Marinalife
Marinalife, a source for premium content, marina information and cruising concierge services.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
* | $5.0m | Series A | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
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Marinalife operates as a comprehensive digital platform and media company catering to the recreational boating market. The company was established in February 2000 by Joy McPeters, a lifelong boater who, along with her husband Doug, identified a significant gap in the market for a centralized resource for marina information and reservations. The idea was born from their personal frustration in 1999 while trying to find and book a marina slip for a trip on the Chesapeake Bay. This experience led to the creation of a web portal analogous to hotel booking sites but tailored for the marine industry.
The business model is multifaceted, generating revenue through a membership program, advertising, and a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform for marina operators. The core of the business is connecting boaters with marinas. For boaters, Marinalife offers a suite of services including a marina directory, travel planning tools, curated cruising itineraries, and destination guides. Its subscription-based Cruising Club provides members with discounts on dockage, fuel, and travel services. For marina operators and marine businesses, the company serves as a targeted marketing channel, offering advertising opportunities across its quarterly print magazine and various digital platforms to reach an affluent boating audience.
A significant milestone in the company's history was its acquisition by Snag-A-Slip in late 2017, a strategic move that integrated Marinalife's content and resources with Snag-A-Slip's online boat slip reservation technology. This combination created a more seamless service for the boating community. In January 2023, Marinalife secured Series A funding from investors including Claritas Capital, TEDCO, and the University System of Maryland Momentum Fund to scale operations and enhance its technology offerings. The company's primary product for marinas is Marinalife Manager, a software solution that helps operators streamline bookings, manage internal operations, and access real-time analytics. The platform for boaters, which includes the Snag-A-Slip functionality, allows users to search for marinas by location and amenities and book slips directly online or via a mobile app.
Keywords: marina reservations, boat slip booking, recreational boating, cruising guides, boater resources, marine travel, marina management software, boat dockage, Chesapeake Bay boating, boating lifestyle magazine, online marina directory, yachting, boat trip planning, marine industry marketing, SaaS for marinas, Snag-A-Slip, boating destinations, waterway navigation, marine services, boat travel discounts