When Clayton Raven was 11 years old, he sold his first boat. That was in the early 1970s, not long before his parents, Joyce and Louis Raven, purchased Boat Town, a dealership that had been part of the central Texas boating scene since 1961.
Today, he and his wife, Karen, own and operate the business, and their sons Clay and Cody have stepped into sales management roles. “It’s taken 65 years to get where we are,” he says. “Everyone who’s been around helps pass along our culture to new team members as we grow.”
Made for the Water
Central Texas is threaded with lakes: Austin, Travis, LBJ, Buchanan, Marble Falls, Canyon and more. The dealership’s original location was on Lake Austin, until a fire destroyed the marina in 1991 and forced a move to South Lamar, where the flagship store still operates. The second location, opened in 2018, is on Lake LBJ in Kingsland with two restaurants, a retail shop and dockage for more than 50 boats. The latest Boat Town location opened this past January in New Braunfels, coinciding with a 65th anniversary celebration.
Boat Town has carried MasterCraft since 1986 and Cobalt since 1989, adding Chris-Craft in 2016 and Barletta pontoons in 2017. The newest addition, Flamingo Marine, arrived in 2026. Engine partnerships include Ilmore, Volvo Penta and Mercury.
With 50 to 75 employees, depending on the season, Boat Town offers full service across makes and models, but with a deliberate constraint at two locations: Service there is limited to boats purchased through the dealership. Shorter wait times, Raven says, are central to the value proposition.
The flagship location also offers 24-hour, open-air, self-service storage for boats, trailers and RVs, and the company provides dockside service on area lakes for smaller jobs that can be completed without hauling. In-house gelcoat and fiberglass repair are available. “The main thing is that we have key team members who’ve been with us for a long time and help our growing team buy into the culture internally,” Raven says. “We’re also fortunate to have key players on the manufacturer side, as well.”
Persisting Through Challenges
The past 12 months tested Boat Town in ways well beyond market conditions. On July Fourth weekend in 2025, catastrophic flooding struck the central Texas Hill Country. Lives were lost, properties were damaged, and the region’s lakes were closed for a time during the heart of the boating season. “It was certainly a challenge for our dealership,” Raven says. “It’s easy to stay in the industry when things are good, but when they slow down and things get tough, and everybody stays true to the culture and does the right thing, it always pays off in the end.”
The broader climate backdrop has compounded the difficulty. Central Texas has weathered a sustained drought, with lake levels and accessibility suffering across the watershed. Raven says he’s cautiously optimistic that shifting Pacific Ocean patterns (a move toward El Niño conditions) will bring more rainfall and help restore the region’s lakes.
Still, Boat Town posted year-over-year growth. Austin’s transformation into one of the country’s leading technology hubs has created a favorable demographic tailwind. The income bracket arriving with the tech sector maps closely to the brands that Boat Town represents. “We’re hopeful for continued growth with the increasing opportunity,” Raven says.
The dealership also keeps an eye westward. The Midland-Odessa oil and gas corridor represents another segment of the Texas economy with purchasing power for premium products, though Raven says the current geopolitical climate introduces uncertainty.
Marketing at Boat Town is managed largely in-house, with outside help on technical execution. The internal team’s advantage, Raven says, is that they are the audience. “When we are our own target audience, this helps us shape our messaging appropriately,” he says. “The long-game framing — building brand trust with buyers who aren’t yet ready to purchase — drives the approach.”
Eyes on the Next 65
The most recent signature event combined Boat Town’s annual in-house boat show with a 65th anniversary celebration. More than 500 people attended, and the highlight was a traditional water-ski show. “It really took us all back to our roots,” Raven says, “reminding us why we fell in love with the lake and life of watersports to begin with.”
Boat Town has a 13-acre property that’s fully permitted and ready to develop as its next location. The company is positioning for what Raven sees as a defining period, even though the family’s philosophy hasn’t changed. “We pride ourselves on helping people buy a boat,” he says, “rather than just trying to sell them one.” n
If you would like your dealership profiled, email david.conway@firecrown.com.
This story originally appeared in the July 2026 issue of Soundings Trade Only.
