Higher Building and New Docks for Edgartown Yacht Club

The Edgartown Yacht Club in Edgartown, Massachusetts, underwent a major reconstruction during the winter of 2018-2019. To prevent flooding during high-water events, the club decided to raise the existing building and to install new floating docks around the clubhouse. This not only gave members better access to their boats, but also provided side tie-up space during club sailing events.

Atlantic Marine Construction performed the work on the building and the installation of the new decking around it. “We were responsible for the demolition and disposal of the existing kitchen, administrative offices and gift shop, along with demolition of the entire deck structure and piles below,” said John Amenta, the company’s project manager. Crews lifted the building five feet above the deck, then drove 18 piles around the building. They placed beams weighing 160 pounds per foot in the building to span the piles, installed 4-foot by 12-foot treated timber stringers on the beams, and screwed the new decking to the stringers. Crews then lowered the club building into place.

Work also included installation of a new 4-foot by 36-foot aluminum ramp.
For the floating docks Atlantic Marine installed 43 greenheart piles, each 40 feet long. Meeco Sullivan, delivered approximately 2,000 square feet of floating docks that were anchored to the greenhearts. The docks are a heavy-duty timber saltwater frame with IPE hardwood decking, and are hinged in approximately 25-foot sections for easy winter removal.

“The docks are secured to piling that also serve as support piling for the building, so during a high-water event a traditional pile guide would bind up,” said Matt Beechinor, Meeco Sullivan’s northeast region sales manager. “Our solution was to supply a chain and roller pile guide, which keeps the docks in place during the tidal cycle but also provides the slack needed for high water.

The chain and roller pile guide were a simple and effective solution, when compared to the alternative option, sliding brackets. The club could have spent an additional $30,000 on the sliding brackets, but Meeco Sullivan provided a solution that worked for approximately $3,000.”

Construction started in late September 2018 and was completed in early April 2019.