Straight Arrow Marine opened its new Fort Myers facility on July 1, establishing a comprehensive performance boating operation that delivers specialized sales, service, storage, transportation, and concierge support to high-performance boat owners across Southwest Florida.
Founded and owned by longtime industry professional Tim Gallagher, the company aims to streamline every facet of ownership for discerning clients. As an authorized dealer for Marine Technology Inc. (MTI), Straight Arrow Marine provides regional customers with local access to factory-authorized sales and service for one of the performance boating world’s most recognized brands.
“As we continue to grow our MTI family we look forward to partnering with Straight Arrow Marine and the extraordinary service they offer customers,” said Randy Scism, President of MTI. “Connor Smith is a great addition to the team with a strong background of working with the brand. Tim Gallagher has been involved with MTI for many years and we are excited for the expansion in Fort Myers.”
Gallagher, who previously worked in sales roles with Marine Technology Inc., Performance Boat Center, and other builders and dealers, saw a clear opportunity in the local market. “Obviously I’ve been in this business forever, but now I’m trying to do this on my own,” he said. “I saw a need here in Fort Myers for a more customer-oriented service facility. There are some facilities here, but they’re not well-equipped and they’re not ideal for boats that are very big. Also, there’s a lack of responsiveness. My goal was to secure a big facility with no dirt or dust that would be perfect to keep million-dollar boats and provide a quality service for their owners, where the boats are inside and kept immaculate. We can service them, and even if the owners don’t have a house here, they can fly in, and we’ll put the boat in the water for them, let them enjoy their boat, and then we’ll take care of it when they’re not here.”
The 30,000-square-foot indoor storage facility is fully insulated, featuring 30-foot ceilings, fire sprinklers, large 15-foot-high by 15.5-foot-wide entry doors, a concrete yard with fenced perimeter, and a monitored security system with video and audio recording. Gallagher notes the building is 78.5 feet deep with big garage doors and clean concrete floors, allowing boats up to 77 feet overall length on a trailer to be stored securely. “I’ve got a monitored alarm system with license plate readers. It’s as secure as possible,” he added. The site offers wide commercial road access from I-75 and to the Punta Rassa Boat Ramp, and sits just 10 minutes from Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) and nearby hotels and resorts, some with waterfront slips.
Storage options range from daily and monthly to seasonal, summer layup, and custom programs. Concierge services can include transport to and from the Punta Rassa Boat Ramp, post-outing washes and engine flushes, trailer rinsing with Salt Away, periodic battery charging, and cover placement. Detailing, polishing, waxing, and deep-cleaning are also available.
“Southwest Florida has an incredible boating community, but performance boat owners need a level of expertise, responsiveness and hands-on care that goes far beyond traditional storage or service,” Gallagher said. “Straight Arrow Marine was created to be a trusted, single-source partner—whether a customer is buying or selling a boat, maintaining it, storing it, transporting it or preparing for a day on the water. Our goal is to make ownership easier and deliver truly personalized service.”
He expects strong local demand while highlighting a broader appeal: “I think a lot of our client base will be the local people who own homes here, and need their boats taken care of. But the bonus attraction is for the people who don’t necessarily own property in Florida, who still want a boat in Florida. All our friends from California or Michigan who aren’t using their boats during a certain time of year can ship their boats down here and just fly in at the airport, and I can have the boat sitting at a dock at a hotel before they even arrive.”
Gallagher’s decades of experience span high-performance and luxury segments, including roles with MTI, Cigarette Racing Team, Deep Impact Boats, Invincible Boats, and Performance Boat Center. He is joined by Conner Smith, a Southwest Florida native with more than 12 years in the marine industry. Smith previously built and operated a marine service and storage business, is a member of the MTI Support program, a Mercury Certified Technician, and a U.S. Coast Guard Master Captain.
Straight Arrow Marine has also formed a strategic partnership with MB Performance Marine, founded by industry veteran Mark Bonafide. With nearly 35 years in high-performance offshore boating—including offshore racing, OEM factory representation, dealer support, Mercury certification, transportation, and ownership of a successful service and storage operation—Bonafide brings deep, hands-on expertise.
“I didn’t want to start this business and just hire the typical ‘Employees’ that I need to train,” Gallagher explained. “I knew I wanted trustworthy, experienced people with me that share my drive to provide excellent service to our customers, and have a vision for the future well beyond just clocking in and out. Conner and Mark will be a huge factor in having Straight Arrow on the throttle from day one.”
“I have spent my career helping build respected marine brands and working directly with customers who expect the best,” Gallagher added. “This company brings those experiences together in one place, with a focus on trust, attention to detail and concierge-level care.”
Straight Arrow Marine is now open and serving customers from its Fort Myers location. For new MTI sales, used and brokerage sales, service, storage, transportation, or concierge inquiries, call 239-999-4271 or visit www.straightarrowmarine.us.