American Boat Builders & Repairers Association

What American Boat Builders & Repairers Association does

ABBRA is a national nonprofit trade association founded in 1943 and headquartered in Warren, Rhode Island, representing more than 250 boatyards, repairers, and associated marine industry businesses across the United States and abroad. The organization operates as a membership-based body that delivers professional certification, industry publications, training events, and an exclusive group insurance program to its member facilities and their management teams. Its core products include the trademarked Marine Service Manager (MSM) Course and Certified Marine Service Manager (CMSM) designation, the 51-page Boatyard Resource Guide, an annual Wage Rate Report produced jointly with the Association of Marina Industries, and the Step Up to Supervisor training program.

Revenue is generated through a combination of recurring membership dues, tiered course and publication fees (with member discounts), event sponsorships, and an exclusive insurance offering called ABBRAGARD. ABBRAGARD is administered in partnership with Starkweather and Shepley and underwritten by Great American Insurance Group, providing ocean marine, property, and liability coverage to members with premium credits tied to completion of ABBRA training. The association also distributes risk management webinars, a quarterly newsletter (The Capstan), and an annual conference with member socials, often co-located with the Newport International Boat Show and the International Boatbuilders' Exhibition and Conference (IBEX).

The organization is governed by a board of directors led by Board President Chad Morse and operates with a small staff (1-10 employees). Its go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, relying on direct outreach, referrals, industry events, and member benefits to recruit and retain members. Customer segments are segmented vertically across boatyards/boat builders (primary), marine service managers (primary), marina operators, and associated marine industries, with the MSM Course and ABBRAGARD insurance serving as the principal member acquisition and retention levers.

Name

American Boat Builders & Repairers Association

Legal name

American Boat Builders & Repairers Association, Inc.

Website

https://abbra.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1943

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ABBRA is a national nonprofit trade association founded in 1943 that represents over 250 boatyards, repairers, and associated marine businesses, delivering certification programs, industry publications, training events, and an exclusive group insurance program to its members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Trade Association

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Classification Society & Flag-State Liaison / Plan Approval Support (IMAJAGAN)

Keywords

• Marine trade association
• Boatyard advocacy
• Marine industry training
• Boat repair certification
• Marine insurance programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Warren

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: ABBRA operates as a membership organization. Boatyards, repairers, and associated industry businesses pay membership fees to join and access benefits including training discounts, insurance programs, resources, and networking opportunities.
2. Marine Service Manager Course Fees: Revenue from certifying marine service professionals through in-person and virtual courses. Members pay $1395, non-members pay $1595, with additional student pricing.
3. Boatyard Resource Guide Sales: Sale of the Boatyard Resource Guide (formerly Marina Operators Manual) - free to members ($300 value), $250 for non-members.
4. Wage Rate Report Sales: Sale of the annual Wage Rate Report. Non-members pay $45; free to members and survey participants.
5. ABBRAGARD Insurance Program: Administered insurance program providing ocean marine, property, and liability coverage to members through Starkweather and Shepley and Great American Insurance Group.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ABBRA is a national nonprofit trade association that provides membership, advocacy, professional training and certification programs, industry publications, and group insurance programs to boatyards, marine service businesses, boat builders, and repairers. Its flagship offering is the Marine Service Manager Course leading to Certified Marine Service Manager (CMSM) designation, supplemented by resources like the Boatyard Resource Guide, annual Wage Rate Report, and the ABBRAGARD insurance program.

Product overview

ABBRA operates as a national member organization rather than a traditional product company. Its core offerings consist of professional certification programs (Marine Service Manager Course and CMSM certification), industry publications and reports (Boatyard Resource Guide, Wage Rate Report), a proprietary insurance program (ABBRAGARD), and training/webinar content. These offerings are interconnected: the MSM Course is the pathway to CMSM certification, members receive preferential pricing on courses and publications, and the insurance program offers premium credits for completing ABBRA training. The organization also facilitates networking through its membership directory and annual conferences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Marine Service Manager Course: A certification course designed for boatyard and service professionals who have or aspire to have management responsibilities, covering leadership, HR, maritime law, financial management, and service department best practices.
• ABBRAGARD
• The Boatyard Resource Guide

Products and services

• Marine Service Manager Course (MSM Course) A certification course for boatyard and service professionals covering leadership, human resources, maritime law, safety management, financial management, and business development. Offered both virtually (over 4 weeks with 6 interactive sessions) and in-person.
• Certified Marine Service Manager (CMSM) Professional certification awarded to individuals who complete the Marine Service Manager Course, representing validated expertise in marine service management.
• Boatyard Resource Guide A comprehensive 51-page publication covering strategic planning, storm preparation, environmental law, and best practices for boatyard and marina operations. Previously known as The Boatyard and Marina Operators Manual.
• Wage Rate Report Annual industry survey providing data on benefits, salaried and hourly wages, and hours worked per week for marine industry positions including marine service managers, marine engine technicians, and other technical roles.
• ABBRAGARD Insurance Program Exclusive group insurance program administered by Starkweather and Shepley offering comprehensive ocean marine, property, and liability coverage with AAA-rated Great American Insurance Group. Includes premium credits for attending ABBRA training programs.
• ABBRA Membership National membership organization representing over 250 boatyards, repairers, and associated industries, providing access to training, resources, networking, and member-only benefits including the membership directory and exclusive insurance program.
• Step Up to Supervisor Training program designed to help boatyard professionals advance into supervisory roles.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 700 employees covered in the 2026 Wage Rate Report survey
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Starkweather and ShepleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdministering partner for ABBRAGARD insurance program, offering comprehensive ocean marine, property and liability coverage to ABBRA members. Also collaborates on risk management webinars. Starkweather and Shepley is described as a longtime knowledgeable friend of the marine industry.
• Great American Insurance GroupcoreOthersAAA-rated insurance provider backing the ABBRAGARD program, providing coverage capacity for member facilities across the marine industry.
• Hinckley YachtsminorOthersTim Shields from Hinckley Yachts serves as faculty for the MSM Course, teaching Professional Development and Time Management module.
• ENGAGEminorOthersMichelle Alexandrowicz from ENGAGE serves as faculty for the Human Resources and Team Building module.
• Risk StrategiesminorOthersKellie Crete from Risk Strategies serves as faculty for Safety, Health, and Emergency Response module.
• Saunders YachtworksminorOthersJohn Fitzgerald from Saunders Yachtworks serves as faculty for Financial Management module.
• The University of Rhode IslandminorOthersDennis Nixon from The University of Rhode Island serves as faculty for Maritime Law module.
• Association of Marina Industries (AMI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint survey partner for the annual Wage Rate Report. AMI and ABBRA collaboratively release the survey collecting data on benefits, salaried and hourly wages, and hours worked per week from marinas and boatyards nationwide.
• International Boatbuilders' Exhibition & Conference (IBEX)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABBRA collaborates with IBEX to deliver technical seminars for boatyard managers, owners, and crews. In 2025, ABBRA delivered five seminars covering topics like bidding, ethics, and management challenges. IBEX is the premier technical trade event for the marine industry in North America.
• Bristol MarineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of ABBRA Member Social events held in conjunction with Newport International Boat Show.
• Bluewater SupplyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of ABBRA Member Social events.
• American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC)minorOthersABYC hosts the Aquatic Invasive Species Summit; ABBRA shares member news about ABYC events and initiatives relevant to the marine industry.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• DNV: Global classification society and maritime advisory firm. Comparable to ABBRA in the marine industry standards space, with overlapping focus on certification and industry best practices.
• Lloyd's Register: Global classification society that certifies marine vessels and offshore structures. Comparable to ABBRA as a marine industry standards body, though Lloyd's Register is much larger and focuses on technical ship certification.
• National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA): Largest marine industry trade association in the US, representing boat manufacturers and engine companies. Comparable to ABBRA as a marine industry association but broader in scope and serves manufacturers rather than service providers.
• American Bureau of Shipping (ABS): American classification society for marine and offshore assets. Comparable to ABBRA in the marine industry standards space, though focused on commercial vessel certification.

Others

• International Boatbuilders' Exhibition & Conference (IBEX): Premier technical trade event for the marine industry in North America. Strategic partner to ABBRA for technical seminars, though it operates as an event business rather than a membership organization.
• Boating Industry: B2B media brand serving the recreational boating industry. Adjacent to ABBRA's member-facing communication and comparable in audience targeting, though it operates as a media business rather than a trade association.
• Society of Marine Port Engineers: Professional society for marine engineers in port operations. Comparable to ABBRA in serving marine professionals, though with a narrower technical focus on port engineering.

Direct peers

• Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA): Trade association for marine retailers and dealers. Comparable to ABBRA as a marine industry membership organization, though MRAA focuses on retailers/dealers rather than boatyards and service providers.
• American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC): Non-profit organization developing safety standards for the marine industry. Comparable to ABBRA as a marine industry standards body serving boat builders and repairers, with overlapping member constituencies.
• Association of Marina Industries (AMI): National trade association for marina owners and operators. Directly comparable to ABBRA as a marine industry membership organization; the two organizations even co-publish the annual Wage Rate Report.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/abbramarine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/abbra
• Xx.com/abbra_newport

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 American Boat Builders & Repairers Association