“From the thousands of dealers in North America — and hundreds of nominations — these 100 dealers are the best of the best,” said Boating Industry Editor in Chief Jonathan Sweet. “These dealers excel not only at the business of selling boats, but also delivering a great customer experience.”
The Top 100 is the only independent ranking of boat dealers in North America. The list recognizes dealerships that are unsurpassed in business operations, professionalism, marketing tactics, customer service and more. The Boating Industry Top 100 has recognized the top dealers in North America every year since 2005.
“As the Boating Industry Top 100 celebrates its 12th year, the dealers on the list are stronger than they have been since before the Great Recession,” Sweet said. “The Top 100 and Hall of Fame reached nearly $2.7 billion in total revenue in 2015, surpassing last year’s total by more than $100 million. These dealers also faced stiff competition to make the list, with the highest number of applications since the recession.”
OneWater Marine Holdings of Buford, Ga., was named as the 2016 Dealer of the Year.
“There may not be a company doing more to shake up the boating industry than OneWater Marine Holdings,” Sweet said.
Since 2010 — first as Singleton Marine Group and now as OneWater — the company has united nine dealer brands under one umbrella. As of mid-2016, the company had 35 locations stretching across the southern U.S. In 2015 alone, it acquired three dealerships: American Boat Brokers, Captain’s Choice Marine and Rambo Marine. More acquisitions have continued in 2016.
At the same time, OneWater grew same-store sales by 16 percent for the year (and 33 percent across all locations), while growing net profit by 27 percent.
Hall of Fame, Best in Class honored
2014 and 2015 Dealer of the Year Gordy’s Lakefront Marine in Fontana, Wis., was inducted into the Top 100 Hall of Fame, joining previous inductees MarineMax, Galati Yacht Sales, Prince William Marine Sales and Legendary Marine.
Boating Industry also recognized eight other companies with special “Best in Class” awards, for companies that particularly excelled in one area of their business.
- Best Boat Show Strategy – Candlewood East Marina, Brookfield, Conn.
- Best Industry Advocate – Bosun’s Marine, Mashpee, Mass.
- Best Customer Service – M&P Mercury Sales, Burnaby, British Columbia
- Best Digital Strategy – Austin Boats & Motors, Lakeway, Texas
- Best Training & Benefits – Irwin Marine, Laconia, NH
- Best Marketing – Hampton Watercraft & Marine, Hampton Bays. N.Y.
- Best New Idea – BMC Boats, Longwood, Fla.
- Best Service Department – South Shore Marine, Huron, Ohio
As in past years, the Top 20 members of the Top 100 were ranked, with the remaining 80 being recognized as Top 100 dealers.
The complete Top 100:
- OneWater Marine Holdings, Buford, Ga.
- The Sail & Ski Center, Austin, Texas
- Seattle Boat Company, Seattle, Wash.
- Russell Marine, Alexander City, Ala.
- Strong’s Marine, Mattituck, N.Y.
- Parks Marina, Inc., Okoboji, Iowa
- Port Harbor Marine, South Portland, Maine
- Pride Marine Group Ltd, Bracebridge, Ontario
- M & P Mercury Sales Ltd, Burnaby, B.C.
- Quality Boats of Tampa Bay, Clearwater, Fla.
- Bosun’s Marine, Mashpee, Mass.
- Action Water Sports, Hudsonville, Mich.
- Buckeye Marine, Bobcaygeon, Ontario
- Hagadone Marine Group, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
- BMC Boats, Longwood, Fla.
- Marine Connection, West Palm Beach, Fla.
- Oak Hill Marina, Arnolds Park, Iowa
- Irwin Marine, Laconia, N.H.
- Texas Marine, Beaumont, Texas
- Regal & Nautique of Orlando, Orlando, Fla.
Alberta Marine, Nanton, Alberta
Angler’s Choice Marine, Martinsville, Va.
Atlantic Outboard, Inc., Westbrook, Conn.
Atwood Lake Boats, Inc., Mineral City, Ohio
Austin Boats and Motors, Inc., Lakeway, Texas
Blue Springs Marine, Blue Springs, Mo.
Boat Town, Inc., Austin, Texas
Boaters Exchange, Rockledge, Fla.
Boulder Boats, Henderson, Nev.
Breath’s Boats & Motors, Bay St. Louis, Miss.
Buckeye Sports Center, Inc., Peninsula, Ohio
Buster’s Marine, Broad Channel, N.Y.
Candlewood East Marina, Brookfield, Conn.
Causeway Marine Sales, LLC, Manahawkin, N.J.
Charlotte Ski Boats, Mooresville, N.C.
Chessie Marine Sales, Inc., Elkton, Md.
Clark Marine, Manchester, Maine
Clemons Boats, Sandusky, Ohio
Cleveland Boat Center, Cleveland, Tenn.
Colorado Boat Center, Johnstown, Colo.
Deep Creek Marina, McHenry, Md.
Desmasdon’s Boat Works, Pointe au Baril, Ontario
Dockside Marine, Montgomery, Texas
Don’s Marine, LLC, Lodi, Wis.
Dry Dock Marine Center, Angola, Ind.
Freedom Powersports and Marine, Lewisville, Texas
Futrell Marine, Nashville, Ark.
Gage Marine, Williams Bay, Wis.
George’s Marine and Sports, Ottawa, Ontario
Gone Fishin’ Marine, Dixon, Calif.
Gordon Bay Marine, MacTier, Ontario
Hall Marine Group, Lake Wylie, S.C.
Hampton Watercraft and Marine, Hampton Bays, N.Y.
Hoffmaster’s Marina, Inc., Woodbridge, Va.
Lake Union Sea Ray, Seattle, Wash.
Lake Viking Marine, Gallatin, Mo.
Lakeside Motor Sports, Mecosta, Mich.
Legend Boats, Whitefish, Ontario
Lodder’s Marine, Fairfield, Ohio
Lynnhaven Marine, Virginia Beach, Va.
Maple City Marine Ltd., Chatham, Ontario
Marine Center of Indiana, Indianapolis, Ind.
Marine Sales Inc., Counce, Tenn.
Mark’s Marine Inc, Hayden, Idaho
Miami Nautique International, Miami, Fla.
Nautical Ventures Group, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
North Texas Marine, Gainesville, Texas
Ocean Marine Group, Inc., Ocean Springs, Miss.
Off Shore Marine, Inc., Branchville, N.J.
Omaha Marine Center, Inc., Omaha, Neb.
Orleans Boat World & Sports, Orleans, Ontario
Paris Marine Ltd., Selwyn, Ontario
Payne Marine Ltd., Pointe au Baril, Ontario
Plantation Boat Mart, Tavernier, Fla.
Port Sandfield Marina Ltd., Port Sandfield, Ontario
Rayburns Marine, Kelowna, B.C.
Redline Watersports, Madison, Wis.
Reed’s Marine, Inc, Delavan, Wis.
Sea Ray of Cincinnati/Louisville, Cincinnati, Ohio
Shipyard Marine, Suamico, Wis.
Short’s Marine, Inc., Millsboro, Del.
Silver Spray Sports, Inc., Fenton, Mich.
Skier’s Marine Inc., Westover, Ala.
Slalom Shop Boats and Yachts, Lewisville, Texas
South Florida Mastercraft, Boynton Beach, Fla.
South Shore Marine, Huron, Ohio
Spicer’s Boat City, Houghton Lake, Mich.
Spring Brook Marina, Inc., Seneca, Ill.
Starboard Marinas / The Harbor, Branson, Mo.
Superior Boat Repair & Sales, Rancho Cordova, Calif.
Table Rock Boats, Kimberling City, Mo.
The Boat House, Cape Coral, Fla.
The Boat Shop, Tafton, Penn.
The Great Outdoors Marine, Lavalette, W.V.
The Sportsman, San Benito, Texas
Tobler Marina, Hayden, Idaho
Traverse Bay Marine, Traverse City, Mich.
Vallely Sport & Marine, Bismarck, N.D.
WakeSide Marine, Elkhart, Ind.
Wayzata Marine, Inc, Orono, Minn.
