Waterline Boats

What Waterline Boats does

Waterline Boats is a Seattle-based yacht dealership and brokerage founded in 2008, specializing in trawler-style yachts while also selling new and pre-owned powerboats, sailboats, motoryachts, and other vessels ranging from 21' to 75' in length. The company operates four Washington state locations — Seattle (headquarters on Lake Union's "yacht broker's row"), Port Townsend, Everett, and Tacoma — each with office space and display docks for in-person viewings. It is the exclusive Washington licensee of Boatshed, the world's largest yacht brokerage group, which provides access to 70+ international partner offices and a 880,000+ customer database, and is the authorized dealer for Helmsman Trawlers and representative for Elling Yachts. The company is co-founded and led by Scott Helker (President) and Lisa Helker (Co-President), with a team of agents and brokers across locations, several holding CPYB certification.

The company's core operational product is the Boatshed System, a proprietary listing and presentation platform featuring 100+ large-format photos, 360° virtual tours, and video content for each vessel — described in the company's own material as a key differentiator for transparent remote evaluation. It also offers a Machine Learning-powered BoatMatch service for proactive buyer-seller matching, hosted Live Virtual Showings via 3D technology, and — as of 2024 — DMS Holland MagnusMaster marine stabilization sales and installation services in the Pacific Northwest. Listings are syndicated across YachtWorld, Yatco, and Boats.com, and the company maintains a YouTube channel plus active presence at boat shows including the Seattle Boat Show, NYBA Boats Afloat, and Trawlerfest.

Waterline Boats generates revenue primarily through brokerage commissions on pre-owned boat sales, new boat sales as the Helmsman Trawlers dealer (and Elling Yachts representative), and ancillary services including display moorage and DMS Holland equipment sales and installation. The business is privately held with no disclosed external institutional or venture funding, and operates in the recreational boating segment of the Pacific Northwest marine market.

Name

Waterline Boats

Legal name

Waterline Boats

Website

https://waterlineboats.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Waterline Boats is a Seattle-based yacht dealership and brokerage selling new and pre-owned powerboats, sailboats, trawlers, and yachts across four Washington state locations, leveraging the Boatshed international network and serving as Helmsman Trawlers' authorized dealer.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Yacht Brokerage Services

NAICS

Boat Dealers (441222)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)

akta.pro primary industry

Day Cruiser, Bowrider & Runabout Manufacturing (IMAJAEAI)

Keywords

• Yacht brokerage services
• New boat sales
• Trawler yachts
• Pre-owned boats
• Marine stabilization

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Brokerage Commissions: Commission-based revenue from selling pre-owned boats and vessels on behalf of sellers. The company handles the entire sale including viewings, negotiations, contracts, and post-sale services.
2. New Boat Sales - Helmsman Trawlers Dealership: Revenue from selling new Helmsman Trawlers as the authorized dealer. Also represents Elling Yachts. Listings include boats available for order and in-progress builds.
3. Display Moorage Services: Economical monthly washing program and display moorage services at docks in Seattle, Port Townsend, and Everett to ensure boats show and perform at their best.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Waterline Boats is a yacht dealership and brokerage that sells new and pre-owned powerboats, sailboats, trawlers, and yachts. The company is the authorized dealer for Helmsman Trawlers, represents Elling Yachts and DMS Holland marine stabilization products, and operates as the exclusive Washington licensee for the Boatshed international brokerage network. Services include listing, viewings, negotiations, contracts, post-sale support, display moorage, and live virtual showings.

Product overview

Waterline Boats is a yacht dealership and brokerage offering new and pre-owned vessels across multiple categories (powerboats, sailboats, trawlers, yachts). Their core product is the Boatshed System, a comprehensive brokerage platform providing 100+ photos, virtual tours, and 360° imagery for each listing. They serve as the authorized dealer for Helmsman Trawlers and represent Elling Yachts and DMS Holland stabilization products. Additional services include BoatMatch (buyer-seller matching), Live Virtual Showings, and full-service brokerage including viewings, negotiations, and post-sale support. The company operates display docks in Seattle, Port Townsend, and Everett with access to Boatshed's global network of 70+ offices worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Yacht Brokerage Services Full-service yacht brokerage including pre-owned boat sales, listing, viewing arrangement, price negotiation, contract handling, and post-sale support for individual buyers and sellers of vessels from 21' to 75'.
• Helmsman Trawlers New Yacht Sales Sales of new Helmsman Trawlers trawler yachts including 31 Sedan, 37/38 Sedan, 38E Pilothouse, 43/43E Pilothouse, and 46 Pilothouse models, including boats available for order and in-progress builds.
• Elling Yachts Representation Sales representation for Elling Yachts premium trawler yacht brand, including Elling E3 models.
• DMS Holland MagnusMaster Stabilizers
• BoatMatch Service
• Display Moorage Services
• Live Virtual Showings

Quantifiable outcome

• Sells boats faster and at higher prices than any other broker according to YachtWorld data

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DMS HollandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Waterline Boats represents DMS Holland in sales, marketing, and installation of their marine stabilization products in the Pacific Northwest. The company partners with highly skilled marine professionals to ensure quality installation. An operating display model of the DMS MagnusMaster is available at the WLB Port Townsend location.
• BoatshedcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2008Waterline Boats is the exclusive Washington licensee for Boatshed - the world's largest yacht brokerage group with partner offices around the globe. This partnership provides access to 70+ international offices and 880,000+ registered customers. All Waterline Boats listings appear on BoatshedSeattle.com, BoatshedEverett.com, BoatshedTacoma.com, and BoatshedPortTownsend.com and across all Boatshed offices worldwide.
• Helmsman TrawlerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWaterline Boats is the dealer for Helmsman Trawlers, selling new trawler yachts including models 31 Sedan, 37 Sedan, 38, 38E Pilothouse, 43, 43E Pilothouse, and 46 Pilothouse. The company actively participates in boat shows featuring Helmsman Trawlers.
• Elling YachtsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWaterline Boats represents Elling Yachts, a premium yacht brand. Currently listing Elling E3 models among their inventory.
• YachtWorldminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThird-party advertising platform for listing boats, providing extended reach to buyers searching on YachtWorld's platform.
• YatcominorGTM or Marketing PartnerThird-party advertising platform listing boats alongside YachtWorld and other boating publications for maximum listing exposure.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Galati Yacht Sales: Galati is a large, multi-brand yacht dealership and brokerage on the U.S. Gulf Coast and beyond, with broader geography and deeper franchise line-up. Overlaps with Waterline in the pre-owned brokerage market but at materially larger scale.
• Allied Marine: Allied Marine is a large global yacht brokerage with multi-region presence — a broad incumbent competitor in pre-owned yacht sales, especially at higher price points that occasionally overlap with Waterline's trawler/yacht listings.
• Northrop & Johnson: Northrop & Johnson is a global luxury yacht brokerage (superyacht-focused) and part of a wider marine services portfolio (Camper & Nicholsons, Burgess). Competes with Waterline at the upper end of pre-owned brokerage.

Others

• Boat Trader (Boats Group): Boats Group operates major online marine marketplaces including Boat Trader and YachtWorld — a listing/lead-generation partner (not a direct broker). Comparable because Waterline lists on YachtWorld and competes with brokers whose inventory appears on the same platforms.

Direct peers

• HMY Yacht Sales: HMY is a multi-location U.S. yacht brokerage that combines pre-owned brokerage with authorized new-yacht dealerships (Hatteras, Viking, Jupiter, etc.) — a hybrid brokerage-and-dealer business model directly comparable to Waterline's Helmsman/Boatshed combination.
• United Yacht Sales: United Yacht Sales is a network of independent yacht brokers across the U.S. East Coast and beyond, with a similar multi-office franchise/broker structure that competes for listings and buyer traffic on shared listing platforms like YachtWorld.
• Denison Yacht Sales: Denison is a large U.S. yacht brokerage with multiple regional offices and new-yacht dealership relationships, offering pre-owned brokerage, new-yacht sales, and charter services — competing head-on with Waterline for both listings and buyers.
• Kadey-Krogen Yachts: Kadey-Krogen is a trawler/yacht manufacturer and dealer serving a similar customer profile to Waterline's Helmsman/elling trawler buyers — making it a direct channel peer in the trawler segment.
• Boatshed: Boatshed is the world's largest yacht brokerage group and the parent network that Waterline Boats licenses from in Washington. Operates 70+ partner offices globally with a shared proprietary listing/listing-presentation system connecting 880,000+ registered customers.

Regional players

• Seattle Yachts: Seattle Yachts is a Pacific Northwest-based yacht broker specializing in trawlers and long-range cruising yachts, operating in the same regional market and overlapping significantly with Waterline's buyer and seller pool.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/waterlineboats
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEOlc5IS53jgA6tggdV_0rA
• Facebookfacebook.com/Waterlineboats

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Waterline Boats