Wilson Marine

What Wilson Marine does

Wilson Marine is a family-owned retail boat dealership founded in 1949 and headquartered in Brighton, Michigan. The company operates five retail showrooms across Southeast Michigan (Brighton, Commerce Township, Harrison Township, Howell, and Wixom) and is self-described as the largest volume boat dealer and the largest pontoon dealer in the state. It is an authorized dealer for more than 14 marine manufacturers including Bennington, Harris, Bayliner, Crownline, Hurricane, Heyday, Crestliner, Starweld, Smoker Craft, Sportsman, Sea Fox, SunChaser, and Mercury and Yamaha outboard motors, offering pontoons, sport boats, deck boats, fishing boats, and tow/surf boats at price points ranging from approximately $29,000 to over $200,000.

The company runs a multi-vertical business model that bundles new and pre-owned boat sales (one-time unit sales) with a Wil-Care subscription maintenance program (recurring service revenue), parts and accessories retail, short-term boat rentals, dock and lift systems, and third-party-financed boat loans processed through the AppOne online application gateway. It serves four primary use-case segments: recreational boaters, fishing enthusiasts, water-sports enthusiasts, and luxury pontoon buyers, all under a direct-to-consumer sales motion with no online checkout, marketplace listings, or dealer-network distribution. Marketing is concentrated on its website (wilsonboats.com), email campaigns, social media, and local boat-show events.

Wilson Marine employs between 101 and 250 people, generates revenue exclusively from Southeast Michigan, does not disclose financial results, has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed institutional or private-equity ownership. It maintains no proprietary technology platforms, public APIs, or mobile applications beyond standard dealer-website functionality, and operates with no identified AI/ML capabilities, patents, certifications, regulatory actions, or acquisition history.

Name

Wilson Marine

Legal name

Wilson Marine

Website

https://wilsonboats.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Wilson Marine is a family-owned multi-brand boat dealership founded in 1949, operating five retail locations across Southeast Michigan. It sells new and pre-owned boats from 14+ manufacturers, plus service, parts, rentals, financing, and dock/lift systems, serving recreational and fishing consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recreational Boat Dealership

NAICS

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

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Boat & Personal Watercraft (PWC) Retail (CRAMAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Marine Parts, Accessories & Maintenance Supplies Retail (CRAMAIAB)

Keywords

• Boat dealership
• New and used boats
• Marine service and parts
• Pontoon boats
• Boat rentals and financing

Headquarters

HQ city

Brighton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. New Boat Sales: Sale of new boats from major manufacturers including Bennington, Harris, Bayliner, Crownline, Hurricane, Heyday, Crestliner, Starweld, Smoker Craft, Sportsman, Sea Fox, Mercury, and Yamaha. Inventory includes pontoons, sport boats, deck boats, fishing boats, and tow/surf boats with prices ranging from approximately $29,000 to over $200,000.
2. Pre-Owned Boat Sales: Sale of used boats through dedicated pre-owned inventory section, offering more affordable options for budget-conscious buyers.
3. Service & Maintenance (Wil-Care): Full-service marine service department providing maintenance, repairs, and ongoing boat care under the Wil-Care program.
4. Parts & Accessories: Sale of replacement parts and marine accessories through dedicated parts department and ship store specials.
5. Boat Rentals: Short-term boat rental services for customers wanting to experience boating before purchasing.
6. Finance & Lending: In-house financing options and finance applications through third-party lenders, enabling customers to purchase boats through installment payments with various loan terms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Wilson Marine is a family-owned boat dealership founded in 1949 that sells new and pre-owned boats from 14+ manufacturers (pontoons, sport boats, deck boats, fishing boats, surf/tow boats) plus Mercury and Yamaha outboard motors. Beyond sales, the company operates full-service maintenance (Wil-Care plans), a parts and accessories department, boat rentals, dock and lift systems, and in-house plus third-party boat financing, all delivered through five retail locations across Southeast Michigan.

Product overview

Wilson Marine is a family-owned boat dealer operating since 1949 with five Michigan locations (Brighton, Commerce Township, Harrison Township, Howell, and Wixom). The company operates as a multi-brand dealership offering a comprehensive portfolio of watercraft across pontoon, sport boat, deck boat, fishing boat, and surf boat categories from 14+ manufacturer brands including Bennington, Harris, Bayliner, Crownline, Heyday, Hurricane, Crestliner, Starweld, Smoker Craft, Sportsman, Sea Fox, and SunChaser. They also sell Mercury and Yamaha outboard motors. Beyond boat sales, Wilson Marine provides full-service maintenance (Wil-Care plans), parts and accessories, dock and lift systems, and boat rentals. The company positions itself as Michigan's largest pontoon dealer and largest volume boat dealership, operating as a one-stop shop for recreational boating needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New Boat Sales (multi-brand: Bennington, Harris, Bayliner, Crownline, Hurricane, Heyday, Crestliner, Starweld, Smoker Craft, Sportsman, Sea Fox, SunChaser) Sale of new boats across 12+ manufacturer brands covering pontoons, sport boats, deck boats, fishing boats, and tow/surf boats, intended for Michigan recreational boaters, fishing enthusiasts, water sports enthusiasts, and luxury pontoon buyers. Prices range from approximately $29,000 to over $200,000.
• Pre-Owned Boat Sales Sale of used boats through a dedicated pre-owned inventory section, intended for budget-conscious buyers who want a recreational boat at lower price points than new inventory.
• Mercury Outboard Motors Sale of Mercury Marine outboard motors ranging from 60HP to 250HP+, offered to boat buyers configuring new or pre-owned boats across the dealership's brand portfolio.
• Yamaha Outboard Motors Sale of Yamaha outboard motors including the VMAX and F series plus jet boat engines, ranging from 70HP to 300HP, for various marine applications and boat brands stocked at Wilson Marine.
• Boat Service & Maintenance (Wil-Care) Full-service marine service department providing maintenance, repairs, and ongoing boat care under the Wil-Care program for all boat brands and models sold at Wilson Marine, intended for boat owners needing post-purchase support.
• Parts & Accessories Sale of genuine replacement parts and marine accessories for all boat brands carried by Wilson Marine, plus a Ship Store for specialty items, intended for boat owners needing parts, upgrades, or accessories.
• Boat Rentals Short-term boat rental service for prospective and current customers who want to experience the water before purchasing a boat, or for recreational use without ownership.
• Dock & Lift Systems Sale of boat lifts and dock solutions for waterfront property owners who need to store and protect boats at residential or commercial waterfront locations.
• Paddle Boats Sale of human-powered paddle boats including pontoon-style paddle vessels, intended for customers seeking alternative, non-motorized water recreation.
• Boat Finance & Lending Boat financing service combining in-house options with third-party lender applications via AppOne, enabling customers to purchase boats through installment payments with advertised terms of 60-96 months at 4-4.5% APR.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered primary and core.

• Mercury MarineprimaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWilson Marine is an authorized dealer for Mercury Marine outboard motors, offering Mercury-powered boats across their inventory. Mercury provides engine options ranging from 60HP to 250HP+ for various boat models.
• Yamaha MarineprimaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Yamaha dealer offering Yamaha outboard motors and Yamaha-powered boats. Yamaha engines featured include VF115, F70, F300, and VMAX series ranging from 70HP to 300HP.
• BenningtonprimaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWilson Marine is Michigan's largest Bennington dealer, offering the widest selection of Bennington pontoon and tri-toon boats. Bennington is a premium pontoon manufacturer with extensive customization options.
• HarrisprimaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Harris dealer offering Harris pontoon boats including Sunliner, Cruiser, and Solstice series. Harris boats feature Mercury outboard engines and extensive luxury options.
• BaylinercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Bayliner dealer offering Bayliner sport boats, cruisers, and deck boats including the Element, DX, and Explorer series.
• CrownlinecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Crownline dealer offering Crownline surf boats and sport cruisers including the 220 SS and 270 CR models featuring MerCruiser engines.
• HeydaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Heyday dealer offering Heyday tow and surf boats including the H22 model powered by MerCruiser 6.2L V-Drive engines.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MarineMax: Largest U.S. recreational boat retailer (NYSE: HZO) operating ~130+ locations nationwide. Wilson Marine is a smaller-scale, regional analog — both are multi-brand boat dealerships that derive the majority of revenue from new unit sales, plus F&I, service, and parts.
• Skipper Bud's: Multi-location boat dealer in the Midwest and Florida carrying many of the same brands as Wilson Marine (including Bayliner, Mercury). Direct geographic and product overlap in the Great Lakes boating market.
• Sundance Marine: Multi-state boat dealer in the Midwest/Southwest (Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas) with a family-owned operating model similar to Wilson Marine, selling pontoons, fishing boats, and cruisers.
• OneWater Marine: Multi-location recreational boat dealer (NASDAQ: ONEW) with a strategy of acquiring regional boat dealers. Wilson Marine is a candidate acquisition target in OneWater's roll-up model and operates the same multi-brand retail and F&I model.
• Walstrom Marine: Family-owned multi-location boat dealer in Michigan (Harbor Springs, Traverse City, Cheboygan). Direct in-state competitor with overlapping brands and a similar full-service dealership model.
• Jefferson Beach Yacht Sales: Michigan-based boat dealer with locations in St. Clair Shores and elsewhere on Lake St. Clair — a direct geographic competitor to Wilson Marine's Harrison Township location, carrying similar new and used boat lines.

Broad incumbents

• West Marine: Largest U.S. marine parts, accessories, and apparel retailer. Competes with Wilson Marine's parts and accessories business and represents a broader incumbent in the marine retail space, though West Marine does not sell new boats at scale.
• Bass Pro Shops / Cabela's: Large outdoor recreation retailer that sells boats (notably tracker boats) and marine accessories. Competes for fishing-boat and pontoon customer dollars and represents a much larger, vertically integrated incumbent in outdoor recreation retail.

Others

• AppOne (Dealertrack): Third-party marine and powersports finance platform that powers Wilson Marine's online finance application. Enabling ecosystem partner for the F&I revenue stream.
• Boat Trader: Leading online boat marketplace where Wilson Marine's pre-owned inventory is listed. Represents a key channel for used boat demand generation and a competitive surface if OEMs shift toward DTC online sales.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wilson-marine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Wilson Marine