The boats and yachts industry includes everything from buying, renting, and selling boats as well as boating parts, equipment, and all accessories that go with it. In 2016, about 15.8 million boats were used for recreational purposes in the US. Boats and yachts can be used for leisure or sports with activities like water skiing and fishing. Here are 10 great boats & yachts affiliate programs to start you off, but don’t forget there are lots of related niches to explore like fishing, outdoor gear, or even luxury watches.
In the case of yachts, you probably want to check out high ticket affiliate programs (companies that have expensive products), since you might find things that pair well with this luxury lifestyle.
Are You Ready To Work Your Ass Off to Earn Your Lifestyle?
Are you tired of the daily grind? With a laptop and an internet connection I built a small website to generate income, and my life completely changed. Let me show you exactly how I’ve been doing it for more than 13 years.
Boats & Yachts Affiliate Programs
- Marine Products
- Boatbooking
- Sea Eagle
- NRS
- Outdoorplay
- West Marine
- Bass Pro Shops
- Cabela’s
- WaterOutfitters
- SONS OF SAILS
Marine Products
- URL: Marine Products Affiliate Program
- Commission: 8-13%
- Cookie: 120 days
Marine Products Pro Shop has been in business since 1971 and is one of the top watersports and boat retailers in the US. They have received 4 Water Sports Industry Associations Dealer of the Year Awards. They stock the best brands in the watersports industry as well as boat parts, marine hardware, life vest, boats, trailers, wakeboards, and more.
Their average order value is $250. Marine Products uses AvantLink to manage their affiliate program. Affiliates have access to marketing materials, tracking tools, and commission payouts. They provide new creatives every month to help increase click-through and conversion rates.
Why Should You Promote Marine Products: Top boat retailer, high AOV, long cookie life
Affiliates can earn up to 13% commissions on sales with an extremely long 120 cookie life.
Boatbooking
- URL: Boatbooking Affiliate Program
- Commission: 20% for new customers, 10% for returning customers
- Cookie: 30 days
Boatbookings is the top online yacht charter in the world. They have bareboat and crewed yacht charters of all shapes and sizes to suit every budget. Customers can choose from motor yachts, event yacht charters, catamarans, or sailboats. Boatbooking is dedicated to giving their customers the perfect charter experience every step of the way.
Affiliates with established sites and a customer base that is complementary to yacht charters such as travel or luxury goods are welcome to apply. Boatbookings provides their affiliates with lead capturing forms, images, and buttons all in their in house affiliate dashboard. Affiliates can also create links to earn commissions with their unique tracking code.
Why Should You Promote Boatbookings: Online yacht charter leader, boats for every need and budget, lot of marketing tools
Affiliate has lots of ways to promote Boatbooking’s services including inquiry forms and buttons to help increase click-through rates.
Sea Eagle
- URL: Sea Eagle Affiliate Program
- Commission: 15% for new customers, 10% for existing customers
- Cookie: 120 days
Sea Eagle has been selling quality inflatable boats and kayaks since 1968. They are a quality alternative to high-cost boats. Their brand is known for their quality, reliability, affordability, and excellent personal customer service. All of their boats come with a full 3-year warranty against manufacturer’s defects.
Their average order is $500 with a higher EPC than any of their competitors. Sea Eagle runs their affiliate program on Commission Junction. Affiliates have access to optimized creatives with high click-through rates. Sea Eagle understands that it takes a lot of work to convert leads so they pay a higher rate than other merchants. The dedicated affiliate team is available to help set up and offer suggestions on how to turn strangers into customers.
Why Should You Promote Sea Eagle: Well known respected brand, high commission rates, 4-month cookie life
If the total sales amount is equal to or greater than $10,000 commissions increase to 18% per action for new customers and 12% for existing customers.
NRS
- URL: NRS Affiliate Program
- Commission: 8%
- Cookie: 90 days
NRS is the largest online specialty kayaking, rafting, and outdoor store. They manufactured the first purpose-built dry bag for boaters in 1974 and have been known for rugged, reliable equipment ever since. They offer a great selection of boating gear and accessories including rafts, catarafts, inflatable kayaks, inflatable fishing boats, life vests, dry bags, storage containers, and more.
They use AvantLink to manage their affiliate program. Affiliates have access to a comprehensive selection of marketing materials including coupons, text links, and banner ads. NRS also provides tools such as data feeds, RSS subscriptions, dynamic product showcases, contextual ad builders, and detailed reporting.
Why Should You Promote NRS: First boating dry bag, rugged reliable equipment, lots of tools and marketing materials
Their dedicated affiliate management team will work with you to help you build traffic, increase conversions, and make more money.
Outdoorplay
- URL: Outdoorplay Affiliate Program
- Commission: 8%
- Cookie: 120 days
Outdoorplay offers the best prices and selection of outdoor gear online. They sell everything from kayaks to tents to camping gear and more. They carry a great selection of rafts, inflatable kayaks, boat parts, boating equipment, and safety gear.
They use AvantLink to manage their affiliate program. Outdoorplay gives their affiliates access to official banners, their product data feed, and text links. Their dedicated affiliate management team is available to answer any questions and help you succeed.
Why Should You Promote Outdoorplay: Best prices, great selection, higher commissions available based on performance
Top performing affiliates can earn commissions of up to 15% per sale.
West Marine
- URL: West Marine Affiliate Program
- Commission: 2-10%
- Cookie: 7 days
West Marine is the world’s largest waterlife outfitter. They are there to support all of your needs for boating, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, watersports, and more. They carry over 120,000 products online and at their 250 stores.
Their average order size is $200. West Marine runs their affiliate program on Commission Junction and FlexOffers. Affiliates have access to a great selection of custom creatives, their product data feed, advanced links, and more. They also receive weekly newsletters with custom promotions and regular updates.
Why Should You Promote West Marine: World’s largest waterlife outfitter, incredible product selection, custom creatives, and promotions
Their commission rate is based on their product category. Sailing, Outdoor Living, Marine Safety are set at 7% commissions. Be sure to check out their terms and conditions to learn more.
Bass Pro Shops
- URL: Bass Pro Shops Affiliate Program
- Commission: 5%
- Cookie: 30 days
Bass Pro Shops is a leading outdoor retailer in boating, fishing, camping, hunting, and outdoor clothing. They carry everything from the best national brands, local favorites, and even their own house brands designed by top outdoorsmen. Their boating selection includes marine electronics, trolling motors, life jackets, towable, boat accessories, even boats.
Their average order value is over $100. Bass Pro Shops has partnered with Commission Junction to manage their affiliate program. Affiliates can use all of the great product images, descriptions, and customer ratings from their website. They also provide access to their daily updated product catalog along with new promotions each month.
Why Should You Promote Bass Pro Shops: Outdoor retail leader, great selection of boating gear, lots of marketing materials
Affiliates can use all of the product descriptions, images, and customer ratings on their websites to help increase their click-through and conversion rates.
Cabela’s
- URL: Cabela’s Affiliate Program
- Commission: 3%
- Cookie: 14 days
Cabela’s is the largest mail order and online retailer in the world. In 2017, Cabela’s was purchased by Bass Pro Shops in 2017 but still maintains its own storefront. They offer a great selection of boating supplies, boats, boating equipment, and more for all your boating needs.
Affiliates can sign up with AvantLink or Impact Radius. Both programs give affiliates access to product widget tools, the product catalog, and marketing materials. They offer free shipping and sales promotions throughout the year.
Why Should You Promote Cabela’s: Largest mail-order retailer, two affiliate programs, lots of sales and promotions
Both affiliate programs offer the same commission rate and cookie life so feel free to join whichever one works best for you.
WaterOutfitters
- URL: WaterOutfitters Affiliate Program
- Commission: 4-8%
- Cookie: 30 days
Water Outfitters opened their first internet shop in 1997. They offer anything and everything you need for water sports. Their CEO set out to make the most comprehensive and helpful watersports website on the internet. Their product catalog includes water skis, wakeboards, life vests, kayaks, towable, and more.
Their average order value is over $185. They have partnered with AvantLink to run their affiliate program. Water Outfitters provides detailed tracking and reporting, product data feeds, and regularly updated creatives. Affiliates receive informative newsletters with the latest promotions and performance suggestions to help increase sales.
Why Should You Promote WaterOutfitters: Most comprehensive watersports website, detailed reporting, regularly updated creatives
Affiliates can earn up to 12% commissions based on performance and placement opportunities.
SONS OF SAILS
- URL: SONS OF SAILS Affiliate Program
- Commission: 40%-50%
- Cookie: unknown
SONS OF SAILS is the company in the charter industry in Croatia, located in Zagreb. They have more than 6500 boats worldwide – from catamarans, motorboats, sailboats, gulets, or motor yachts. They provide the best experience of fast and easy booking thereby saving your time and money.
As an affiliate of SONS OF Sails, your commission starts at 40% for each booking. After you provide more than 10 bookings per year, the commission then becomes 50% of the commission Sons of Sails earns on each booking. Commissions are received after the boat cancellation period or the period when the guest needs to make all the payment for the boat reservation.
Why Should You Promote SONS OF SAILS: High commission, opportunity to earn more commission, a wide selection of boats
Aside from the high commission, SONS OF SAILS is a trusted brand in the charter industry.
Affiliate Website Ideas
Now that you’ve read about 10 great boats and yachts affiliate programs, it’s time to pick a niche to target. You could focus on yacht charters. Boatbookings offers their affiliates 20% commissions for new customers and 10% for returning customers with a 30-day cookie life.
Another niche idea is boat towables for people looking for watersports equipment. Marine Products has a great selection of boating gear. Affiliates earn 8-13% commissions with a very long 120-day cookie life.
You could also target inflatable boats for more affordable boating options. Sea Eagle is an inflatable boat industry leader. They offer 15% commissions for new customers and 10% for existing customers with a 120-day cookie duration.
Boost Your Affiliate Earnings
These 10 affiliate programs are just the beginning of what's possible. There are hundreds of ways to earn affiliate commissions with your website, including product reviews, top 10 lists, how-to guides, and more
But what about traffic and conversions? How do you make sure your affiliate links get clicked?
I used the affiliate training here to turn my brand new website into a six-figure income generator in less than two years. Build a business, not just a pocket-money side project!
Nathaniell
What's up ladies and dudes! Great to finally meet you, and I hope you enjoyed this post. My name is Nathaniell and I'm the owner of One More Cup of Coffee. I started my first online business in 2010 promoting computer software and now I help newbies start their own businesses. Sign up for my #1 recommended training course and learn how to start your business for FREE!
Kristin Hanes
Hello! It seems like West Marine abruptly cancelled their affiliate program with no notice, sadly. Just wanted to let you know.
Nathaniell
Thank you! I update these from time to time, but yes, some expire and need to be swapped out during those updates. I’ll add it to my notes!