New Look for Boston Harbor Marina

Renovations at Fan Pier Marina in Boston got underway in the spring of 2020. The work included reconfiguring the layout of the marina’s floats, modernizing the size of the docks and the installation of pile-held floating docks with gangway access points.

Chuck and Ann Lagasse bought Fan Pier Marina in August 2019 after managing it for several years. Through their company Ocean Havens, the Lagasses also own and run several other marinas in the Boston area including Boston Yacht Haven Marina, Boston Harbor Shipyard and Marina and Charlestown Marina.

Planning for the marina’s renovations began immediately after the purchase. Although the marina can accommodate large yachts up to 650 feet along its breakwater, the owners expect that some of the strongest demand for slips will come from residents of this tech-oriented, up-and-coming area of Boston Harbor. “We wanted a site that could basically cater to the future needs of the area, to yachts and to the people that live there now,” explained Matt Lussier, marina director.

The docks were constructed over the winter of 2020. “We were very lucky; before the pandemic actually took hold, our docks were pretty much in East Boston at our Boston Harbor Shipyard location. We were permitted and ready to go, so we simply brought them over and safely and securely got them installed,” Lussier added. There were some delays in getting utilities installed, however, so they were not able to fully finish the project.

When the work is completed in the spring of 2021, Fan Pier Marina will include a large breakwater as well as five inner docks. “For the 2020 season, we were able to provide new A, B, C and partial D docks. In the winter of 2020-2021, we will be adding the rest of the D dock and E dock, which will complete the entire facility for the time being,” said Lussier. There’s approximately 4,200 lineal feet of dockage, including the breakwater.

Slips are available in a variety of sizes. “We have T-heads for side ties, ranging from 70 feet up to 117 feet. We have 60-foot, double-loaded slips, we have 40-foot double loaded slips and a handful of 40-foot single loaded slips and 30-foot, double-loaded slips,” he added. The marina can accommodate around 100 boats along its interior docks

Long term, Lussier expects the marina will maintain a mix of about 60% seasonal customers and 40% transient. Freedom Boat Club is one customer; it maintains about 313 feet of dockage at the facility. The marina also offers electrical service from yacht power all the way down to 30-amp, complimentary water, WiFi, and, eventually, a pump-out boat. Boaters using the slips will receive discounts on fuel at the Lagasse’s Harbor Fuels location.
The marina office also received an upgrade, moving from what Lussier describes as a telephone booth on the docks to a new location on the mainland next to the breakwater. “We have one of the most beautiful offices on the mainland,” said Ann Lagasse.

The renovations to the marina reflect the City of Boston’s requirements for maintaining public access to the waterways. At Fan Pier Marina, that access includes the breakwater. One improvement the Lagasses made to improve public access was to relocate the touch-and-go dock, where dinghies drop off their passengers, to a more convenient area. There’s also docking space for a water taxi and a commercial ferry at the marina, although these services are not operated by the Lagasses.