The nation’s largest recreational boat and yacht retailer acquired Fraser Yachts and added Benetti Yachts and MJM Yachts to their premium roster.
It’s been an eventful summer for MarineMax.
The Clearwater, Florida-based yacht retailer is putting the final touches on their acquisition of Fraser Yachts from the Azimut Benetti Group that includes exclusive North America representation for Benetti Yachts. “We have been thinking about this strategy for a while,” CEO and President Brett McGill told me, “It’s a natural type of partner for the extension of our business.”
Headquartered in Monaco with 20 satellite offices, Fraser gives MarineMax an immediate worldwide presence and a seasoned yacht brokerage, management and chartering platform as well as crew placement and build consultation services. McGill told me that the Fraser name will stay intact and the teams will continue to operate as they have before the acquisition. “The name and credibility are excellent and there’s a superb team in place in Monaco and the U.S. They’re experts in their field.”
A longtime partner of the Azimut Benetti Group—MarineMax has represented Azimut stateside since 2006—the Benetti Yachts deal expands their offerings into the superluxe, superyacht market. The history of Benetti is nearly unrivaled in the industry with well over 100 years as a premium builder and a “world class” roster of vessels from 95 to 140 feet and beyond.
In addition to Benetti, add MJM Yachts to MarineMax’s expansive offerings. Within a week of the 300th MJM coming out of the mold and their flagship 53-footer being launched, MarineMax became the exclusive MJM dealer for Florida’s west coast and Stuart and Palm Beach locations. “MJM fits our premium customers,” McGill told me, “It’s a segment of the market that continues to have great success.”
MarineMax has “always been a company to get [our customers] out boating and as they look to expand in size as the place for their next boat,” McGill mentioned. With an already robust lineup of vessels in just about every class and via their new acquisitions, MarineMax will continue to do this, but now on the world’s stage.
