RIBs For Sale (formerly JBT Marine)

What RIBs For Sale (formerly JBT Marine) does

RIBs For Sale (formerly JBT Marine) is a UK-based marine marketplace and brokerage specialising in new and used Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs), engines, and trailers. Operating as a trading name of JBT Marine Limited, the company runs both an online listing platform and a physical showroom at Trafalgar Wharf, Portsmouth Harbour, where all inventory is available for in-person viewing. The business serves private RIB owners and enthusiasts across the South Coast of England, offering a curated multi-brand selection viewable on-site and backed by a 100% Money Back Guarantee on qualifying purchases.

The core revenue model is transactional: the company buys RIBs outright for cash or accepts them in part exchange, then resells them at a margin, with featured inventory priced from £31,495 to £87,995 and budgets ranging from under £10k for smaller boats to £70k+ for premium craft. Complementary revenue streams include brokerage services for third-party sellers, direct cash purchase of used RIBs, sale of trailers and engines, and RYA-certified Trafalgar Powerboat Training courses. The technology stack is standard e-commerce (advanced search, shortlist tool, enquiry forms, content marketing blog) with no proprietary platform features, no API, no mobile apps, and no AI/ML capabilities.

RIBs For Sale is a subsidiary within the Trafalgar Group, a diversified maritime conglomerate that also includes Ballistic RIBs (a sister-brand channel partner), Trafalgar Shipyard, Thornham Marina, Trafalgar Drystack Boat Storage, and Trafalgar Boat Club. This ecosystem enables cross-referral across the boat purchase, ownership, storage, and training lifecycle. Distribution is direct via the Portsmouth Harbour site complemented by multi-channel digital marketing through website, Facebook, Twitter/X, YouTube, and email newsletter. The company is privately held with no disclosed venture or private equity funding.

Name

RIBs For Sale (formerly JBT Marine)

Legal name

JBT Marine Limited

Website

https://ribsforsale.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

RIBs For Sale (formerly JBT Marine) is a Portsmouth Harbour-based online and onsite marketplace and brokerage for new and used Rigid Inflatable Boats, engines, and trailers, serving private buyers and sellers across the South Coast of England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boat Dealership and Brokerage

NAICS

Boat Dealers (441222)

akta.pro primary industry

Boat & Personal Watercraft (PWC) Retail (CRAMAIAA)

Keywords

• Rigid inflatable boats
• Used boat sales
• Boat brokerage services
• Powerboat training
• Marine marketplace

Headquarters

HQ city

Portsmouth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Boat Sales Commission/Margin: The company earns revenue through buying and selling Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs), taking boats in part exchange or for cash and reselling them at a margin.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

RIBs For Sale (formerly JBT Marine) operates an online and onsite marketplace for new and used Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs), powerboats, engines, and trailers, based at Portsmouth Harbour in the UK. The company sells boats from multiple manufacturers, offers brokerage services to connect sellers with buyers, purchases boats directly from owners for cash or part exchange, and provides RYA-certified powerboat training courses through its sister company Trafalgar Powerboat Training.

Product overview

RIBs For Sale (formerly JBT Marine) operates as a specialist marine marketplace and broker, offering a platform for purchasing and selling new and pre-owned Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs). The core offering centers on the boat listing marketplace where customers can browse, compare, and enquire about RIBs from multiple brands. Complementary services include brokerage (assisting sellers in finding buyers), direct purchase (buying boats outright from owners), and Trafalgar Powerboat Training (RYA-certified powerboat instruction). Additional features include an online shortlist tool for saving boats of interest, advanced search filters by price and length, and a 100% money back guarantee on qualifying purchases. The company is part of the Trafalgar Group of companies based at Portsmouth Harbour.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New & Used RIB Sales

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% Money Back Guarantee

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Trafalgar GroupcoreOthersParent company of RIBs For Sale (JBT Marine). The Trafalgar Group encompasses multiple marine-related businesses including shipyard, boat storage, marina, and boat club services.
• Ballistic RIBscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBallistic RIBs is a sister company within the Trafalgar Group. RIBs For Sale sells Ballistic RIBs alongside other brands, featured on their website with dedicated brand page.
• Trafalgar ShipyardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Trafalgar Group ecosystem, providing shipyard services that may support boat maintenance and preparation.
• Thornham MarinaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarina partner within the Trafalgar Group network, providing berthing and marina services.
• Trafalgar Drystack Boat StorageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndoor drystack boat storage service within the Trafalgar Group, offering complementary storage solutions for boat owners.
• Trafalgar Boat ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoat club within the Trafalgar Group ecosystem, offering shared boat access programs.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Apollo Duck: Major UK and European online boat classifieds marketplace listing new and used boats including RIBs. Comparable as a competing channel where buyers search for RIBs, though Apollo Duck is a listings platform rather than a physical dealer.
• YachtWorld: Leading global online marketplace for yachts and boats, also operated by Boats Group. Competes for the same pool of UK and international boat buyers searching for vessels in the RIB price and size bands.
• Hamble Yacht Brokers: Established UK yacht and powerboat broker based on the South Coast, close to RIBs For Sale's Portsmouth base. Comparable as a regional broker with a similar target customer of private boat buyers in southern England.
• Rightboat: Global online boat marketplace aggregating listings from dealers and private sellers. Competes directly for online RIB buyer attention and traffic that RIBs For Sale depends on for lead generation.
• Boats.co.uk: UK-based new and used boat dealer with brokerage, part exchange and online listings. Directly comparable to RIBs For Sale on the broker-dealer business model and target audience of UK private boat buyers.
• Ancasta: One of the largest yacht and powerboat brokers in the UK with multiple offices and a broad online listing platform. Highly comparable to RIBs For Sale as a UK-based boat brokerage serving private buyers, though operating across a wider range of vessel types and at greater scale.
• boats.com: Large international online boat marketplace operated by Boats Group. Represents a global-scale listing competitor that captures a share of buyer discovery for new and used boats, including RIBs.

Broad incumbents

• Sunseeker: Major luxury yacht manufacturer with showroom and brokerage activities on the UK South Coast. Adjacent incumbent in the marine retail and broker space, competing for higher-end buyers in the same coastal geography as RIBs For Sale.
• Ribeye International: Established UK RIB manufacturer with retail presence. Comparable as a specialist RIB brand competing for the same buyer demographic, though operating primarily as a manufacturer rather than a multi-brand broker.

Emerging players

• Ballistic RIBs: Sister RIB brand within the Trafalgar Group that manufactures and retails RIBs. Adjacent rather than directly competitive because it is also a supplier brand sold through RIBs For Sale, but overlaps on end-customer demand for new RIBs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ribsforsale_com
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/jbtmarine
• Facebookfacebook.com/ribsforsale
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ribsforsale

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 RIBs For Sale (formerly JBT Marine)