Bentz Boats

What Bentz Boats does

Bentz Boats is a privately held, custom aluminum jet boat manufacturer founded in 1972 by Darell Bentz and headquartered in a 7,200 sq. ft. manufacturing plant in Lewiston, Idaho's South Port Industrial Park, with additional facilities added in 2003 to enable construction of vessels up to 65 feet in length. The company designs and builds two core product lines, commercial aluminum boats (28' to 68', USCG certified for passenger service under Sub-Chapter T, NVIC 11-80, ABS High Speed Aluminum Craft, and CE standards) and recreational aluminum jetboats (single and twin engine configurations from 21' to 44'), all built to order on proprietary hull platforms featuring a sled-shaped bow, delta pad bottom, short-stroke mechanical stick steering, and a high-strength bracing system certified for impact resistance.

The business model is direct-to-customer custom manufacturing: every boat is built to buyer specification through a quote-request process, with pricing varying materially based on length, engine package, jet units, and certification requirements. HamiltonJet Global supplies the Hamilton waterjet propulsion family (212, 214, 241, 274, 322, 364, HJX27) and Cascade Engine Center supplies matched diesel power plants, while Bentz controls hull design, fabrication, systems integration, USCG certification, delivery, and a recurring aftermarket layer covering engine and jet unit upgrades, bottom and electrical repairs, reconfiguration, upholstery, and worldwide on-site operator and maintenance training.

Customer segments span USCG-certified commercial tour and charter operators (whale watching, glacier tours, river rapids, sightseeing and ferry services), outfitters and guides running commercial river expeditions, federal and state government agencies including the US Forest Service, mining operators requiring shallow-water cargo access to remote sites, and individual recreational buyers. The company has documented international deliveries spanning the US, Canada, Guyana, Nepal, and India. Leadership transitioned from founder Darell Bentz to his son Bryan Bentz in 2007 after Darell's health-driven retirement, and in 2019 Carl Pottala acquired a minority ownership stake with a planned future majority transition, formalizing succession for the founder-led business.

Name

Bentz Boats

Legal name

Bentz Boats

Website

https://bentzboats.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bentz Boats is a privately held, custom aluminum jet boat manufacturer in Lewiston, Idaho, building USCG-certified commercial vessels (28' to 68') and recreational jetboats (21' to 44') for tour operators, outfitters, government agencies, mining operators, and individual buyers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Aluminum Boat Manufacturing

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Boat Building (336612)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Pilot Boats & Crew Transfer/Service Craft (Pilotage, CTV-style workboats) (IMAJADAG)

Keywords

• Custom aluminum boats
• Jet boat manufacturing
• Commercial marine vessels
• USCG certified boats
• Aluminum hull design

Headquarters

HQ city

Lewiston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Aluminum Boat Manufacturing: Primary revenue stream from designing and building custom aluminum jet boats for commercial and recreational use. Boats range from 21 feet to 65+ feet, with prices varying significantly based on specifications, engine packages, and certifications.
2. Repair, Maintenance, and Service: Full service offering including engine and jet unit upgrades, bottom repairs, complete electrical work, component installation, reconfigurations, and upholstery work. Maintenance programs include fluid changes and critical component inspections.
3. Operator and Maintenance Training: Training sessions provided either at the company location or customer site worldwide, including both operations and maintenance training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bentz Boats is a custom aluminum jet boat manufacturer that designs and builds commercial and recreational vessels ranging from 21 to over 65 feet. Each boat is engineered to customer specifications for specific water conditions (shallow water, whitewater, saltwater, arctic), with USCG-certified passenger vessels, outfitter/government specialty boats, and recreational jetboats all built in-house at the Lewiston, Idaho facility. The company also provides repair, maintenance, and on-site operator training services worldwide.

Product overview

Bentz Boats is a custom aluminum boat manufacturer offering two core product lines: Commercial Aluminum Boats and Recreational Aluminum Boats. The commercial line includes USCG passenger-certified vessels for freshwater and saltwater operations, outboards and sterndrives, and outfitter/government specialty boats ranging from 28' to 68' in length. The recreational line consists of custom-built single and twin engine jetboats (21'-44') featuring the company's proprietary hull design with sled-shaped bow, short stroke mechanical stick steering, and delta pad bottom. Both product lines share identical aluminum alloys, components, and wiring standards. The company also provides repair, maintenance, service, and operator training services globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 18,000+ hours of operation on a single boat with original bottom still intact
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HamiltonJet GlobalcoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary propulsion system partner providing Hamilton waterjet units for all boat builds. Long-standing relationship with HamiltonJet Global as the push system provider. Units used include Hamilton 212, 214, 241, 274, 322, 364, and HJX27 models depending on boat size and application.
• Cascade Engine Center, LLCcoreTechnology or IntegrationEngine supply partner providing power plants for boat builds. Provides engines for various international deliveries including Guyana operations. Key supplier for propulsion packages.
• Gateway TrailersminorOthersTrailer supplier for boat transport, mentioned in context of South America deliveries.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Alumacraft: Alumacraft is a large-scale aluminum boat producer serving fishing, recreational, and some commercial markets. Comparable in material and base construction but operates at much higher volume and broader product scope than Bentz's niche custom builds.

Others

• HamiltonJet: HamiltonJet is Bentz's strategic waterjet propulsion supplier (long-standing core partnership). Included as an adjacent ecosystem participant whose product roadmap directly influences Bentz's vessel capabilities and competitive positioning.

Direct peers

• Thunder Jet Boats: Thunder Jet manufactures custom aluminum jet boats for fishing, whitewater, and recreational use. Directly comparable as an aluminum jet boat builder using similar hull-design philosophies targeting shallow-water and riverine commercial/recreational operators.
• Duckworth Boats: Duckworth Boats builds heavy-gauge aluminum welded boats for commercial fishing, hunting, and whitewater use. Overlaps with Bentz in aluminum hull construction targeted at demanding water conditions and commercial applications.
• Armstrong Marine: Armstrong Marine builds custom aluminum workboats, patrol vessels, and passenger boats for government, research, and commercial operators. Directly comparable as a small, custom aluminum boat manufacturer serving USCG-certified commercial use cases.
• Safeboats International: Safeboats International specializes in aluminum commercial patrol, rescue, and military vessels with USCG certifications. Comparable as a custom aluminum boat builder targeting government agencies and certified commercial operators.
• SeaSport Boats: SeaSport builds welded aluminum boats including commercial fishing, charter, and passenger vessels along the Pacific Coast. Shares aluminum hull construction expertise and USCG-certified commercial operator focus with Bentz.
• Weldcraft Marine: Weldcraft Marine is an aluminum boat manufacturer building heavy-gauge welded aluminum vessels for commercial fishing, government, and law enforcement use. Directly comparable as a custom aluminum boat builder serving USCG-certified commercial operators with similar hull construction methods.
• Hewescraft: Hewescraft produces heavy-duty aluminum boats serving commercial fishing, government, and adventure tourism markets in Pacific Northwest rivers and coastal waters. Comparable custom aluminum build approach targeting similar operator profiles.
• North River Boats: North River Boats builds custom aluminum boats for commercial fishing, law enforcement, fire/rescue, and passenger use in challenging waters. Closely aligned with Bentz on aluminum hull construction for USCG-certified passenger and government applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/bentzboats
• Facebookfacebook.com/Bentz-Boats-323508514344334
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bentz-boats-llc

Compliance4 records

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 Bentz Boats