Front Street Shipyard Owners Buy Cape Charles Yacht Center

The Cape Charles Yacht Center in Virginia now has new owners at the helm with the goal of expanding the shipyard to create a premiere superyacht refit and service facility. The sale and future development of the shipyard will also boost the local economy.

“Virginia’s Eastern Shore has been incredibly welcoming to us,” said Nicole Jacques, who partnered with J.B. Turner to acquire the yacht center on March 1. Jacques is the owner of Rhumbline Communications, a marine-focused marketing agency in Belfast, Maine, and Turner is president and co-owner of Front Street Shipyard, also in Belfast.

“For years we’ve encouraged our customers at Front Street Shipyard to stop into Cape Charles when traveling south, and their feedback has been very positive about the location, quality of service and amenities,” Turner said.

Jacques said the marina is in an ideal location mid-way between New England and Florida; it’s in a foreign trade zone, above the hurricane line, and near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. Cape Charles will provide an upgraded stop for yachts that travel the traditional East Coast circuit, spending summer in New England and winter in the Caribbean.

“They often have to stop in Florida mid-migration for service and refits since there has been a lack of other options,” Jacques said. “Cape Charles is poised to become a strong alternative to the hubbub and water traffic of South Florida. Transient and local boaters all get the perks of a luxury-yacht yard, which is unique to this region.”

Turner and Jacques are developing a multi-year expansion plan with the support of investors. A new service building with five bays for refits and paint jobs on mid-size boats is already under construction. They will also add a hydraulic trailer to make it easier to transport vessels in storage. Future plans include a 30,000-square-foot facility, a 600-ton mobile hoist, and additional floating docks.

“Our first initiative is to grow the yard’s talented workforce and equip them with more modern equipment so we can attract additional international vessels seeking service and major refits,” Jacques said. Being in a foreign trade zone eliminates many duty costs and reduced sales tax on materials and equipment for visiting vessels.

The Cape Charles expansion will give the local economy a boost as well. “We see Cape Charles Yacht Center’s development as beneficial to the entire region, providing as many as 140 new jobs following our expansion,” Jacques said. “We expect to see some new small businesses spring up that cater to boaters and crews. Existing retail shops and restaurants will reap the immediate benefits of our growing customer base.”

Jacques said they are seeing larger vessels spend more time in Cape Charles, so they strive to provide the amenities boaters expect. The yacht center staff will arrange for fuel deliveries on short notice and provide vehicles and golf carts to owners and crew who want to visit town to provision their yachts. The owners developed a relationship with a nearby health facility and golf course to give members access to recreational opportunities.

The boatyard has deep water with 1,000 feet of face dockage. On-site amenities include power, Wi-Fi, showers, laundry and restaurant. The downtown is within walking distance, which gives boaters access to stores, restaurants, shopping and entertainment.

“Our long-term goal is to provide every kind of boater from every part of the world with the services they need in a boatyard and marina,” Jacques said. “We’ll continue to ask boaters what they need and respond with new enhancements to the yard.”