Kip Marina

What Kip Marina does

Kip Marina is Scotland's premier marina, established in 1968 and operated by Holt Leisure Parks Limited from a single site at Inverkip on the Firth of Clyde. The marina provides 600+ protected pontoon berths for vessels up to 24 metres, available 24/7 year-round, with all berths oriented to face the prevailing wind. It holds the highest-level TYHA 5 Gold Anchor accreditation and operates a 150-space serviced boatyard equipped with a 60-ton Ascom travel hoist, 30-ton Tandano mobile crane, and 7-ton Wise boat shifter, supporting lift-out, launch, winter storage, and slipway services.

The marina operates as an integrated leisure destination rather than a technology platform. Its service ecosystem combines in-house capabilities with a curated network of on-site contractors: boat maintenance and repair (Yanmar and Volvo Penta engineers, GRP repairs, marine electronics, sail and cover repairs, rigging), chandlery retail, F&B (The Chartroom bar and restaurant, Café Riva), fuel (diesel and gas 24/7), launderette, secure parking, and free WiFi. Three on-site boat brokers (MS&P, Approved Boats, Inspiration Marine Group) facilitate new and used boat sales, while RYA-accredited training school Britsail delivers sailing courses. The marina hosts the annual Haven Knox-Johnston Kip Regatta and previously organised Scotland's Boat Show.

Revenue is generated across five streams: annual and visitor berthing subscriptions, boat services (professional services for maintenance/repair), chandlery retail sales, boat sales and brokerage transaction fees, and food and beverage. Pricing is not publicly disclosed but follows subscription (annual berthing), usage-based (visitor berthing, pre-paid electricity via Rolec smart cards), and unit pricing (lift-out and storage) models. The company has 1-10 reported employees and is privately held with no external investment or listing, led by Managing Director Gavin McDonagh (40 years tenure as of 2022). Technology infrastructure is conventional (Harbour Assist ERP, Sage accounting, Mailchimp, Google Analytics) with no proprietary AI or platform technology.

Name

Kip Marina

Legal name

Holt Leisure Parks Limited

Website

https://kipmarina.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kip Marina is Scotland's premier 5 Gold Anchor marina in Inverkip, operating 600+ berths and a full-service boatyard for private boat owners and sailing enthusiasts on the Firth of Clyde. It generates revenue from berthing subscriptions, boat services, chandlery, brokerage, and on-site hospitality.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Inverkip

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Berth Rental: Annual and visitor berthing services for vessels up to 24m. Revenue generated through annual berthing contracts and transient/visitor berthing fees.
2. Boat Services: Hoist and crane operations (60 ton Ascom Travel Hoist, 30 ton Tandano Mobile Crane, 7 ton Wise Boat Shifter), boat maintenance, repairs, and winter storage services.
3. Chandlery Sales: Retail sales of boating equipment, supplies, and marine hardware from on-site chandlery store.
4. Boat Sales and Brokerage: New and used boat sales facilitated through on-site brokers including MS&P Boat Sales, Approved Boats, and Inspiration Marine Group.
5. Food and Beverage: On-site dining at The Chartroom bar and restaurant and Café Riva, serving marina customers and visitors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Kip Marina operates a 5 Gold Anchor-accredited marina offering annual and visitor pontoon berthing for vessels up to 24m, complemented by boat maintenance, repairs, hoist and crane lifting services, on-site chandlery retail, fuel services, boat brokerage, restaurant and café hospitality, and RYA-approved sailing training. The marina delivers comprehensive marine leisure services through a single physical facility in Inverkip, Scotland.

Product overview

Kip Marina is a 5 Gold Anchor-accredited premier marina operating as a single unified service provider rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The marina offers a comprehensive suite of maritime leisure services organized around: berthing (annual and visitor pontoon berths for vessels up to 24m with power and water utilities), boat services (maintenance, repairs, brokerage, chandlery), marine lifting infrastructure (hoist/crane/slipway/dry berthing), fuel and provisions (diesel/gas, launderette, secure parking), hospitality (The Chartroom restaurant/bar, Café Riva), training (RYA-approved sailing schools including Britsail), and event hosting (annual Kip Regatta). Services are delivered through a combination of in-house capabilities and on-site contracted specialists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Scotland's Boat Show: An annual boat show event operated by Holt Leisure Parks Limited, regarded as the 3rd largest boat show in the UK.

Products and services

• Annual Berthing Long-term pontoon berths for vessels up to 24m, available 24/7 year-round with 240v power and fresh water connections. Targeted at private boat owners seeking a permanent berth on Scotland's west coast.
• Visitor Berthing

Quantifiable outcome

• 600+ berths providing scale advantage
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Haven Knox-JohnstoncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Title sponsor of the Haven Knox-Johnston Kip Regatta for 3 consecutive years (2024-2026). Haven Knox-Johnston is a boat insurance company providing competitive boat insurance quotes covering cruising and racing plans. Sponsorship includes title rights to the regatta and promotional support.
• BritsailminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2026RYA-accredited sailing school providing training at Kip Marina. Expanding with additional training over winter months. Team includes Glenn and Aneesh with over two decades of experience in adult education and global marine event delivery.
• Noonmark VIminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 15 January 2026Luxury sailing charter operation based at Kip Marina. Swan 56 built by Nautor's Swan in Finland, offering voyages to Scotland's West Coast, Inner and Outer Hebrides, and extended expeditions to St Kilda.
• Approved BoatscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 8 January 2026On-site boat broker at Kip Marina introducing Nimbus Boats to customers in Scotland and northern England. Nimbus, founded in Gothenburg 1968, is a respected Scandinavian yacht brand known for intelligent functionality, comfort, and safety.
• Wyre MarineminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 2026Marine contractor engaged for major dredging works at Kip Marina starting January 2026. Using dredging vessel Wyre Estuary to remove up to 25,000m3 of material over 8 weeks to improve depths and navigation.
• On-site Marine ContractorscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 December 2025Network of trusted contractors providing boat services at Kip Marina: A J Yacht Detailing (boat washes, polishing, anti-fouling), DDZ Marine (engine work), Meadowside Marine (GRP repairs, keel/rudder), Bee Electrics (electrical/electronics), Argyll Riggers (mast-related jobs).
• Royal Western Yacht ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 December 2025Provides expert race management for annual Kip Regatta, ensuring competitive racing across multiple classes in Clyde waters. Partnership spans multiple years of regatta events.
• Inspiration Marine GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 18 April 2023On-site boat broker based at Kip Marina for many years, representing new and used boat sales. Brands include Hanse yachts and SARGO Boats (newly added to portfolio for UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, and Ireland). Co-sponsor of Kip Regatta and hosts open weekends at marina.
• Michael Schmidt & Partner (MS&P)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 18 April 2023On-site yacht broker based at Kip Marina for many years. Specializes in new and used boat sales with brokerage services. Co-sponsor of Kip Regatta, hosts open weekends, and displays award-winning boats (HanSe 460, Moody 41DS, Moody 495). Brands include Hanse and Moody.
• British MarineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association membership providing access to broader marine industry network and standards.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Holy Loch Marina: Independent Scottish marina on the Holy Loch, a tributary of the Firth of Clyde. Comparable as a regional Scotland competitor targeting the same west-coast leisure boating customer base.
• MDL Marinas: Largest UK marina group operating ~20,000 berths across the south coast and elsewhere. Directly comparable as a multi-service marina operator offering berthing, boat services, brokerage, and on-site amenities to private leisure boat owners.
• Premier Marinas: UK marina group with premium south-coast locations offering berthing, boatyard, chandlery, and hospitality services. Closely comparable business model targeting the same private leisure boat-owner customer base.
• Dean & Reddyhoff Marinas: Independent UK marina operator on the south coast (Haslar, Port Solent, Weymouth, Portland). Comparable as a regional marina group offering berthing, boatyard, chandlery, and on-site hospitality to leisure boat owners.
• Yacht Havens Group: Multi-site UK marina operator with locations in Scotland, Wales, and Devon. Comparable as a premium-berth marina group with similar customer profile and service mix to Kip Marina.
• Largs Yacht Haven: Scottish marina on the Firth of Clyde operated by Yacht Havens Group. Directly comparable as a regional competitor serving the same Clyde cruising grounds with berthing, boat services, and on-site amenities.
• Port Edgar Marina: Scottish marina on the Firth of Forth near Edinburgh. Closely comparable as a regional Scotland competitor offering berthing, boat services, and access to East Coast sailing waters for private boat owners.
• Fairlie Quay Marina: Sister marina operated by the same parent (Holt Leisure Parks Limited) on the Firth of Clyde. Directly comparable as a peer under shared ownership, offering pier and berthing services to leisure and commercial vessels in the same cruising area.

Broad incumbents

• IGY Marinas: International marina operator with a global portfolio of premium yacht marinas. Comparable as an established incumbent in the leisure marina category but with materially broader geographic footprint and capital base than Kip Marina.
• Camper & Nicholsons Marinas: International operator of premium and superyacht marinas across the Mediterranean and Caribbean. Comparable as an established incumbent in the luxury leisure marina category, but operating at a higher vessel-size tier than Kip Marina.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/KipMarina
• Facebookfacebook.com/KipMarina
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kip-marina

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 Kip Marina