Boating Industry magazine reveals Top 100 dealers

MINNEAPOLIS – Buying and servicing a boat is about to become a much easier task for consumers around the country, thanks to Boating Industry magazine’s inaugural Top 100 Dealers, a ranking of those marine dealers that are unsurpassed in overall business operations, customer service, marketing and professionalism.

“While most industry awards are given to those dealers that sell the most boats, our Top 100 program is much more qualitatively focused,” said Matt Gruhn, Editor-in-Chief of Boating Industry, “thereby leveling the playing field for all dealers and directing consumers to those dealers that can best deliver on the dream that boat ownership promises.”

This first-of-its-kind ranking represents an incredibly powerful group of marine dealers. Collectively, they generated more than $2.6 billion in retail sales, which is nearly 10 percent of the entire $30 billion marine market. The 2005 Boating Industry Top 100 employ nearly 6,700 people and operate 342 retail locations across North America.

Topping the list at No. 1 is Clearwater, Fla.-based MarineMax, followed by: Skipper Bud’s, based in Winthrop Harbor, Ill.; Surfside 3 Marina, Inc., based in Lindenhurst, N.Y.; Crystal-Pierz Marine, based in Brainerd, Minn.; and Prince William Marina, based in Woodbridge, Va. The Top 100 Dealers were honored at a black-tie celebration Thursday, Nov. 10, at the Stardust Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Boating Industry’s editorial staff reviewed more than 300 applications, culled from more than 2,000 nominations. The applications asked both quantitative and qualitative questions regarding all aspects of marine dealer operations.

“The Boating Industry Top 100 will, in short order, become the most coveted award in the marine market,” explained Tammy Galvin, Group Publisher for Ehlert Publishing Group’s trade magazines. “Marine dealers are on the front line with consumers every day, and this is one way we can help provide much needed benchmarking information for all other dealers to measure themselves against.”

To help bring the Boating Industry Top 100 to life, Ehlert Publishing Group, the magazine’s parent company, created the Leadership Alliance, an elite group of the marine industry’s leading suppliers. These companies were invited to participate because they possess, as one of their corporate values, a true belief in and commitment to raising the bar of professionalism across all marine industry sectors, and particularly for dealers.

The 2005 Leadership Alliance members include: BRP US Inc., GE Commercial Finance, Yamaha, boats.com, Watch Captain, SHURflo and the Marine Retailers Association of America.

The 2005 Top 100 Dealers:

1 MarineMax, Clearwater, FL
2 Skipper Bud’s, Winthrop Harbor, IL
3 Surfside 3 Marina, Inc., Lindenhurst, NY
4 Crystal-Pierz Marine, Brainerd, MN
5 Prince William Marina, Woodbridge, VA
6 Arrowhead Yacht Club & Marina, Ketchum, OK
7 Slalom Shop Boats and Yachts, Lewisville, TX
8 Russo Marine, Medford, MA
9 Village Marina & Yacht Club, Eldon, MO
10 Sail & Ski Centers, Austin, TX
11 Thunder Marine, St. Petersburg, FL
12 H&S Yacht Sales/Southwestern Yacht Sales, San Diego, CA
13 Port Harbor Marine, South Portland, ME
14 Parks Marina, Okoboji, IA
15 Gordy’s Lakefront Marine, Inc., Fontana, WI
16 Seattle Boat Co., Seattle, WA
17 Lakeside Marine Inc., Lakeside, OH
18 Buckeye Marine, Bobcaygeon, ON
19 Bassett Boat Co., Springfield, MA
20 Clark Marine, Manchester, ME
21 Woodard Marine, Inc., Hydeville, VT
22 Boats Incorporated, Niantic, CT
23 Strong’s Marine, LLC, Mattituck, NY
24 Midwest MasterCraft, Crystal, MN
25 Action Water Sports, Hudsonville, MI
26 Comstock Yacht Sales and Marina, Brick, NJ
27 Hampton Watercraft & Marine, Hampton Bays, NY
28 Hobby Lobby Marine, Toms River, NJ
29 Schock Boats, Newport Beach, CA
30 Duchow’s Boat Center, Oconomowoc, WI
31 JOA, LLC, Marietta, GA
32 Apopka Marine, Inc., Inverness, FL
33 Lockwood Marine, Inc., Townsend, GA
34 Ivancic Marine, Inc., Cleveland, OH
35 Staten Island Boat Sales, Inc., Staten Island, NY
36 San Diego Sundance Marine, San Diego, CA
37 Baert Marine Inc., Danvers, MA
38 St. Barts Yachts, Inc., Charleston, SC
39 George’s Marine & Sports, Ottawa, ON
40 YouCorp, Inc., San Benito, TX
41 Marine USA Inc., Worcester, MA
42 Boat Town, Inc., Austin, TX
43 Lynnhaven Marine, Virginia Beach, VA
44 Jefferson Beach Yacht Sales, St. Clair Shores, MI
45 Tri-State Marine, Deale, MD
46 Boatland, Inc., Escondido, CA
47 Clark’s Landing Boat Sales, Chester, MD
48 O’Hara Marine Inc., Brookfield, CT
49 Marine Connection, Inc., W. Palm Beach, FL
50 Cannons Marina, Incorporated, Longboat Key, FL
51 Link Recreational, Minong, WI
52 Islamorada Boat Center, Islamorada, FL
53 Gage Marine Corp., Williams Bay, WI
54 Rambo Marine, Hazel Green, AL
55 Parker Boat Co., Inc., Orlando, FL
56 Gone Fishin’ Marine, Inc., Dixon, CA
57 Lakeside Marine Inc., Harrisburg, PA
58 Marine Specialties, Sparks, NV
59 Kelly’s Port, Osage Beach, MO
60 The Boating Center, Crestwood, KY
61 D&R Boat World, Green Brook, NJ
62 Westport Marina, Denver, NC
63 Reed’s Marine, Delavan, WI
64 Chatlee Boat & Marine, Sanford, NC
65 Silver Lake Marine, Silver Springs, NY
66 Onekama Marine, Onekama, MI
67 American Marine and Motorsports Super Center, Shawano, WI
68 Liquid Sports Marine, Orlando, FL
69 Texas Marine, Beaumont, TX
70 Walker’s Marine & Yacht Sales, Marco Island, FL
71 Legendary Marine, Destin, FL
72 Dan’s Boats, St. Peters, MO
73 Walstrom Marine, Harbor Springs, MI
74 Short’s Marine, Inc., Millsboro, DE
75 Marine Center of Indiana, Indianapolis, IN
76 Gulf Coast Marine, Inc., Corpus Christi, TX
77 Cobalt Boats of Atlanta, Buford, GA
78 Boat And Motor Superstores, Palm Harbor, FL
79 Bayside Marine Corp., Duxbury, MA
80 White’s Marine Center, Casper, WY
81 Shipyard Marine Inc., Green Bay, WI
82 Custom Marine, Statesboro, GA
83 MacCallum’s Boathouse, Inc., Epsom, NH
84 Omaha Marine Center, Omaha, NE
85 Sima Marine, Eastlake, OH
86 Glenn Marine Family Boating Centers, Ltd., Northport, NY
87 Sportsman’s Outfitter & Marine, Inc., Lee’s Summit, MO
88 Jackson Marine Sales, Inc., North East, MD
89 East Coast Flightcraft, Inc., Middleton, MA
90 Spicer’s Boat City, Houghton Lake, MI
91 Mount Dora Boating Center, Mount Dora, FL
92 Olympic Boat Centers, Bellevue, WA
93 Erickson Marine, Hastings, MN
94 Austin Boats and Motors, Austin, TX
95 Bohner Lacefield Marine, Inc., Madera, CA
96 Hammer’s Ski & Marine, Inc., Petaluma, CA
97 Pine Crest Marine, Inc., Cedar Lake, IN
98 Sunrise Marine, Inc., Mary Esther, FL
99 Lodder’s Marine Sales, Inc., Fairfield, OH
100 Marshall’s Marine, Inc., Lake City, SC

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