Brazil has a long coastline, warm water for much of the year and a recreational boating market that has been growing quickly. Most of the country's leisure boats come from the state of Santa Catarina in the south, where the yards around Itajaí and Navegantes make up the largest nautical industry hub in Brazil.
This page is a free reference guide to the Brazilian boat brands and models tracked on Boats.za.net, with their specifications and a summary of how boats and skippers are regulated in Brazil.
Santa Catarina: Brazil's Boatbuilding Heartland
Santa Catarina is Brazil's largest producer of leisure boats and the state that exports the most powerboats and yachts, with the yards of Itajaí and Navegantes forming the biggest nautical hub in the country. Brands from the state include Armatti Yachts and Fishing Raptor (São José), Fibrafort and NHD (Itajaí), Onix Yachts (Palhoça), FS Yachts (Biguaçu) and Schaefer Yachts, which has built boats in the state since 1992.
Motor Yachts and Coastal Fishing Boats
Most Brazilian brands on this site are fibreglass motor yachts, sport cruisers and coastal fishing boats, built for coastal cruising, diving and sport fishing. When you compare them, look closely at the engine options and the fuel capacity, because those two numbers decide how far a coastal boat can really go.
RIBs and Sailing Yachts
Brazil also builds rigid inflatable boats, with Flexboat as one example, and a smaller number of sailing yachts, such as those from Delta Yachts and Okean.
Boating Rules in Brazil
Recreational boating in Brazil is regulated by the Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil) through its maritime authority rules, known as NORMAM. The Navy has been revising and renumbering these rules, so check the current text on the Marinha do Brasil website before you buy or launch a boat. What follows is a summary only.
Licences. Anyone operating a recreational boat as a non-professional needs a Carteira de Habilitação de Amador (CHA) issued by the Navy, and must carry it, in physical or digital form, while operating. The main categories are Arrais-Amador for motorboats within inland navigation limits and Motonauta for jet skis, plus the higher Mestre-Amador and Capitão-Amador categories and a sailing category. To take the Arrais-Amador exam, candidates need a training certificate showing at least six hours of practical training, which a valid Brazilian driving licence (CNH) can replace.
Boat registration. Recreational boats must be inscribed with the Navy, which issues a Título de Inscrição de Embarcação (TIE), or a TIEM for very small boats. For boats under 24 metres the deadline is 60 days from the date of purchase, and the title must be renewed every five years. Boats above 100 gross tonnage must also be registered with the Tribunal Marítimo. The boat's TIE and the skipper's CHA must be on board.
Safety equipment. The Navy's rules require lifejackets in sufficient number for everyone on board, plus other mandatory safety items that depend on the boat and where it operates.
About This Page
This page covers the Brazilian brands with specification data on Boats.za.net. Brands and models are added over time, so the list below grows as new spec sheets are checked and published. Industry details come from Brazilian press coverage of the Santa Catarina boat industry, and the rules above were checked against Marinha do Brasil pages in November 2026. Rules change, so confirm anything that affects a purchase with the Navy. If you spot an error or a missing Brazilian brand, let us know.
Specifications on Boats.za.net are compiled from manufacturer and dealer published spec sheets and added to the database as they are checked. Figures are shown as published, so they can differ by model year, engine and options. Please confirm the details with the manufacturer or dealer before you buy.
Found an error or a missing brand? Tell us and we will check it. You can also read more about Boats.za.net.
Guide text last updated 6 November 2026. Spec data last updated 6 November 2026.