custom built to order.
- MAAS Open Water Shells Open water rowing shells sold under the MAAS product line with corresponding MAAS parts support, distributed through pocockparts.com for open water and recreational rowing use.
- Parts & Accessories Replacement parts, riggers, footboards, seats, and accessories for Pocock shells including universal parts and hardware that work across hulls and over time; overnight shipping available for most parts, with USPS options added for some orders.
- Boat Lease Program Multi-year lease options for Pocock racing shells including Single Boat Lease, Multiple Boat Lease, and Multiple Boat Elite Level Lease configurations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Hypercarbon K4+ has won more NCAA and IRA medals than any other boat builder
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Pocock Racing Shells
Customer profileNamed customers26 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Pocock Racing Shells technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Pocock Racing Shells partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training CentercorePocock Racing Shells is the exclusive boat provider for visiting teams at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center. Pocock shells are fully rigged and stocked in the boathouse for exclusive use by visiting teams. The partnership provides teams with elite-level equipment for training camps without trailer logistics.
- CrokersupportingCroker oars are stocked at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center boathouse as part of the training facility setup. Five sets of Croker oars available for visiting teams.
- University of Washington Department of Chemical EngineeringsupportingCollaborative research partnership led to development of proprietary high performance epoxy resin system for Hypercarbon laminate system. Research focused on optimizing fiber orientation and material properties.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Pocock Racing Shells competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Filippi: Italian rowing shell manufacturer serving national teams and elite international crews. Direct competitor in the high-end carbon fiber racing shell category where Pocock's Hypercarbon and xVIII lines compete.
- Resolute Racing Shells: US rowing shell maker serving collegiate and club programs. Direct competitor in the custom carbon fiber racing shell category where Pocock competes.
- Vespoli USA: US rowing shell manufacturer and direct competitor in the collegiate and elite rowing market. CJ Bown, now Pocock's VP of Sales, previously worked at Vespoli USA, confirming head-to-head competition for the same collegiate accounts.
- WinTech Racing: US rowing shell manufacturer competing directly with Pocock in the collegiate and club market across multiple boat classes including eights, fours, and small boats.
- Hudson Boat Works: US rowing shell manufacturer serving collegiate and club programs. Direct competitor to Pocock in the same geographic and customer segments with comparable custom-build service model.
- Empacher: German racing shell manufacturer with strong international and Olympic pedigree. Competes with Pocock for elite-level collegiate and club programs and supplies many national teams worldwide.
Emerging players
- Concept2: Dominant rowing equipment manufacturer (oars, ergometers, indoor rowers). Adjacent to Pocock's racing shell business through shared customer base of competitive rowers and coaches, but not a direct boat competitor.
Others
- Croker Oars: Carbon fiber oar manufacturer serving elite rowing. Already a partner of Pocock at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center and complementary equipment supplier to the same customer base.
- Braca-sport: Carbon fiber oar manufacturer serving competitive rowing programs. Complementary equipment supplier to Pocock's customer base without overlapping in boat manufacturing.
- NK Sports: Manufacturer of competitive rowing oars. Complementary equipment supplier to Pocock's racing shell customers, but not a direct boat competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pocock Racing Shells social profiles
Digital presencePocock Racing Shells financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pocock Racing Shells leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Pocock Racing Shells funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pocock Racing Shells 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 Pocock Racing Shells
What does Pocock Racing Shells do?
Pocock Racing Shells designs, hand-crafts, and sells custom carbon fiber racing shells for collegiate, club, and junior rowing programs across four product series (xVIII elite, Hypercarbon Comp, Hypercarbon, and Core) in eights, fours, pairs, doubles, and singles. The company also sells replacement parts, riggers, footboards, and accessories through a dedicated parts e-commerce site, offers open water shells under the MAAS brand, and provides multi-year boat lease options.
Is Pocock Racing Shells a public or private company?
Pocock Racing Shells is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Pocock Racing Shells founded?
Pocock Racing Shells was founded in 1911. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Pocock Racing Shells based?
Pocock Racing Shells is headquartered in Everett, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pocock Racing Shells make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Racing Shell Sales are the primary driver. The others are parts & Accessories and shell Leasing.
Who are Pocock Racing Shells's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Filippi, Resolute Racing Shells, Vespoli USA, WinTech Racing, Hudson Boat Works and Empacher. Concept2 is listed as an emerging player. Others are Croker Oars, Braca-sport and NK Sports.
Does Pocock Racing Shells have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pocock Racing Shells.
What industry is Pocock Racing Shells in?
Pocock Racing Shells's product category is Racing Rowing Shells. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAJAEAI, Day Cruiser, Bowrider & Runabout Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 3366 and its SIC code is 3949.