ellis boat

What ellis boat does

Ellis Boat Company is a private, family-owned custom boatbuilder headquartered at 265 Seawall Road in Southwest Harbor, Maine, tracing its lineage to the 1947 "Bunker and Ellis" partnership of Ralph Ellis and Raymond Bunker and now in its third generation of Ellis family management under Shane Ellis. The company manufactures Downeast semi-displacement powerboats ranging from 20 to 40 feet, including the Ellis 20, Ellis 36 Lobster Boat, Ellis 36 Express Cruiser, and Ellis Express lines, and has delivered more than 300 hulls over its history. Its core technology is a proprietary Downeast hull featuring fine entry, flared bow, flat aft sections, full-length skeg and keel, soft chines, two-piece mold construction with stitched biaxial E-Glass and vinylester resin, and vacuum-bagged ATC Core-Cell structural foam coring, delivering 12–20 knot cruise speeds on a single engine.

Revenue is generated through five streams: one-time custom boat sales (quote-based, not publicly priced), professional service and maintenance, managed indoor storage and moorings, brokerage commissions on new and resale Downeast powerboats (via subsidiary Ellis Boat Brokerage), and bareboat and weekly Downeast powerboat charters (via subsidiary Ellis Downeast Powerboat Charters). The company serves affluent recreational boaters seeking classic Downeast cruising vessels, commercial fishermen and lobstermen requiring rugged work platforms, and charter customers seeking authentic Maine cruising experiences, operating exclusively from a single Northeast US boatyard with a staff of ABYC-, CMET-, and FCC-certified marine mechanics, electricians, and woodworking, fiberglass, and paint specialists.

Name

ellis boat

Legal name

Ellis Boat Company

Website

https://ellisboat.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Ellis Boat Company is a third-generation, family-owned Maine boatbuilder that designs and constructs custom Downeast semi-displacement powerboats (20–40 feet) and provides marine service, storage, brokerage, and charter services from its Southwest Harbor boatyard.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Recreational Powerboats

NAICS

Boat Building (336612), Ship and Boat Building (3366)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Semi-Custom & Series Production Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAEAM)

Keywords

• Custom powerboats
• Downeast hull design
• Marine service yard
• Boat brokerage
• Boat charter rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Southwest Harbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Boat Sales: Ellis Boat Company builds custom Downeast powerboats ranging from 20 to 40 feet, sold directly to customers. Boats are built to order with full customization options.
2. Service and Maintenance: Full-service yard offering marine mechanics, electricians (ABYC, CMET and FCC certifications), woodworking, fiberglass, and paint specialists. Comprehensive maintenance program with competitive indoor storage rates.
3. Storage and Moorings: Competitive indoor storage rates with comprehensive maintenance program. Moorings available for rent in Southwest Harbor.
4. Brokerage Services: Expert handling of boat sales with critical knowledge of the product, advising on surveying, banking, transport, documentation, and insurance.
5. Charter Services: Ellis Downeast Powerboat Charters available bareboat and by the week, featuring Downeast Cruisers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ellis Boat Company designs and builds custom Downeast powerboats ranging from 20 to 40 feet at its Southwest Harbor, Maine boatyard, using a proprietary semi-displacement hull design. The company also operates a full-service marine yard offering maintenance, repair, indoor storage and moorings, brokerage of Ellis powerboats, and bareboat and weekly Downeast cruiser charters.

Product overview

Ellis Boat Company is a family-owned boat manufacturer offering a portfolio of Downeast powerboats ranging from 20 to 40 feet (Ellis 20, Ellis 36 Lobster Boat, Ellis 36 Express Cruiser, Ellis Express). All boats feature the proprietary Ellis Downeast semi-displacement hull technology. The company operates as a full-service yard providing maintenance, storage, brokerage, and charter services from its Southwest Harbor, Maine facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ellis 20 A 20-foot custom Downeast powerboat with semi-displacement hull, constructed in a single-piece mold due to its manageable size; positioned as the entry-level model in the Ellis range and intended for individual recreational owners.
• Ellis 36 Lobster Boat A 36-foot Downeast lobster boat featuring the signature semi-displacement hull with fine entry, flared bow, full skeg and keel, designed for 12-20 knot cruising speeds and rugged commercial work use including the ability to ground on ledges without damage.
• Ellis Express 36 Express Cruiser A 36-foot express cruiser variant built on the Downeast semi-displacement hull platform, combining traditional Maine craftsmanship with modern cruising amenities; marketed as the 2023 Ellis Express 36.
• Custom Downeast Powerboat (20-40 ft) Build-to-Order Custom-order manufacturing service for Downeast powerboats from 20 to 40 feet, sold direct from the Southwest Harbor boatyard with full customization and supported by the company's surveying, banking, transport, documentation, and insurance advisory.
• Ellis Boat Brokerage Brokerage of new and used Ellis Downeast powerboats with expert handling of the sale process, advising customers on surveying, banking, transport, documentation, and insurance.
• Ellis Downeast Powerboat Charters Bareboat and weekly charter of Ellis Downeast Cruisers for vacation and recreational cruising experiences.
• Marine Service, Maintenance, and Storage Year-round full-service boatyard offering marine mechanics, electricians, woodworking, fiberglass, and paint specialists, comprehensive maintenance programs, competitive indoor storage rates, and moorings for rent in Southwest Harbor.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Back Cove Yachts: Back Cove Yachts designs and builds Downeast-style semi-displacement powerboats in Rockland, Maine, competing directly with Ellis on the 30-40ft recreational Downeast segment. Both use semi-displacement hull designs and target similar coastal cruising customers.
• Eastward Yachts: Eastward Yachts is a Maine builder of legacy Downeast-style powerboats in the 30-40 ft range, sharing Ellis's heritage positioning and semi-displacement hull design philosophy. Targets a similar customer base of recreational and commercial Downeast buyers.
• Sabre Yachts: Sabre Yachts builds Downeast-inspired luxury powerboats (34-58 ft) in Maine using resin-infused composite construction. Competitively positioned against Ellis in the semi-custom Downeast recreational market with overlapping customer demographics.
• Hinckley Yachts: Hinckley Yachts is a Maine-based builder of premium Downeast-style powerboats and Jetboats, the most direct competitor to Ellis in the luxury semi-custom powerboat category. Both brands serve affluent recreational buyers and emphasize Maine craftsmanship heritage.
• Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding: Lyman-Morse is a Thomaston, Maine boatbuilder that designs and constructs custom powerboats and sailboats, including Downeast-style vessels. Offers comparable custom semi-displacement hull construction and full-service yard operations, similar to Ellis's integrated model.

Regional players

• French & Webb Boatbuilders: French & Webb is a Maine-based custom boatbuilder specializing in cold-molded and fiberglass Downeast powerboats. Directly comparable to Ellis as a small Maine custom builder serving the Downeast recreational and commercial market.
• Young Brothers & Co. Young Brothers & Co. is a multi-generational Maine boatbuilder constructing custom Downeast powerboats and lobster boats. Comparable to Ellis as a Maine-based family heritage builder with a focus on the Downeast semi-displacement hull tradition.
• Holland Boat Shop: Holland Boat Shop is a Falmouth, Maine builder of semi-custom Downeast powerboats. Competes with Ellis in the regional Northeast US market for recreational Downeast-style boats.
• Brooklin Boat Yard: Brooklin Boat Yard is a Maine builder of custom wooden and composite powerboats including the celebrated 'Friendship' sloop design. Comparable to Ellis as a heritage Maine yard offering custom construction, service, and moorage in a similar regional market.

Emerging players

• True North Yachts: True North Yachts builds custom Downeast-style express cruisers in the 38-44 ft range with modern construction techniques. Positioned as a smaller, emerging competitor to Ellis in the semi-custom Downeast luxury market segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ellis-boat-company

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 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 ellis boat