Helm & Horizon

Archive

Every issue, free and permanent

The four most recent editions are below. Each one is a snapshot of what the earnings tape, the charter calendar, and the insurance market were saying that month — with every figure cited to a primary source.

Vol. 1, No. 9 · September 2026

Margins Up, Volumes Down: The Second-Half Split Screen

Blackstone, Donerail, and Centerbridge reach the final round on MarineMax, which posts a record 35.7% gross margin on a 7% revenue decline. Brunswick raises full-year guidance. The Italian Sea Group files for court-supervised insolvency.

Vol. 1, No. 8 · August 2026

The Sharks Circle: Deals, Debt, and a Compressed Charter Calendar

MarineMax refinances $1.49B of senior debt and pushes its maturity wall to 2031. Malibu acquires Saxdor. Mediterranean charter booking lead times collapse from 118 days to 83 year on year.

Vol. 1, No. 7 · July 2026

The Year of the Deal: Consolidation Hits Full Speed

Three deals in thirty days. MasterCraft closes on Marine Products Corp, Off the Hook rolls up Apex Marine, and Sanlorenzo unveils a 2026-2028 plan as June becomes the new August in the Mediterranean.

Vol. 1, No. 6 · June 2026

Summer Selling Season: A Tale of Two Tape Measures

Brunswick beats and raises while MarineMax and OneWater post same-store declines with expanding margins. The dealer business becomes a margin business, not a volume business.

Superyachts berthed along a Mediterranean quay at dusk

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