Brunswick Launches Boateka — Certified Pre-Owned Boats With a 100-Point Inspection
Brunswick Corporation — the parent company behind Mercury Marine, Boston Whaler, Sea Ray, Lund, Harris, and dozens of other marine brands — has entered the certified pre-owned boat market with a program called Boateka.
The concept is straightforward: take the certified pre-owned model that transformed the used car market and apply it to boats. The centerpiece of the program is something the used boat market has never really seen at scale:
Every boat that carries the Boateka certification goes through a rigorous 100-point inspection.
That is a big deal. In the used boat world, “inspected” has historically meant whatever the seller wanted it to mean. There has been no industry-wide standard, no checklist a buyer could point to and say, “This boat passed that process.” Boateka changes that. The 100-point inspection covers the hull, engine, electrical systems, steering, fuel system, trailer, upholstery, electronics, and cosmetics — stem to stern, inside and out.
The Merritt Island Refurbishment Center
In July 2022, Brunswick opened a 22,000-square-foot refurbishment center in Merritt Island, Florida, purpose-built for the Boateka program. The facility handles the full reconditioning pipeline:
- Engine service and repair (Mercury-certified technicians)
- Electrical diagnostics and rewiring
- Fiberglass repair and gelcoat restoration
- Upholstery replacement and interior detailing
- Full cosmetic detailing — hull, deck, hardware
- Trailer inspection and reconditioning
Once a boat clears the 100-point inspection and any necessary reconditioning work, it earns the Boateka certification and is listed for sale with full transparency on its condition.
Where Do the Boats Come From?
A significant portion of Boateka’s inventory comes from Freedom Boat Club, Brunswick’s membership-based boat club with 360+ locations across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Freedom Boat Club rotates its fleet regularly, which creates a steady supply of late-model, well-maintained boats — many with relatively low engine hours. These boats have been maintained on a commercial schedule (regular service, professional storage) rather than sitting in a backyard between uses.
The result is a pipeline of used boats that are, on average, in better mechanical condition than what you typically find on the private resale market.
Free 90-Day Warranty
Boats that pass the Boateka certification process come with a complimentary 90-day limited warranty. For the used boat market — where most private sales are strictly “as-is” — that alone sets the program apart. Extended warranty options are available beyond the initial 90 days.
Why It Matters
The used boat market has been one of the last major vehicle segments without a credible, manufacturer-backed certification program. Cars have had CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) programs from every major automaker for decades. Motorcycles, RVs, and even heavy equipment have followed. Boats — until now — have mostly been left to handshake deals, marine surveyor reports (which vary wildly in quality), and buyer beware.
A standardized 100-point inspection backed by the largest recreational marine company in the world is genuinely new territory for the industry.
For buyers, it means a level of confidence that hasn’t existed in the used boat space. For the broader marine market, it could push the entire pre-owned segment toward higher standards — the same way CPO programs forced used car dealers to up their game in the 1990s and 2000s.
Learn More
Browse Boateka’s current certified inventory at boateka.com. For more on Brunswick Corporation, visit brunswick.com.
