Mako Boats for Sale

Hialeah, 1967

Robert Schwebke founded Mako Marine in 1967 in Hialeah, Florida. The early boats were the 17, 19 and 22 center consoles. In 1972 production moved to Opa Locka, which became Mako's Miami plant. Mako went public in 1994.

In January 1997 Tracker Marine, the boat arm of Bass Pro Shops, took control of Mako, initially owning about 81% of it. In 2003 Mako moved manufacturing out of South Florida to Forest City, North Carolina. Mako is now part of White River Marine Group, the Bass Pro boat company, and in 2021 Bass Pro announced plans to move Mako to New Bern, North Carolina alongside Hatteras.

Old Makos and new Makos

The classic Miami-built Makos from the 1970s and 1980s have a loyal following and are often restored and repowered. Newer Makos are built as boat, motor and trailer packages and sold through Bass Pro Shops and dealers with Mercury outboards.

Current-era Makos include offshore center consoles, bay boats and the Pro Skiff line. Model numbers give the length in feet, so a Mako 284 is a 28-foot boat.

Spec sheet: the 236 CC

Mako brought the 236 CC back for 2020 as an outboard center console. BoatTEST lists it at 23'4" with an 8'6" beam, an 18-inch draft and a 21-degree deadrise. Dry weight is 5,010 lbs, fuel is 136 gallons and capacity is 11 people. Height with the hardtop is 12 feet, and storage length on the trailer is 32'10".

Mako's 2021 brochure gives a 350 hp maximum and lists two 22-gallon livewells, an in-console head and a tuna door. Prices that year were plus freight and prep: $124,995 with a single Mercury 250 XXL Verado, $127,000 with the 300 and $129,350 with the 350. Twin 150 FourStrokes were $129,995.

Those 2021 list prices are a useful ceiling when you look at a used 236. Mako has a long spec archive covering its models from 1968 to 2009, which helps if you're looking at an older Mako.

What to check on a used Mako

Year and plant. Find out when and where the boat was built: Miami, Forest City or later. It matters for parts and for what you're actually buying.

Classic Makos. On older boats, check the transom, stringers and deck for wet core and rot. Look at the fuel tank, which may be original. Ask about any repower and who did it.

Outboard. Get the hours and records, and have a mechanic check compression and the lower unit.

Saltwater wear. Check the trailer, steering, outboard mounts and electrical connections for corrosion.

Console and T-top. Look for cracks where they mount, and check the welds.

Pumps. Run the livewell, bilge and washdown pumps.

Package. On newer Makos sold as packages, ask whether the original engine and trailer are still with the boat.