Tuesday, August 09, 2016

Marina Jack just keeps on growing

Marina Jack in Sarasota, Fla., was chosen National Marina of the Year for 2015 in the large marina category.

Marina Jack in Sarasota, Fla., is putting the finishing touches on a new branch of its business — a full-service boatyard for vessels as large as 65 feet that includes a 70-ton Travelift, dry-stack storage for 50 boats, a fuel dock, ship’s store, upgraded docks and power, and a team of seven technicians.

Marina Jack bought the property, formerly Turtle Beach Marina, last September. “It’s a great location, but it needed a lot of attention — and we have given it a lot of attention, and we’re proud of what we’ve done,” says Sam Chavers Jr., Marina Jack’s director of marina operations and dockmaster.

Now called Bayfront Yacht Works — “Southwest Florida’s premier marine haulout and repair facility” — the boatyard does jobs that include bottom painting, engine repair and propeller refits. Marina Jack will complete the $6 million renovation of its Bayfront operation next month.

“Waterfront boatyards are disappearing,” says Bob Soran, who has owned Marina Jack since 1999. The marina was established in 1968. “A boatyard like this was very much needed in this area.”

Soran saw the boatyard as an opportunity to better serve his customers. “Previously we were having to send our customers’ vessels to outside vendors for work that didn’t meet the quality level of service that our customers expected from us,” says Soran.

“Therefore, we decided to do it ourselves, and now there is only one party responsible for meeting our customers’ needs, and that’s us. That’s the way it should be. We are proud of what we have done in expanding marina services in the Sarasota area.”