Marine & Boating
South Florida marine businesses juggle seasonal cash flow, expensive inventory, and multiple revenue streams. Controller-level oversight keeps you from flying blind.
The Business of Being on the Water
Marine businesses in South Florida operate in a unique financial environment. A boat dealer might move three vessels in January and nothing in September. A marina collects annual slip fees upfront while paying for dock repairs throughout the year. A charter captain earns 70% of annual revenue in four months. The cash patterns are anything but steady.
Most marine businesses also run multiple revenue streams under one roof. The marina sells fuel, rents slips, operates a service shop, and maybe runs a small ship store. The boat dealer has new sales, brokerage deals, trade-ins, and a service department. Each line has different margins, different timing, and different accounting requirements. Without proper separation, you have no idea what actually makes money.
Who This Covers
Who This Covers
Boat dealers and yacht brokers, marinas and boatyards, marine repair and service operations, yacht management companies, and charter operators. Any marine business in South Florida dealing with expensive assets, seasonal revenue, and financial complexity beyond basic bookkeeping.
What Makes It Complex
What Makes It Complex
Floor plan financing on dealer inventory. Deferred revenue from annual slip contracts. Warranty receivables from manufacturers. Multiple revenue streams with vastly different margins. High-value assets requiring proper depreciation. Seasonal cash flow swings that can mask real profitability.
What We Handle
We provide controller-level oversight for marine businesses that have moved past basic bookkeeping. Your internal staff handles the daily transactions. We make sure those transactions are recorded correctly, that your financial statements reflect reality, and that you have the visibility to make decisions. Month-end close includes proper accruals for warranty work, deferred revenue recognition on annual contracts, and depreciation on vessels and equipment.
For businesses requiring deeper strategic guidance, our CFO advisory services address the planning side. Cash flow forecasting that accounts for seasonal patterns. Scenario modeling for fleet expansion or facility investment. Analysis of which revenue streams deserve more resources and which ones drain capital. This is the financial leadership that lets you grow with intention rather than reacting to whatever hits the bank account.
Revenue Stream Separation
Revenue Stream Separation
Slip rentals tracked separately from fuel sales, service labor, parts, and retail. Each line shows its own margin. You see which operations justify their overhead and which ones need pricing adjustments or operational changes.
Inventory and Floor Plan Management
Inventory and Floor Plan Management
For dealers, we track inventory carrying costs against floor plan interest. You know the true cost of holding that 42-footer for six months. Trade-in valuations and manufacturer incentives are recorded properly so gross profit reflects reality.
What Goes Wrong Without Oversight
Marine businesses often look profitable in season and desperate in the off months. The problem is that annual expenses like insurance, property taxes, and major maintenance get paid regardless of revenue timing. Without proper accrual accounting, the winter months look great because you collected slip fees. Summer looks terrible because you paid the insurance premium. Neither picture is accurate.
Boat dealers face a different trap. Floor plan interest accrues daily on unsold inventory, but it is easy to ignore until the bill comes. A boat sitting on the lot for eight months might have $15,000 in carrying costs that never made it into the deal analysis. The sale looked profitable on paper. The reality was break-even or worse.
Deferred Revenue Mistakes
Deferred Revenue Mistakes
Collecting $24,000 for an annual slip rental is not $24,000 in January income. It is $2,000 per month recognized over twelve months. Recording it all upfront inflates early-year profits and creates phantom cash that belongs to future periods.
Service Department Black Hole
Service Department Black Hole
Marine service operations often run without clear job costing. Technician hours, parts, and sublet work get lumped together. You cannot tell if the service department makes money or just keeps customers happy while bleeding cash.
What Changes
You stop managing by bank balance and start managing by actual financial performance. Monthly statements reflect true profitability with revenue recognized when earned and expenses matched to the periods they belong to. Seasonal cash needs become predictable. You build reserves during high season knowing exactly what the slow months will require.
Investment decisions get easier. You have real numbers on service department profitability before deciding to expand the shop. You know the true cost of inventory before agreeing to take on more floor plan. When you sit down with the bank for a facility loan or equipment financing, you bring financials that hold up to scrutiny. The banker sees a business that knows its numbers.
Seasonal Cash Flow Planning
Seasonal Cash Flow Planning
Forecasts built around your actual revenue patterns. You know how much to set aside in February to cover July payroll. No more surprise scrambles during the slow season or unnecessary credit line draws.
Strategic Growth Support
Strategic Growth Support
Adding a second location, buying out a competitor, or investing in new service bays becomes a calculated decision. You have the financial foundation to model the investment and the ongoing reporting to track whether it delivers the expected return.
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Let's Talk About Your Business
Tell us about your business and your goals. We'll discuss how Jargo can support your financial operations and growth.