Sailboat Sales Co.
Sailboat Sales Co. is a Chicago-based yacht brokerage matching buyers and sellers of pre-owned sailboats and powerboats in the Great Lakes region. Operating from Crowley's Yacht Yard since 1974, the firm uses broker-led sales and the Boats Group platform to serve regional recreational boaters.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1965
- HeadquartersChicago Park, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Sailboat Sales Co. does
Sailboat Sales Co. is a private yacht brokerage firm based in Chicago, Illinois, founded in the mid-1960s and operating continuously for over 60 years. The company matches buyers and sellers of pre-owned sailboats and powerboats in the Chicago Great Lakes region, with listings ranging from approximately $6,000 to $195,000 and representing brands including Hunter, Beneteau, Catalina, Jeanneau, CAL, Ericson, Kettenburg, O'Day, Pearson, Sea Ray, Shannon, and Wauquiez. The business is co-located at Crowley's Yacht Yard on the Calumet River, providing access to a 13-acre full-service boatyard with indoor heated storage, mechanical services, and a ship's store that supports the brokerage's value proposition.
The company operates with a small team of 1-10 employees, including President Bruce Rosenzweig (since 1974) and yacht brokers Erik Hillenmeyer and Brendan Prendergast. Its underlying technology is the Boats Group website platform, which powers online listings, search functionality, and digital marketing; the company has no proprietary technology, app, or API. Revenue is generated through traditional brokerage commissions on each transaction (transaction-fee model), with no publicly disclosed pricing structures. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through the physical yacht yard location and online listings, augmented by referral relationships with regional yacht clubs, harbors, and marine surveyors.
The business model is sales-led and relationship-driven, with the sales process conducted through browsing online listings, phone inquiries, in-person visits, and broker-led boat selection. The company differentiates on longevity, brand recognition, YBAA professional membership, and the structural advantage of being anchored to a full-service boatyard. Geographic scope is limited to the Midwest/Great Lakes region of the United States, with no evidence of expansion beyond the Chicago market. The firm is privately held with no external investment, no parent company, and no disclosed financial metrics.
Sailboat Sales Co. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sailboat Sales Co.
- Legal name
- Sailboat Sales Co.
- Website
- https://sailboatsalesco.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1965
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Sailboat Sales Co. is a Chicago-based yacht brokerage matching buyers and sellers of pre-owned sailboats and powerboats in the Great Lakes region. Operating from Crowley's Yacht Yard since 1974, the firm uses broker-led sales and the Boats Group platform to serve regional recreational boaters.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sailboat Sales Co. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Yacht Brokerage Services
- NAICS
- Boat Dealers (441222)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sailing & Rigging Retail (Sailboats, Sails, Hardware) (CRAMAIAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Boat & Personal Watercraft (PWC) Retail (CRAMAIAA)
Keywords
Where Sailboat Sales Co. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago Park
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sailboat Sales Co. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Brokerage Commission: Traditional yacht brokerage earning commissions on boat sales and purchases. The company facilitates transactions between buyers and sellers of sailboats and powerboats.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Sailboat Sales Co. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sailboat Sales Co. is a Chicago-based yacht brokerage that facilitates buying and selling of pre-owned sailboats and powerboats. The firm matches individual buyers with vessels from its listings, drawing on inventory of brands including Hunter, Beneteau, Catalina, Jeanneau, CAL, Ericson, Kettenburg, O'Day, Pearson, Sea Ray, Shannon, and Wauquiez. Transactions are supported by affiliated services at Crowley's Yacht Yard, including boat storage and maintenance, while listings and lead generation run through the Boats Group website platform.
Product overview
Sailboat Sales Co. operates as a yacht brokerage firm offering two primary services: sailboat and power boat sales. The company specializes in pre-owned brokerage vessels representing over a dozen marine brands including Hunter, Beneteau, Catalina, Jeanneau, CAL, Ericson, Kettenburg, O'Day, Pearson, Sea Ray, Shannon, and Wauquiez. Additional services include winter storage and maintenance support through affiliated Crowley's Yacht Yard, a full-service boatyard located on the Calumet River with 50+ experienced staff.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sailboat Brokerage Services Yacht brokerage matching individual sailors with pre-owned sailboats, backed by deep on-the-water experience and supported by Crowley's Yacht Yard's full-service boatyard capabilities; targeted at Chicago-area recreational sailors.
- Power Boat Brokerage Services Brokerage services for powerboats including cruisers and cuddy cabin vessels, matching buyers with appropriate pre-owned powerboats from the firm's listings; targeted at Chicago-area powerboaters.
- Pre-Owned Brokerage Boat Inventory Wide variety of pre-owned brokerage boats available at Crowley's Yacht Yard, representing brands including Hunter, Beneteau, Catalina, Jeanneau, CAL, Ericson, Kettenburg, O'Day, Pearson, Sea Ray, Shannon, and Wauquiez; targeted at individual boat buyers in the Chicago and Great Lakes region.
- Boat Storage Services Winter and seasonal boat storage services offered through affiliated Crowley's Yacht Yard, including indoor heated, indoor unheated, and outdoor storage options; targeted at boat owners in the Chicago and Great Lakes region.
- Boat Maintenance Support Full-service boatyard support including winterization, mechanical services, and engine surveys, backed by 50 full-time associates with 20+ years of experience at Crowley's Yacht Yard; targeted at boat owners in the Chicago and Great Lakes region.
Companies that use Sailboat Sales Co.
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Sailboat Sales Co. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Sailboat Sales Co. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Crowley's Yacht YardcoreSailboat Sales Co. is based at Crowley's Yacht Yard on the Calumet River. The partnership provides access to full-service boatyard capabilities including indoor heated storage, maintenance services, mechanical department, and ship's store. Crowley's has 50 full-time associates with many having 20+ years at the yard.
- YBAA (Yacht Brokers Association of America)coreProfessional membership organization for yacht brokers ensuring ethical standards and professional practices in the marine brokerage industry.
- Regional Marine SurveyorsminorRecommended list of surveyors including Marine Surveyors, SNAME, NAMS, SAMS, and Certified Marine Surveyors for boat inspection services.
- Regional Harbors and MarinasminorPartnerships with Chicago Harbors, Hammond Marina, Michigan City Marina, North Point Marina, Waukegan Harbor, and Wilmette Harbor for referral of boat owners.
- Area Yacht ClubsminorRelationships with Chicago area yacht clubs including Chicago Yacht Club, Columbia Yacht Club, Chicago Corinthian Yacht Club, and others for community networking.
- Boats GroupcoreWebsite platform provider powering Sailboat Sales Co.'s online presence with listing management, search functionality, and digital marketing tools for boat sales.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Sailboat Sales Co. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sailboat Sales Co. social profiles
Digital presenceSailboat Sales Co. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sailboat Sales Co. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Sailboat Sales Co. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sailboat Sales Co. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sailboat Sales Co.
What does Sailboat Sales Co. do?
Sailboat Sales Co. is a Chicago-based yacht brokerage that facilitates buying and selling of pre-owned sailboats and powerboats. The firm matches individual buyers with vessels from its listings, drawing on inventory of brands including Hunter, Beneteau, Catalina, Jeanneau, CAL, Ericson, Kettenburg, O'Day, Pearson, Sea Ray, Shannon, and Wauquiez. Transactions are supported by affiliated services at Crowley's Yacht Yard, including boat storage and maintenance, while listings and lead generation run through the Boats Group website platform.
Is Sailboat Sales Co. a public or private company?
Sailboat Sales Co. is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Sailboat Sales Co. founded?
Sailboat Sales Co. was founded in 1965. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Sailboat Sales Co. based?
Sailboat Sales Co. is headquartered in Chicago Park, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sailboat Sales Co. make money?
One revenue line is on record: brokerage Commission.
Does Sailboat Sales Co. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sailboat Sales Co..
What industry is Sailboat Sales Co. in?
Sailboat Sales Co.'s product category is Yacht Brokerage Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMAIAG, Sailing & Rigging Retail (Sailboats, Sails, Hardware), with a secondary code of CRAMAIAA, Boat & Personal Watercraft (PWC) Retail. Its NAICS code is 441222.