Tag Archives: boats

Bremerton Marina now 85 percent full

harbor3_18647849_ver1.0_640_480Bremerton Marina crept closer to full occupancy this summer.

Boats filled 187 of 221 permanent moorage slips in the downtown marina in July, up from 164 in July of 2015, and 88 back in 2012. July and August are peak months for the facility.

Marina marketing consultant Bob Wise told Port of Bremerton commissioners Tuesday that the port’s “two-for-one” moorage discount continues to reel in boaters.

The deal allows tenants to pay moorage every other month, if they agree to a two-year contract.

The port rolled out the discount in 2013, and offered it again at the Seattle Boat Show in January. That resulted in 31 new leases, Wise said.

Most tenants are sticking around to sign full-rate contracts after their two-year discounts expire. The retainment rate for boaters attracted by the two-for-one deal is about 70 percent, Wise said.

The discount “gives us an opportunity to showcase what we have to offer,” he said.

More downtown activity is also helping draw attention to the marina. A revamped Rock the Dock concert series drew large crowds this summer (the last concert of the season is Saturday). Brewfest and the Harbor Festival are popular with boaters.

The port continues to aggressively plug the marina on social media, in magazine ads, and at boat shows. Revenue has increased as slips filled up, but the facility is still far from breaking even.

Boat sales are back in a big way

20080627-173841-pic-90777257_5695367_ver1.0_640_480It’s hard to beat boat sales as an indicator of luxury spending.

Boats are typically expensive to buy, expensive to maintain, and expensive to use. In short, owning a boat is a great way to dispose of disposable income.

With the exception of live-aboards, maritime professionals and remote island dwellers, very few boat owners can claim to really need their boats.

Like sales of many other luxury goods, boat sales took a dive during the recession. Droves of underwater boat owners literally walked away from their vessels.

20070619-190929-pic-800119525_5727290_ver1.0_640_480Now the boating industry is rising from the depths. Boat sales seemed to turn a corner in 2013, as I noted  in a story a couple of springs ago.

Sales continued to grow during the past two years, likely buoyed by the improving economy, falling gas prices and long, hot summers.

Puget Sound Business Journal reported this week that more than a quarter of Washington households own a boat, and sales in the state jumped 24 percent in 2015.

harbor3_18647849_ver1.0_640_480We don’t have access to boat sales as a dollar amount here in Kitsap, but we do know how many vessels were sold to people who keep their boats in the county, thanks to data from Washington Sea Grant and the Northwest Marine Trade Association.

By their count, total boat sales for Kitsap increased 21 percent between 2010 (when activity bottomed out) and 2015. The rebound of new boats sales was more dramatic, jumping 102 percent over the same period.

New vessels accounted for 12 percent of Kitsap boat sales in 2015. The data include all power boats and sailboats with titles (so no kayaks or paddle boards).

Here’s a graphic showing boat sales for Kitsap since 2009:

SAFE Boats unveils ‘multi-mission’ vessel

safe.boatsSAFE Boats International announced a new model in its lineup of commercially-available”interceptor” vessels.

The Port of Bremerton-based manufacturer unveiled the 35-foot “Multi-Mission Interceptor” Wednesday at the Multi-Agency Craft Conference in Baltimore, according to a news release.

“We are excited to launch the Multi-Mission Interceptor, one of the most versatile and highest performing models in our already great portfolio”, SAFE Boats CEO Dennis Morris said in the release.

The aluminum vessel boasts a maximum speed of more than 55 knots, and is capable of tight maneuvers and open-ocean crossings. A unique mounting system allows the rear deck to be reconfigured quickly.

SAFE Boats recently celebrated a milestone with the completion of its 2,000th hull and the delivery of its first coastal interceptor for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

New Eagle Harbor Marina owner plans overhaul

eagle.harborA new owner has acquired majority interest in Bainbridge Island’s Eagle Harbor Marina, and plans a major rebuild.

The new owner of the 105-slip marina is Eagle Harbor Partners, LLP, headed by islander Bob Wise. Wise said the popular facility was built in 1980 and needs some work.

“Our first effort will be to completely rebuild the facility,” Wise said in an announcement. “The current facilities are literally worn-out. When finished, the marina will offer industry leading amenities and environmental protections as part of Washington State’s Clean Marina Program.”

eagle.harbor.marinaThe overhaul will include new docks, pilings, electrical hardware, Wi-Fi and in-slip pump out, along with an upgraded security system. Wise said the work will be completed this winter.

Slips at the marina range from 30 feet to 90 feet. The onshore property includes bathrooms, showers, laundry storage and a 50-stall parking lot.

Separately, Wise owns the Home Port Marina in Brinnon, and Port Hadlock Marina. He’s the director of the Recreational Boaters Association of Washington and member of a number of other boating association. Wise also serves a marina marketing consultant for the Port of Bremerton.

Port launches free Wi-Fi at marinas

marina
Boaters can now surf the web while snug in their slips at the Bremerton and Port Orchard public marinas.

The Port of Bremerton has launched a free Wi-Fi service at both Sinclair Inlet marinas, according to a Monday announcement.

“Studies have shown, and our customers have repeatedly told us that the number one utility they value bar none is connectivity,” port CEO Jim Rothlin said in the announcement. “It’s also the number one frustration they have with marinas as it can so often be weak, slow and unreliable.

The network provides a 125-megabyte-per-second access link shared by both facilities, which can be scaled up to 1 gigabyte-per-second as demand increases.

marina_23283854_ver1.0_640_480The system can accommodate up to 1,000 devices at a time. Service is provided by NW Commnet of Bremerton. 

In an email, Rothlin said the agency spent about $150,000 installing a fiber optic backbone and Wi-Fi system at both marinas.

Hardware chosen for the network had to be especially rugged to survive in the corrosive marine environment.

“I would say the biggest challenges were getting coverage through all parts each marina, dealing with getting coverage within covered moorage, and keeping the connection across the two marinas as the tide goes in and out,” Rothlin said. 

The full announcement, with more technical info, is posted below:  Continue reading →

SAFE Boats builds vessels for Bahamas Police

safe.boats.bahamas

Two boats tested in Sinclair Inlet are now patrolling sunnier seas.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force has accepted delivery of a pair of 41-foot, center console interceptor vessels manufactured by Bremerton’s SAFE Boats International, according to a news release.

The boats will primarily be used to combat drug smuggling and human trafficking in water surrounding the archipelago. Special features include a thermal imaging camera and multi-function display screens for the crew.

The offshore interceptor vessels can achieve speeds of more than 50 knots, even in rough water. Bahamas police have four of the boats in service.

SAFE Boats recently landed a $48 million U.S. Customs contract to build 52 Coastal Interceptor Vessels. The company will begin delivering those vessels this year, according to the release.

SAFE Boats’ small boat manufacturing center is located in the Port of Bremerton’s Olympic View Industrial Park, near Bremerton National Airport.

Click here for more maritime industry posts.

SAFE Boats building river patrol vessel for Colombia

safe.boats.riverine
The new riverine interceptor vessel (courtesy SAFE Boats)

Bremerton’s SAFE Boats International has been chosen to build a line of speedy river patrol vessels for the ColI mbian military.

The Colombian Navy/Coast Guard awarded a contract to the manufacturer for the new 30-foot boat, designated as the Type-F Riverine Interceptor Vessel.

“The vessel will perform missions of offensive patrolling, combat drug trafficking, piracy, arms and explosives smuggling and can conduct vessel-to-vessel boarding operations to guarantee the security of commercial shipping lines within Colombia,” according to a news release.safe.logo

The interceptor can carry a crew of up to 10. The boat is powered by twin Yamaha outboards and is capable of reaching 37 knots.

It features a retractable canopy, and front and rear machine gun mounts.

SAFE Boats has completed the first riverine interceptor, which will be delivered this month. The company expects to build as many as two-dozen of the boats for Colombia in coming years.

The Colombian military already has more than 20 SAFE Boats in service, including 41-foot coastal interceptor vessels and 38-foot coastal cabin patrol vessels.

“We have worked very close with the Colombian military to understand just how aggressive and remote their missions can be and to develop a boat that will significantly enhance their patrol and interdiction capabilities on the large rivers of Colombia,” John Hotz, director of sales for Latin America and the Caribbean, said in the release.

SAFE Boats builds its smaller aluminum vessels at a facility in the Port of Bremerton’s Olympic View Industrial Park. A larger line of Navy patrol boats is being built in Tacoma.

Kitsap residents bought more boats last spring

If the early onset of summer weather had you salivating over the “boats” section of Craigslist last spring, you definitely weren’t alone.

Kitsap residents went on a bit of a  boat buying spree in the second quarter of the year.  A total of 717 vessels sold to buyers with moorage in Kitsap County, according to numbers posted by Washington Sea Grant.

That was a 14 percent increase from the same period of 2014, and a 31 percent jump from five years ago.

As you can see from the chart, more county residents are springing for new boats, which is good news for local dealerships, hit hard during the recession.

A number factors are likely propelling the recent surge in boat sales, including the improving economy, relatively low fuel prices and, of course, the sunshine.

SAFE Boats delivering patrol vessels to Tunisia

Tunisia 65 PR

Two boats built in Bremerton will soon be roving off the Mediterranean coast of Africa.

SAFE Boats International recently announced the completion of a pair of 65-foot patrol boats for the Tunisian Navy. One boat already arrived in Tunisia. A second is being delivered.

According to a news release, the boats feature dual 1,600 horse-power diesel engines, shock absorbing seating, climate controlled cabins and navigation equipment. They can reach speeds in excess of 40 knots (nearly 50 mph).

The boats will help the Tunisian Navy conduct search-and-rescue missions and extended offshore patrols.

SAFE Boats’ products already make up a healthy portion of Tunisia’s fleet. The company has previously delivered 20 vessels to the Tunisian Navy, ranging from 25 to 44 feet long.

“We are extremely honored to be a continuing part of the Tunisian Navy and providing products that allow their personnel to accomplish the challenging missions they face.”, SAFE Boats CEO Dennis Morris said in the release.

The 65 foot boats are among the largest vessels SAFE Boats has built at its Port of Bremerton facility. The boats were fabricated in temporary hangars outside the main plant.

Calmer seas for former Port Washington Marina

marinaA sleepy marina on the Port Washington Narrows is enjoying a fresh start.

The marina, which sits just west of the Warren Avenue bridge, ran into financial trouble and was sold at a receiver’s sale about a year ago.

I chatted with the new owners for a larger Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal story:

Partners in the Port Orchard Railway Marina bought the foundering marina on Thompson Drive for about $460,000. The new owners switched the name from Port Washington to Bridgeview Marina, and are gradually catching up on neglected maintenance.

“I think there was a lot of Band-Aid sort of repair work being done,” Bridgeview Marina Inc. president Jeremy McNeil said. “We want to make more permanent repairs.”

They hope to make the marina a more permanent success as well. Fewer than half of the 80 slips are occupied. They hope upgrades to the facilities and competitive prices will help draw boaters back.

The view of the narrows and the bustling bridge above certainly doesn’t hurt.

“The beauty of it is really one of the appeals,” McNeil said.

You can find Bridgeview Marina on Facebook.