Sailboat Sales Co.

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.

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

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

• Yacht brokerage
• Sailboat sales
• Powerboat sales
• Pre-owned boat trading
• Marine brokerage

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. 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

Core 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.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

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.

• Crowley's Yacht YardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSailboat 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)coreOthersProfessional membership organization for yacht brokers ensuring ethical standards and professional practices in the marine brokerage industry.
• Regional Marine SurveyorsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRecommended list of surveyors including Marine Surveyors, SNAME, NAMS, SAMS, and Certified Marine Surveyors for boat inspection services.
• Regional Harbors and MarinasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnerships with Chicago Harbors, Hammond Marina, Michigan City Marina, North Point Marina, Waukegan Harbor, and Wilmette Harbor for referral of boat owners.
• Area Yacht ClubsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRelationships with Chicago area yacht clubs including Chicago Yacht Club, Columbia Yacht Club, Chicago Corinthian Yacht Club, and others for community networking.
• Boats GroupcoreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite 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

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sailboat-sales-co-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Sailboat Sales Co.