Why We Built Marine Elite™
The Story That Started It All
When my dad was 10, fishing with his dad, cousin, and uncle, his uncle tried to get a hook out with a knife instead of pliers—the knife slipped and sliced his forearm wide open. They had nothing. Just wrapped a shirt around it. He nearly bled out just 5 minutes from shore.
Years later, I was at a baseball game when someone got hurt. The first aid kit had band-aids. That's it. That night, my dad told me that story. I asked: "What if this happens on our boat? What if help is 30 minutes away instead of 5?"
The answer terrified us. Every marine first aid kit we found was the same junk—aspirin, band-aids, maybe some gauze. Nothing that would actually save someone's life during those critical first minutes before help arrives.
So we built what SHOULD exist.
Marine Elite™ is co-founded by my mom, a Nurse Practitioner with extensive emergency medicine experience, operationally driven by me (Gabe, age 14), with my brother Ryan and dad Jason building this family venture together. We're creating real solutions for families like ours who refuse to accept "good enough" when lives are on the line.
Professional-grade tourniquets. Hypothermia-resistant hemostatic gauze. Vented chest seals. The real gear that stops bleeding and keeps people alive when help is far away.
— Gabe Hirschhorn, Founder & CEO of Marine Elite™
Our Values
Real Solutions
We don't compromise on quality or effectiveness. Every item in our kits is chosen because it actually saves lives, not because it looks good on a shelf.
Family-Driven
We're building this for families like ours. Every decision is made with the thought: "Would I trust this to protect my family?"
Marine-Focused
We understand marine emergencies. Our kits are designed by boaters, for boaters, with input from emergency responders and medical professionals.
Professional Grade
Approved emergency response components. Hospital-grade supplies. The same gear used by emergency responders and medical professionals.
The Team
Gabe Hirschhorn
Founder & CEO, Age 14
Operationally driven founder who identified the market gap and led the vision. Gabe is responsible for product design, branding, pricing strategy, and overall business direction. When he's not building Marine Elite, he plays competitive baseball and maintains a rigorous training regimen.
Mom - Nurse Practitioner
Co-Founder, Medical Director
Extensive emergency medicine experience ensures every kit contains clinically appropriate, life-saving components. Medical expertise guides all product decisions and professional medical standards compliance.
Dad - Jason
Co-Founder, Operations
Oversees manufacturing partnerships, supply chain, and logistics. Brings real-world boating experience and ensures kits meet marine environment demands.
Ryan
Co-Founder, Product Development
Works alongside the team on product optimization, testing, and continuous improvement. Ensures kits perform in real-world marine conditions.
Our Mission
To provide professional-grade trauma kits that empower boaters to be the first responder in marine emergencies. We believe that when help is 30 minutes away—or an helicopter ride away—you deserve gear that actually works. Marine Elite™ exists to bridge that critical gap between injury and professional help.
We're not just selling first aid kits. We're giving families peace of mind. We're enabling boaters to take control of their safety. We're building a community of people who refuse to accept "good enough" when lives are on the line.
Join the Founding Fleet
Be among the first 500 boaters to secure your Marine Elite kit at founding member pricing.