Our Story

Smooth Throttle was founded on a simple belief: buying an outboard motor shouldn’t feel like a gamble. We bring transparency, expertise, and genuine care to every transaction — because we’re boaters too.

We know what it’s like to search for a reliable outboard, sift through listings with grainy photos and vague descriptions, and wonder if the engine will last a season or die on the first trip out. That frustration is exactly why Smooth Throttle exists. We bridge the gap between the quality you need and the convenience you expect in today’s marketplace.

Smooth Throttle launched in 2018 out of Charleston, South Carolina — a city where the water is woven into everyday life. Founder Alex Marino spent over a decade working in marine service and sales, seeing firsthand how many buyers were getting burned by poorly maintained used motors and inflated pricing.

“The used outboard market had a trust problem,” Alex says. “I knew there was a better way — take the same rigorous standards we applied in a professional service shop and bring them directly to the buyer. Inspect everything. Be honest about condition. Set a fair price. That’s it.”

What started as a small inventory of ten motors in a rented warehouse has grown into one of the Southeast’s most trusted outboard retailers, serving customers in all 50 states.