Intrepid Powerboats, Florida's Build-to-Order Center Console Specialist

One boat, one owner, no dealer in between

Intrepid dates itself to 1983, and from the start every hull has been built to order around a named customer. There is no dealer network; the company sells factory direct, so the buyer works with Intrepid itself on layout, power, colors and electronics, and the build sheet ends up documenting each choice. Roughly a fifth of its boats have gone to superyacht owners as tenders, a market the company started out serving almost exclusively, and that shaped details such as hulls that run straight without constant tab or engine-height adjustment.

The current range is grouped into four series, Evolution, Valor, Nomad and Panacea, with models from the 345 Nomad up to the 50 Evolution and 51 Panacea.

From independent builder to MarineMax brand

MarineMax, the largest US boat retailer, agreed to buy Intrepid in October 2021 and completed the deal on November 3, 2021. At the time MarineMax described Intrepid as based in Largo, Florida, with its sales headquarters in Dania, and kept president Ken Clinton and the existing team in charge. Intrepid kept its direct-to-consumer model while gaining access to MarineMax's national service locations. In August 2026 MarineMax agreed to be acquired by Safe Harbor Marinas, a Blackstone Infrastructure portfolio company, in a deal valued at about $1.5 billion, so Intrepid's ultimate owner is changing again.

The 400 Center Console and the stepped-hull era

The model we cover, the Intrepid 400 Center Console, arrived in 2009 as the biggest center console the company had built, with a base price of $286,000. It is a single-step deep-V a little over 40 feet long, offered with two, three or four outboards, with Mercury, Yamaha, Suzuki, Seven Marine and Evinrude all on the menu, and a magazine test of its sibling, the 400 Cuddy, showed it close to 60 mph with the side door still solid. It stayed in the catalog through 2019, and from 2020 the 407 Nomad filled the 40-foot center console slot. Dimensions, tankage and test data are on the model page.

Because every boat was customized, two 400s can differ more than two boats from different builders. That is good news for buyers who want a specific layout, and a reason to read every listing carefully.

Resale and what to check on a used Intrepid

Intrepids hold value well against mass-production center consoles, helped by their finish, side doors and tender reputation. Unusual options or orphaned engines can narrow the buyer pool, though, so price an Evinrude or Seven Marine boat with a future repower in mind.

• Get the factory build sheet and confirm the boat still matches it
• Review hours, service records and gearcases on every outboard
• Look for stress cracking where the molded bracket meets the transom
• Test the side boarding door for leaks at its gaskets, hinges and catches
• Moisture-test cored hull and deck areas around added hardware