Bacon Sails & Marine Supplies

What Bacon Sails & Marine Supplies does

Bacon Sails & Marine Supplies is a privately held, family-owned sail broker and marine supply company founded in 1959 by Doug and Dixie Bacon in Annapolis, Maryland. The company designs and sells custom new sails (coastal and offshore mains, roller furling and hank-on genoas, asymmetrical spinnakers, storm sails, and lazy bags), brokers used sails through a proprietary searchable inventory of over 10,000 units, and operates a marina storefront stocked with new and used boat equipment, parts, and hardware. Supporting services include professional sail cleaning, inspection, and repair; custom sailboat rigging and yacht refits; Sunbrella-based lazy bag fabrication; and a formal consignment program for used sails and hardware, with Stevie Reeves as dedicated Account Manager and Chandler Owen as Organizational Specialist.

The underlying technology consists of a traditional sail loft combined with a proprietary inventory database that allows buyers to search used sails by boat make/model, dimensions (luff, leech, foot), sail type, condition, and catalog number using commonly accepted rig specifications. A sub-brand, Bacon's Bargains (baconsbargains.com), extends the offering into budget-tier used sails, awnings, and canvas. Distribution runs through three channels: the physical Annapolis showroom at 116 Legion Ave, the global e-commerce site at baconsails.com, and an eBay storefront. The current ~7–8 person team is led by second-generation owner Steven Reeves (President since 2008), with Gary Chwazik as General Manager heading the New Sail Program.

Revenue is generated across five streams: one-time custom new sail sales (quote-based pricing), used sail brokerage with condition-tiered unit pricing, marine supplies and hardware retail, sail repair and rigging professional services, and consignment transaction fees. The customer base is predominantly a long tail of individual cruisers and racers worldwide, supplemented by occasional enterprise accounts such as sailing schools. No public listing, institutional funding, or parent company involvement is present; the business remains entirely family-controlled.

Name

Bacon Sails & Marine Supplies

Legal name

Bacon Sails

Website

https://baconsails.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bacon Sails & Marine Supplies is a family-owned sail broker and marine supply company founded in 1959 in Annapolis, Maryland. It designs custom new sails, brokers an inventory of over 10,000 used sails, and sells marine equipment to recreational boat owners worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Supplies & Custom Sailmaking

NAICS

Boat Dealers (441222), Ship Building and Repairing (336611)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Sailing & Rigging Retail (Sailboats, Sails, Hardware) (CRAMAIAG)

Keywords

• Sail brokerage
• Custom sailmaking
• Marine supplies
• Sail repair services
• Used sail inventory

Headquarters

HQ city

Annapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. New Sails Sales: Custom-built new sails including offshore/coastal quality mains, roller furling genoas, hank-on genoas, asymmetrical spinnakers, storm sails, lazy bags, and more. Direct sales via quote request.
2. Used Sails Sales: Brokerage of consigned used sails across multiple conditions (New/Unused, New/Used, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor). Inventory of over 10,000 sails in stock.
3. Marine Supplies & Equipment: Marina store featuring competitively priced new and used boat equipment, parts, hardware, and sailing accessories.
4. Consignment Services: Account management for consigning sails and boating equipment. Commission-based consignment program accepting sails (up to 3 per consignor per month) and hardware.
5. Sail Repair & Service: Professional sail cleaning, inspection, and repair services. Specialized in sail modifications and alterations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bacon Sails & Marine Supplies is a family-owned sail loft and marine supply store founded in 1959 in Annapolis, Maryland. The company designs and sells custom-built new sails (mains, roller furling genoas, hank-on genoas, asymmetrical spinnakers, storm sails, lazy bags) and brokers a searchable inventory of over 10,000 used sails. Complementary offerings include sail cleaning/inspection/repair, custom canvas fabrication, marine supplies and hardware, custom sailboat rigging, and a consignment program for used sailing gear.

Product overview

Bacon Sails & Marine Supplies is a family-owned sail broker and marine supply company operating since 1959. The core offering consists of new custom-built sails (mains, genoas, spinnakers, storm sails, lazy bags) and a large inventory of over 10,000 used sails searchable by boat model, dimensions, or catalog. The company also operates Bacon's Bargains as a budget sub-brand for discounted used sails. Supporting services include professional sail repairs and cleaning, custom lazy bag and canvas fabrication, marine supplies and equipment sales, custom rigging, and consignment services. The business operates a marina store in Annapolis, MD.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bacon's Bargains: A secondary brand offering discounted used sails and bargain items including awnings and canvas.

Products and services

• New Custom Sails Custom-built new sails including offshore/coastal quality mains, roller furling genoas, hank-on genoas, asymmetrical spinnakers, storm sails, and lazy bags, priced by quote based on boat make, model, and sail type.
• Used Sails Over 10,000 used sails in stock, searchable by boat make/model, dimensions (luff, leech, foot), sail type, condition, and catalog number, priced individually based on condition tier.
• Bacon's Bargains Secondary sub-brand offering budget-friendly used sails, additional sails, shade awnings, and canvas for various projects.
• Sail Repair & Service Professional sail cleaning, inspection, repair, and modification/alteration services for new and used sails.
• Lazy Bags & Custom Canvas Custom-designed and fabricated lazy bags (sail covers) and canvas products for sailboats of all years and sizes, using Sunbrella fabric in various colors.
• Marine Supplies & Equipment Marina store in Annapolis, MD featuring a large selection of new and used competitively priced boat equipment, parts, hardware, bilge pumps, batteries, dock lines, and hurricane supplies.
• Custom Sailboat Rigging Custom rigging services for sailboats, including new halyard setups, hardware selection, and full yacht refits.
• Consignment Services Consignment program accepting sails (up to 3 per consignor per month) and hardware/boating equipment, managed by Stevie Reeves as Account Manager.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 10,000 used sails in stock
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 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

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Defender Marine: Large mail-order and online marine supplies retailer offering sailing hardware, equipment, and accessories. Directly comparable to Bacon Sails' marine supplies business, with a much broader catalog but less specialization in used sails and consignment.
• Sailrite: DIY sailmaking kits, sail-making supplies, and marine canvas retailer serving recreational sailors. Overlaps with Bacon Sails on consumer sailmaking materials, sail repair supplies, and lazy bag/canvas products, with a strong e-commerce focus.
• Ullman Sails: Global custom sailmaker with a network of lofts serving cruising and racing sailors. Directly competes with Bacon Sails' new sail manufacturing capabilities and serves a similar customer demographic seeking bespoke sails.
• Annapolis Performance Sailing (APS): Annapolis-based sailmaker and marine equipment retailer serving the same Chesapeake Bay sailing community. Overlaps directly with Bacon Sails on custom sail sales, hardware, and rigging services, and competes for the same walk-in Annapolis customer base.
• Hood Sailmakers: Established custom sailmaker serving cruisers and racers with new sail construction and repair services. Comparable to Bacon Sails' custom new sail and sail repair offerings, with an overlapping customer base of recreational and offshore sailors.
• North Sails: One of the world's largest sailmakers offering custom new sails across cruising and racing segments. Comparable to Bacon Sails' new custom sail program, though operating at a much larger scale and serving an overlapping premium customer base.
• Quantum Sails: Large international sailmaker offering custom cruising and racing sails through a global loft network. Comparable to Bacon Sails on the new custom sail product line, with broader scale and a more performance-focused brand.

Regional players

• Fisheries Supply: Pacific Northwest-based marine supplies retailer serving commercial and recreational boaters. Comparable to Bacon Sails' marine supplies and hardware business, but operating in a different geography (Seattle-area vs. Chesapeake Bay) without direct Annapolis overlap.
• SVB (Sail and Yacht Brokerage / Marine Parts): Large European-based online marine supplies and sail hardware retailer serving global customers. Comparable to Bacon Sails' e-commerce marine supplies business with a much broader catalog, but operates primarily in the European market rather than competing in Annapolis.

Broad incumbents

• West Marine: Largest U.S. marine retailer offering sailing hardware, equipment, apparel, and accessories across hundreds of stores. Overlaps with Bacon Sails' marine supplies segment as a broad incumbent, though West Marine does not specialize in used sails, custom sailmaking, or consignment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bacon-sails-&-marine-supplies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Bacon Sails & Marine Supplies