CYBA’s Newest Gold Sponsor is Making Waves Across California
The California Yacht Brokers Association is thrilled to introduce our newest Gold Sponsor, Suntex Marinas. As yacht brokers, our success relies entirely on having top tier, reliable infrastructure to place our clients’ vessels. To help our members get to know the team behind a rapidly growing footprint in our local waters, we sat down with Hampus Idsater, Senior Investment Manager at Suntex Marinas, to discuss their operational philosophy, massive West Coast expansion, and new opportunities for collaboration with the CYBA brokerage community.
From Coast to Inland Waters: A Rapidly Expanding Footprint
Suntex Marinas is currently the largest specialized owner, operator, and developer of marinas in the United States, managing over 110 marinas and nearly 50,000 slips across 15+ states. While historically dominant in other regions, Suntex has turned its focus toward the Golden State.
In just three and a half years, Suntex has expanded its California portfolio from three lake-based properties to a massive 24 owned and operated marinas spanning from Northern California down to the Port of Los Angeles.
“The California boating market is incredibly diverse,” Idsater noted during our conversation. “Boating varies significantly by region—from the concentrated sailboat fleets in Ventura County to high-powered wakeboard boats in Lake Tahoe. We are building a portfolio that respects and accommodates those unique regional cultures.”
The Suntex California Portfolio at a Glance
To give our members a clear picture of where Suntex is investing, here is a breakdown of their current regional properties:
| Region | Marina Properties |
| Northern & Central CA | Tahoe Keys Marina (currently undergoing a full rebuild), Pleasure Cove Marina (Napa), Discovery Bay Marina (full-service with on-site dining), and four additional properties in the San Francisco Bay Area. |
| The Sierras | Lake Don Pedro Marina and Moccasin Point Marina. |
| Ventura County | Kinship Marina (recently acquired) and seven properties in Channel Islands Harbor—including Marina Emporium Landing, Bahia Marina, Peninsula Yacht Marina, and Vintage Marina. |
| Southern California | Marina del Rey Marina (309 slips with modern concrete/fiberglass docks acquired in March 2024), Peter’s Landing Marina (Hunting Beach – 325 slips), Treasure Island Marina, Portside Marina, and Cabrillo Way Marina at the Port of Los Angeles. |
The “Suntex Experience”: Respecting Legacy While Investing Heavily
For many yacht brokers, corporate acquisitions of local marinas can trigger anxieties about changing cultures and staff turnover. However, Idsater emphasizes that Suntex operates under a wildly different philosophy.
Suntex leverages its massive financial stability acting as an all-cash buyer with no financing contingencies via institutional backing to execute seamless transitions. But once the ink dries on a deed, their priority turns to preservation.
- Retaining Local Talent: Suntex prioritizes keeping the original marina staff on board, providing them with immense upward corporate mobility. In fact, 50% of Suntex’s regional vice presidents originally came from acquired properties.
- Preserving Legacy: They intentionally maintain the historical names of the properties they buy, simply adding the tag “a Suntex experience” to indicate their standard of operational excellence.
- Heavy Redevelopment: Suntex is vertically integrated, meaning they have their own in-house design, construction, and development teams. Members looking at Channel Islands Harbor can already see this in action, where Suntex is actively redeveloping three marinas (Bahia, Peninsula Yacht, and Vintage) to upgrade infrastructure for a harbor that sees up to one million visitors annually.
Advocacy, Leadership, and Shaking Hands with Brokers
Suntex isn’t just investing capital into California; they are investing leadership. A passionate sailor himself who loves navigating Marina del Rey, Santa Monica Bay, and the Channel Islands, Idsater walks the walk. He serves on the boards of the Marine Recreation Association (MRA) and the Marina del Rey Lessees Association. Furthermore, he was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom and confirmed by the State Senate to serve on the California Boating and Waterways Commission, giving the maritime community a direct voice at the state level.
When asked about regional legislative hurdles such as federal approval delays surrounding live scans for broker licensing Idsater noted that while his current commission focus is at the state level, industry groups like the MRA and CYBA are exactly the forums needed to unite stakeholders and educate policymakers.
A Direct Invitation to CYBA Brokers
Most importantly for our membership, Suntex wants to build a transparent, collaborative bridge with yacht brokers. They understand that a broker’s ultimate goal is finding a safe, premium home for a client’s new vessel.
Suntex openly welcomes CYBA brokers to reach out directly through the Suntex website to discuss partnership opportunities, slip availability, and creative ways to collaborate.
What’s Next?
As our Gold Sponsor, Suntex Marinas is showing a deep commitment to the health and future of the California boating industry. We look forward to working closely with them to ensure our members and their clients enjoy premier access to our state’s beautiful coastal and inland waterways.
