Brewer Yacht Yards

Brewer – Now Part of Safe Harbor Marinas!

Many people have asked me why, after all these years of successfully growing our company, I decided to do a deal with Safe Harbor. Probably about 30 years ago Stan Johnson came to visit me and ask me if I would sell my company to him. Stan and his partner Marshall Funk owned several marinas mostly located on lakes. We had a delightful dinner and breakfast, and I said, at that time, that I had no interest in selling... and that was that. However, over the years we stayed in touch. I became acquainted with Gregg Kenney, a partner of Stan and Marshall, and subsequent lunches were had every few years. Naturally we always wanted to compare notes and talk about the industry. About ten years ago, we were approached by an Australian Bank. Again, we said no, but it was interesting to know that our industry was attractive. After 2008, interest in marinas dried up. We continued our slow and steady methodology of acquiring boat yards and marinas and improving them. Business, although off after 2008 and 2009, was still pretty darn good. In 2013, we had an opportunity to partner with a family office. The deal was not right. In 2014, Gregg Kenney called and said he thought that his group had something really good in the works, and would I be interested in hearing more if and when things developed. I said sure, happy to listen. It seemed like all of a sudden there was a lot of interest in marinas again. Our phones had started ringing. Four years ago, when I was 72, I made Rives Potts president. While I was still working all the time, Rives did the heavy lifting. I began to seriously consider the future of BYYG and my family. Two of my three children had no interest in running the company. John, our GM of South Freeport loved what he did, but had no appetite for managing 26 properties from Maine to Maryland. Our business had grown a lot – we were probably the largest owner of marinas in the country – definitely in the northeast. Then, Gregg Kenny called me about a year ago, said things were coming together nicely. We sat down and talked

about the future with Marshall Funk and Baxter Underwood, CEO of Safe Harbor Marinas, the company that Marshall and his team had created. We were about the same size as Safe Harbor, and they were anxious to learn about the service business, with which they had little experience. Soon they made me a very fair offer, better than I had expected, and they were willing to let me spin off South Freeport for my son. By now I was 76, and liquefying my interests had greater appeal to me than the other alternative of not being prepared for the future. So, after extensive due diligence on the part of Safe Harbor (they now know more about our company than we do) we closed on our deal in mid January. They have been gentlemen throughout all of our interaction. My major concern was for our people, many of whom have been with our company for 30 or even 40 or more years. We believe that together we can continue to grow the boatyard/marina business and improve the service aspects at some of their properties. We continue to learn from each other. Before the deal closed, it became apparent that Rives would play a major role at Safe Harbor, and he has become Chief Operating Officer of the entire company. While our people naturally have concerns about the future, so far all has gone well. It would be naïve of me to think that nothing will change, but to date the ideas exchanged have been very positive. Those of you who know Rives can rest assured that he will go forward and do nothing but enhance the combined Safe Harbor/Brewer Company and that all of you, our wonderful customers, will benefit. We believe that service has contributed a great deal to our company, and that over the years it will continue to dominate our thinking. Already, Marina Bay near Boston, Crystal Point and Manasquan Marinas in New Jersey, Hack’s Point and Bohemia Vista in Maryland have been assigned the Brewer name. We look forward to providing better service and better opportunities for all of our customers. As a director of Safe Harbor, I will do my part to ensure we continue to build a great business. You have enabled Brewer to prosper and grow over the years and we recognize that without your support we would have nothing. All of us at Brewer thank you for being with us, and hope that we can continue to earn your trust going forward.


Co Founder Safe Harbor Marinas Founder Brewer Yacht Yard Group

Editor Lynn Oliver Director of Member Experience Safe Harbor Marinas

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1

BREWER YACHT YARDS & MARINAS PART OF THE SAFE HARBOR MARINA FAMILY

3

NEW LOCATIONS

4

AT THE HELM Letter from Rives Potts COO of Safe Harbor Marinas

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BREWER RENDEZVOUS Block Island, Greenport, Mystic, Essex Island

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GREEN & BLUE Brewer Environmental Initiative

12

SAFE HARBOR & SEABIN

13

WELCOME BRUCE KURYLA GM of Brewer Bruce & Johnson’s Marina

14

EGRET RESTORATION

17

DOCKWA & BREWER MARINAS – ON BOARD BOATYARD DOG

18

BYY MAP & MILEAGE CHART

20

BREWER LOCATION PROJECT UPDATES

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BREWER PREFERRED MEMBER PROGRAM BOATYARD DOG

27

BREWER YACHT SALES

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BREWER RENDEZVOUS 2017

Design and Production Tina Kelsey Kelsey Creative, LLC Technical Reporter Cassie Whaples Brewer Greenwich Bay Marina Tide Watch is a newsletter created in-house specifically for Brewer Yacht Yards/Safe Harbor Marinas members. It is published twice a year. Over 14,000 copies of each issue are direct-mailed in May and October, at the open and close of each boating season. We welcome feedback, contributions, questions, and ideas. While we enjoy sharing our stories with you, we also have an interest in hearing your stories. If you cruise between any of our marinas this season, let us know where you’ve been and how you’ve spent your time. Feel free to enclose pictures; we may include them in a future edition.

UNSUBSCRIBE? If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter and would like to be removed from our mailing list, please send an e-mail to [email protected] with the word REMOVE in the subject line. In the body of your e-mail, be sure to note your name and address, as it appears on your copy of Tide Watch, as well as the name of your home port Brewer Yacht Yard. Thank you. Lynn Oliver Tide Watch Publisher c/o Brewer Yacht Yard Group Brewer Pilots Point Marina 63 Pilots Point Drive Westbrook, CT 06498 (860) 399-7906 [email protected]

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NEWin theLOCATIONS Brewer family beautiful marshes and side creeks as well as restaurants and other attractions. Whether you want to watch the osprey, herons and other wildlife, or prefer to enjoy the view from the new party deck, you’ll not be disappointed. There is a convenient boat ramp and trailer parking, free WiFi as well as laundry, and a new lounge room with big screen TV, and picnic areas with gas grills. Christie notes, “It’s common to see folks raft with their friends and watch the sun set. They’re just in their own world and they love coming here because it’s so gorgeous. We get cruisers who come back often.”

With the recent merger of Brewer Yacht Yards and Safe Harbor Marinas, five Safe Harbor locations within the Brewer northeast region are now part of the Brewer brand. Hack’s Point and Bohemia Vista Marinas, both located in Chesapeake Bay, join Manasquan River Club and Crystal Point Marina in New Jersey and Marina Bay Boston as the newest Brewer locations. All five will sport the Brewer logo and be represented at boat shows and in advertising and promotions. Members at the new marinas will also enjoy the full range of Brewer benefits including free transient nights, fuel discounts, events and Brewer Rendezvous. We invite all Brewer members to enjoy the added benefits of more locations to visit! In addition to the information below, there is more available online at www.byy.com where you can make reservations, request a quote or reach out with a question. Welcome to our newest members!

Christie Stillwaugh wasn’t always a marina manager. She previously owned a farm in New Jersey and trained horses as well as competed in dressage. Her success took her to the Grand Prix level and she has bronze, silver and gold medals to show for the long hours and commitment. Boarding and training were hard work and when asked how that compares to marina management, she quips, “You might be surprised how much common ground there is that prepares you for the job!” While she hated being on the ocean and the constant bad weather as an occasional boater, she found that the marina lifestyle, or anchored out with friends, suited her just fine. She kept a boat at Hack’s Point for a while then moved aboard a trawler full time, cruising to Florida for two winters and returning north for the summers. She was asked to manage

Brewer Bohemia Vista is located just two miles up the beautiful Bohemia River off the Chesapeake Bay and near the entrance of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. Transients can choose between a mooring or slip and both sailors and power boaters call Bohemia Vista home. Offering an in-ground swimming pool, boat ramp and trailer parking, picnic pavilions with grills and great views of the river, it is a relaxing and friendly marina. The fishing and crabbing are also highly recommended, and for those who wish to do some exploring, there are great restaurants, state parks and museums nearby. Many like to day trip to Annapolis while others prefer to enjoy the sandy beaches with a raft-up and watch the sunset after a day spent relaxing. Christie Stillwaugh is the General Manager at Brewer Bohemia Vista and Hack’s Point Marinas. “People arrive Friday or Saturday after work and just want to enjoy their boat and their friends. It’s a great, fun place,” she says. “It seems there is always something going on, from fishing or crab events to the benefit for PAWS and the American Heart Association. With a new boardwalk and community room with big screen TV, there are gathering places that everyone enjoys.”

continued page 6

Brewer Bohemia Vista Marina, MD

Brewer Hack’s Point Marina is also on the Bohemia River close to

Brewer Hack’s Point Marina, MD 3

At the Helm Dear Members, As I write this message, the sun is shining, the winter winds are diminishing and the first real hint of spring is in the air. We have even begun launching boats for some of our more hardy members who want to get a jump on the season!This is always a great time for us in the yards, as we begin to share, once again, that wonderful enjoyment that comes from being on and around the water. There is nothing better than the first signs of the new season in a marina! As you know, we have joined forces with the Safe Harbor Marinas group, and are now part of the largest marina company in the country. In his letter on the front page, Jack shares the serious thinking he, his family, and our management team did over many years, regarding the future of our company. Our primary concern was that the company that we had carefully built over the past five decades….our culture, our loyal employees and their families, our wonderful customers, and everything that we hold dear….would be taken care of and would continue to prosper. We felt, in deciding to team up with Safe Harbor that we would be able to achieve these goals and would also play an important role in helping shape this new combined family of marinas. Although a few of the other marina groups that helped form Safe Harbor have been around a good number of years, as a company, Safe Harbor had only been a single entity for a little less than two years before Brewer joined the team. As a result, we are on the ground floor in creating a great company that will embody our long-standing values and ideals as we move forward.

What does this mean for you, our members? And our faithful employees? I believe that we will all benefit by being part of our new future. Our current employees in Brewer yards, will remain the same. The office and dock staff, service techs and managers will be the same you have known at your location. Our management structure will remain much the same. Jack will be serving on the SHM Board of Directors and I will be Chief Operating Officer of SHM, working with our existing Brewer yards and the legacy SHM facilities. Three of our most seasoned yard managers, Doug Domenie (Essex), Tim Moll (Plymouth), and Rod Swift (Stratford), will serve as regional vice presidents to help manage the existing Brewer yards. James Phyfe, who has ably managed many administrative, regulatory and acquisition projects for Brewer, will be Senior VP and coordinate between Brewer and SHM. SHM properties that have been added to the Brewer region are Marina Bay in Quincy, MA, Manasquan River Club and Crystal Point Marina in New Jersey, and Bohemia Vista and Hack’s Point Marina in Maryland. This means more Brewer locations to visit when cruising, with service and support expanded in these areas. Our collective group will benefit from more attractive financing, better purchasing power to enhance improvements to the marinas and the workplace, expanded partnerships with more industry-related companies, an improved customer loyalty program which will offer expanded opportunities for our members throughout the country at SHM properties, and a robust management and back office team to support all marina and service operations. We also have a dedicated acquisition team working to build our network of marinas for members to enjoy wherever they choose to boat. We are very excited about our new partnership with SHM. For our staff, it will provide opportunities to grow in their careers, better benefits, and an expanded network of industry colleagues with whom to learn and work. Our members will be able to expand their boating horizons to further reaches of the country, and enjoy benefits that our scale will allow us to provide. As I visit the many Safe Harbor locations around the country, I see beautiful marinas on the coasts of Florida, Michigan, Ohio and

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California, resort-like facilities on gorgeous lakes in Georgia, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas, Mississippi and Oklahoma. Just like Brewer, there is a wide variety of boats, people, and how they enjoy their boating time. Some are smaller with real friendly staff and members who all know each other. Others are large operations that cater to a variety of boaters with patios behind their slips, cabins and houseboats for rent. Regardless of where the Brewer or Safe Harbor marina is on the map or how large or small it is, our goal is still the same: to make our Members’ boating experience the best it can be. For those who cruise between the northeast and the south, or travel the Great Loop, or want to experience boating in another part of the country, they will find Safe Harbor Marinas that feel like home and welcome them to relax and enjoy. We all look forward to seeing you soon as the boats are getting prepped. Please stop by and say hello, and don’t be shy about offering your suggestions on how we can improve our service and offerings. Wishing you the best season yet, and hope to see you on the water!

Chief Operating Officer, Safe Harbor Marinas Former President, Brewer Yacht Yard Group office: 860/399-7906 | cell: 860/227-7005 email: [email protected]

Aqua Yacht, MS

Beaver Creek, KY

Harbortown, FL 5

New Locations, continued from page 3 Brewer Crystal Point Marina is also on the Manasquan River and hosts a number of transients who start or finish the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) about a quarter mile down river. The location also offers a choice of restaurants accessible by boat on the river in both directions. It is a wellprotected marina offering fuel (including self-serve gas and diesel 24/7), air conditioned restrooms, and a fish cleaning hut. New for mid-season 2017 is a heated, in-ground pool complex with new restrooms, covered and sunbathing decks, office for the Harbor Master and WiFi and security cameras. Manasquan River Club and Crystal Point are also involved in several fishing competitions including the Mako Fever Shark Tournament. Whether you are cruising through or looking to stay a while, “I’m sure you’ll find more than a couple reasons to extend your visit,” says Brian, “It just doesn’t get much better than this. There really is something for everyone to enjoy.”

Hack’s Point and did so for two years before working as a captain for SeaTow in the Chesapeake Bay. She returned to work for Safe Harbor managing both Hack’s Point and Bohemia Vista Marinas. “Cruising gave me a good view in to what makes a great marina and what boaters need and want. At SeaTow, I made a lot of contacts on the Bay. So, both experiences were good preparation for my present role,” Christie explains. She is calm and appears wizened about marina management but also understands that you have to enjoy your work to be successful. “If you don’t understand that boaters come to the marina to escape their daily routine, you’re not going to be able to provide the kind of service and experience that makes a place successful” she explains. “We all are here because we want to be!” Brian Cosgrove manages Brewer Crystal Point Marina in Point Pleasant and Brewer Manasquan River Club, in Brick, NJ, and he would agree with Christie. His family has been in marina management for a number of years and even though many things have changed, “People just want to enjoy their boats and their time on the water,” he says. “We grew up as beach bum kids – in boats, on surfboards, fishing, watersports, catching baitanything that had to do with water, we were there. In those days, people would go out fishing all day Saturday and all day Sunday with nothing else to do,” he explains. “Today, our locations are destination marinas and people love to play on their water toys whether it’s a runabout or jet ski. They’re always moving…except when they’re not, and just want to relax.” As a result, Manasquan River Club installed ports to accommodate jet skis in a number of slips. They also offer a secure, fenced-in yard, ramp, rack service, technical service and pool, laundry and air conditioned bathhouse and restrooms. A special feature of the marina is the ability to drive your car to your slip. Most members create their own backyard patio directly behind their slip with tent, table and chairs to make a cozy gathering area for friends and family. For those who enjoy the peacefulness of the river, Manasquan River Club is surrounded by no-wake zones to assure you don’t spill a drink!

Brewer Crystal Point Marina, NJ

Brewer Manasquan River Club, NJ

Brewer Marina Bay Boston, MA 6

limitless. For those who want to explore the city, there is a free shuttle to the North Quincy T stop which is about 15 minutes from South Station. There is also a ferry that operates 7 days a week to downtown Boston from the park adjacent to the marina. “We hope people will come and enjoy the marina, but also the city,” says Jeff. A native of Massachusetts, Jeff grew up on the South Shore and remembers fondly marina life and sailing to cruising destinations such as Block Island, Cuttyhunk and Martha’s Vineyard. “I didn’t realize at the time that I was lucky enough to be sailing in some of the best cruising grounds in the country” he notes. “I just knew it was fun!” He’s worked in public safety, running commercial vessels, as a dock master and in marine construction so was well prepared for managing a marina. “I just want people to enjoy their boats and all this area has to offer as much as I did growing up. Making memories is what it’s all about!”


Jeff Durning manages Brewer Marina Bay Boston and was thrilled to join the Brewer network. “It’s a real positive for us because everyone knows the Brewer brand and reputation in our area,” he explains. “I expect we will see an increase in transient visits from Brewer members who now have access to Boston from a great marina that’s in the family.” Brewer Marina Bay is located in Quincy, MA, on Dorchester Bay just 4 nautical miles from downtown Boston. “We’re right in the heart of everything, but easy to get in and out,” Jeff says, “The channel is wide open and well-marked with 13 feet of water right up to, and including, the marina. The Tall Ships/Sail Boston Parade of Sail this summer will be just 2 miles away!” The marina offers all the amenities you would expect at a first class location including seven different restaurants and bars all within easy walking distance. Boston Harbor has 12 islands boaters can visit during daylight so the possibilities for places to anchor and swim are almost

Christie Stillwaugh

Brian Cosgrove

64 Marinas from New England to California; and Florida to Michigan Coastal, Lake & Riverfront Destinations The Largest Marina Network in the USA Dedicated to Providing the Best Boating Experience to Members Environmentally Friendly Stewards of the Waterways shmarinas.com 7

Jeff Durning

Brewer Rendezvous

2016 RENDEZVOUS BRANFORD, CT Now in their fifth year, Brewer Rendezvous once again offer the chance for Members to visit new destinations as well as return to old favorites. Originally conceived to encourage boaters to visit new locations, it quickly became apparent that there were just some harbors that kept calling us back. As a result, this year we visit Block Island and Greenport for the first time while returning to Mystic Seaport and Brewer Essex Island. We hope you’ll join us for one or more weekends cruising with your home-port friends or meeting new Brewer boaters. Due to some of the locations we have selected, there is a $25/person charge to defray the cost of dinner and tours. We have found that a schedule with a few activities or special events allows everyone to connect or learn something new, for example, as we are treated to “behind-the-scenes” tours not usually available to the public. However, we also leave plenty of time for your own endeavors whether that is exploring shops, a bike ride, kayaking or just relaxing on your boat. Saturday evenings are usually highlighted by a “docktail” party or dinner, and morning coffee gatherings are a great way to share stories of the night before, or make plans for the day. However you choose to enjoy your Brewer Rendezvous Weekends, we hope you’ll sign up now! Go to www.byy.com/rendezvous for information and to register.

enjoy. You can make both reservations by going to the online address noted above. Friday night we will gather informally on the deck and you will receive a welcome bag with info on the weekend. Saturday afternoon, local personality, Howie, will drive us on a bus tour of the island. This is a “not-to-be-missed” event, unlike any tour you have had before! Depending on the size of our group, we expect there will be 2 tours, each lasting about 90 minutes. One will include a walking/climbing tour of the lighthouse. A band will be playing on the deck Saturday afternoon for those who wish to just relax and watch the activity at the marina. Saturday evening will feature a BBQ dinner upstairs at Payne’s with 3 seating times to satisfy all preferences for when to eat! Sunday morning linger over continental breakfast on the deck before making your way back to your home port. For those who would like to enjoy more activity, Brewer Members will receive discounts on kayak, moped, paddleboard and bike rentals. Look for more info on the byy.com website.

Greenport July 14-16 Brewer Yacht Yard at Greenport and Brewer Stirling Harbor Marina will share the honor of hosting our second 2017 Rendezvous. Slip reservations can be made online as noted above at either location. Please note that you will also be required to make an event reservation for all in your group to assure we have an accurate headcount. The first two persons on board are complimentary and more are welcome at $25/person. Friday night welcome includes nibbles from a gourmet pizza truck, local veggies and oysters. There will also be a wine tasting of North Fork award-winning selections. Saturday coffee and donuts will be available at both marinas, and Billy’s by the Bay seafood restaurant in the Greenport yard will offer a live band Saturday afternoon. We have also arranged for a discounted tour of “Bug Light” lighthouse by boat with the East

Block Island June 9-11 We will gather at Payne’s Dock in Great Salt Pond, Block Island, for our first 2017 Brewer Rendezvous. Payne’s has offered our Members discounted dockage and most of our activities will be centered there. If you would prefer to be on a mooring or at another marina, just be sure to make an event reservation for all the Members in your group. For those staying at Payne’s, you will need to make both a slip reservation and an event reservation. Event reservations are $25/person for all ages or number of activities you plan to

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Block Island, Greenport, Mystic & Essex End Maritime Museum Saturday afternoon. We depart from the Museum in downtown Greenport at 4:00 pm and return by 6:00pm in time for BBQ dinner and dancing in the shed at the Greenport Yard. The Brewer shuttle will be available all weekend for transport between both marinas and town and there are a variety of shops and activities to enjoy. Sunday morning coffee and pastries will allow everyone to leisurely welcome the day and consider their return cruise home!

Mystic Seaport, August 4-6 A Brewer Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport has become an annual event and each year members enjoy the magic of being aboard their boat in a village that harkens back to whaling days and shipbuilding by hand. When the gates close and the visitors are gone for the day, we can still walk the now-quiet streets and town green. Join us and you will be welcomed by the friendly staff at Mystic Seaport and Brewer as you tie up and get settled. If it’s your first time coming up the Mystic River, the Dockmaster will be glad to give you some pointers, and you can also watch the YouTube video produced by Brewer describing the trip. Friday will be a casual welcome; scheduled activities begin Saturday with breakfast at the Member’s Patio. We will then be treated to a “behind-the-scenes” tour of the new Thompson Exhibition Building with emphasis on the architecture and engineering of this stunning, modern design. Saturday afternoon we will have the opportunity to meet Margaret Andersen Rosenfeld, author and Brewer Oxford, MD, member whose book and exhibition at Mystic Seaport are detailed at right. She will also join us for our signature “Docktail Party” to be held at the North End overlooking the river. Brewer Members enjoy two nights’ discounted dockage with their Preferred Member Card and more if they are also members of the Seaport.

Maggie Andersen Rosenfeld Dr. Margaret Andersen (Rosenfeld) is the Edward F. and Elizabeth Goodman Rosenberg Professor of Sociology at the University of Delaware and author of the book “On Land and On Sea: A Century of Women in the Rosenfeld Collection”. The exhibition of the same name at Mystic Seaport highlights women of the 20th century in all walks of life as depicted in commercial photography of that era. When asked what inspired her to write this book, she referenced her ongoing interest in women’s history. Following a talk she once gave, an elderly woman said “Women were always there!” They weren’t always acknowledged however, and while Andersen knew there had been women involved in creating the collection of famous photographs, when she started to comb through the images, she found a treasure trove.

Brewer Essex Island Marina, September 29-October 1 Much like other fond reunions, a visit to Brewer Essex Island gives one the sense of a return to simpler times. Since becoming part of the Brewer family of marinas in 2014, Essex Island has been visited by hundreds of boaters who always enjoy the “island life”. Join us for the cooler Fall evenings, the beautiful days and the warmth of friends on a real island in Essex, CT as we celebrate a “Retro Weekend”. We welcome you Friday with a movie on the lawn, a fire and s’mores for all. Saturday coffee and donuts on the deck provide a chance to gather and plan the day or just catch up on the season’s cruising. Dinner Saturday evening will be in the workshop or on the deck depending on Mother Nature with a great band playing tunes from the 60’s and 70’s that will have you dancing all night. Keeping with the “Retro” theme of the weekend, we encourage everyone to bring a dessert or appetizer that was a favorite of years past, and feel free to pull out that outfit or accessory that was so cool you couldn’t live without it way back when! It will be a fun, festive weekend and a chance to reflect on why we love this boating lifestyle so much and what a great season we have enjoyed!

Maggie and her husband, Richard Rosenfeld, live in Maryland and keep their Tartan 372, Blew Bayou, at Brewer Oxford Boatyard and Marina. They are regular cruisers on the Chesapeake Bay and she is rumored to be one of the first brave souls in the chilly pool waters each spring! Her connection to the water came through her marriage, and a neighbor who had a boat, but didn’t know how to sail. In exchange for lessons from her husband, the neighbor allowed them to use the day sailer and she was soon hooked. She remarks “It’s a good thing I discovered sailing after getting my PhD and tenure or I might just be a boat bum now!” We hope you will join us for the Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport where Maggie will talk with us about the exhibit, her book and even sign a copy! She will also join us at the Saturday “docktail” party at the North End.

So regardless of where you cruise this season, make sure to join us for one or more Brewer Rendezvous. We hope to see you there!


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Green (and Blue)

Swim with Swain When Jack Brewer bought his first boatyard in 1964, he envisioned a place where boaters would want to spend time: a clean, well-kept facility that would add to their enjoyment of the water. He recognized that the beauty and health of a facility could have a huge impact on the member experience. Soon, Brewer became known for a very different experience than the ones offered by the dirty and often dangerous boatyards of the time.

So it’s no surprise that when the opportunity arose to shine a light on the water quality of Long Island Sound, Brewer stepped up.

Over the years, upgrades to Brewer facilities improved environmental health and safety, as well as the on-the-water experience for boaters.

Last fall, Swain slid in to the waters off Montauk Point— the easternmost tip of Long Island--and began a 133 mile swim to New York City. The purpose of his swim was to call for a permanent end to the dumping of sewage into Long Island Sound and the East River.

Brewer decided to support the efforts of Christopher Swain, a clean water advocate who swims threatened waterways in order to energize protection, restoration, and education efforts.

As landowners, the Brewer team realized they were in a powerful position to protect local waterways. Naturally, members wanted to use and enjoy the water, and they appreciated it when the water and surrounding areas were clean and protected.

(This was not Swain’s first long swim for clean water. He was the first person to swim the entire lengths of the Columbia, Hudson, Mohawk, Charles and Mystic Rivers, as well as Lake Champlain. Over the last two decades, Swain has braved everything from pesticides, raw sewage, and nuclear waste, to blood-sucking sea lampreys. During his swims, he has contracted ear infections, gastrointestinal illnesses, and rashes from factory outfalls.)

Today, with facilities in multiple states, it can be challenging to match up environmental requirements that vary dramatically from state to state, or to reconcile state and federal mandates. As a result, Brewer has been on the forefront of establishing best practices for marina operations that are often years ahead of regulatory requirements.

In Long Island Sound, Swain swam 2-5 hours a day, every other week, to coincide with the intermittent daylight westbound current toward New York City. He was accompanied by a safety boat whose crew assisted him in collecting water quality data, and documenting conditions.

Every Brewer location has an environmental stewardship program. Many are certified “Clean Marinas” as part of their state’s voluntary program. While initiatives vary from one location to another, they include recycling programs, solar panels, electric pumpout boats, boat washing catch basins, and ground water protection systems.

“I pause briefly every 20-25 minutes to do water sampling, and to hydrate and re-fuel,” noted Swain. “The secret to swimming for hours is keeping a rhythm. And of course, dodging jellyfish, sharks and floating trash!”

Brewer staff also actively encourage waterway-friendly choices: advocating for things like the appropriate use of water-based paints, and the swapping out of cadmium-rich zinc anodes for safer aluminum alloys.

Swain swims in a wetsuit, cap, and goggles, and straps a SharkShield electrical repellent device to his right ankle.

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Brewer Environmental Initiative

Brewer Pilots Point ‘Clean & Green’ Pump Out Boats “We are also cooperating with the US Coast Guard, so if there’s a small craft advisory, a gale warning, or a dangerous sea state, we don’t swim that day.”

Not long after Swain returns to the water, he will reach Mamaroneck, NY, the 100-mile mark on his swim. To celebrate, he plans to hold a press event at Brewer Post Road Boat Yard where he will unveil a revised version of his Boater’s Code of Ethics: a comprehensive, voluntary pledge that any boater can make to help protect the waterways they use and enjoy. Brewer will support his effort by introducing its members to the Code of Ethics, and helping them to find ways to use the Code to become better stewards of their local waterways.

About fifty miles into his swim, a motor failure on his escort boat halted Swain’s westbound progress. He and his crew limped into Brewer Bruce & Johnson’s Marina in Branford, CT. During the weeks it took his crew to get the engine repaired and then ultimately replaced, Brewer supported Swain’s efforts to continue swimming with the loan of a private boat, as well as an invitation to stay at Brewer locations in Stratford and Stamford, CT.

You can follow Swain’s progress by searching “Swim With Swain” on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. You can see the interactive map showing his locations and water quality data at: Swimwithswain.org.

By midwinter, Swain was reunited with his escort boat, but a series of weather events: fog, nor’easters, gales, and even a blizzard, conspired to limit the days he could spend in the water.

After he completes his swim, Swain plans to visits Brewer facilities in the region, speak to members about his swim for clean water, and work with Brewer staff to find even more ways to protect the watersheds where they live and work and play. Watch for more info on the Brewer Facebook page and cheer him on as he completes his swim.


By mid-March, Swain had reached the waters off Westport, CT, but a bad fall on a wet cement floor resulted in a severe shoulder sprain. He will spend six weeks doing physical therapy and pool rehabilitation before returning to finish his swim.

Water Sampling 11

Safe Harbor & Seabin Safe Harbor partners with the Seabin Project ultimately cleaner oceans, lakes, and rivers.

As published in a recent Safe Harbor Marinas’ employee newsletter:

As part of our partnership, Safe Harbor's Cabrillo Isle Marina (San Diego, CA) will be the first marina in North America to have the Seabin technology. In the coming weeks, the Seabin team will test pre-series Seabins at a select number of marinas around the world (including Cabrillo Isle). Subsequently, we will work to install commercial model Seabins and educational efforts throughout our entire portfolio.

As the largest marina owner and operator in the world, our company is both an industry leader and a pioneer in many respects. None of these efforts are as important as our commitment to lead the way in preserving our greatest resource: our natural environment. As part of this commitment to preserving our waterways, Safe Harbor is taking an active role in helping to solve the many challenges we face.

Stay tuned for more information on this partnership and what it means for our environmental efforts.


One of the most exciting steps we have recently taken is to partner with the Seabin Project. Seabin was founded by Australians Andrew Turton and Pete Ceglinski. Their mission was to create a simple solution to help solve and prevent ocean pollution problems. However, the project quickly evolved into a comprehensive research, technology, and educational initiative with global interest and reach. Andrew and Pete's initial idea was to design and build an invention they named the Seabin. The Seabin is a floating garbage bin that moves up and down with the range of tide collecting all floating trash. Water is sucked in from the surface and passes through the catch bag inside the unit. The water is then pumped back into the marina leaving litter and debris trapped in the catch bag to be disposed of properly. While the Seabin is an innovative first step in the right direction, it is only one small part of a larger solution in the battle against global oceanic littering. The real solution to these problems is through education, innovation, and research. Because of our size and diversity of waterways, Safe Harbor has the unique ability to be able to provide a wealth of data to the research team at Seabin, which in turn will lead to more technological innovations, more knowledge, better education, and

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Welcome Bruce! Brewer Bruce & Johnson’s Marina Welcomes New GM Like many Brewer General Managers, Bruce Kuryla has been in the boatyard business for most of his life. He joined the Brewer team last July, after 30 years at nearby Port Milford Marina, and recalls the days when Bruce & Johnson’s Marina was at the center of competitive sailing. “Sailing, racing and working around boats have always defined a large part of my life” he says. “Although, there was a brief moment while at Fordham as an undergrad that I thought I should go to law school… but that didn’t last long!”

He feels equally competitive about managing a boatyard and is pleased that a number of former customers have followed him to become Brewer members. “It’s about building trust,” Bruce says. “As a boat owner, I’ve been on the wrong side of things when they went bad and I understand how important it is to know who you are dealing with.” He notes that Brewer members are very discerning with high standards for how their boat is treated. “A boat is oftentimes much more important to them than their car or home and we need to respect that,” he explains. As a result, the service team is very careful about going aboard a member’s boat and its condition when they leave it. Bruce also believes in getting to know the boat owners who choose his location. He emphasizes to his staff the benefit of wearing nametags and learning owners’ names. “We realize that people have choices for a marina or service, and we are willing to work hard to earn their trust. This is a great location, with outstanding facilities and space and we hope to keep making it better.”

Bruce grew up sailing with his father at Milford Yacht Club and although he competitively raced the 14’ Blue Jay that had been his father’s as a child, he increasingly found himself on bigger boats. “By 12 or so, I was regularly steering with the grownups on various boats around Long Island Sound. I loved the teamwork, camaraderie and choreography of big boat racing, and they liked having me on the wheel so they could do the other work.” It didn’t take long for him to be recruited by owners for major races such as the ChicagoMackinaw, Key West and Bermuda events on boats ranging from 37 to 75 feet. In the early 1990’s, his father enlisted his help to refurbish a New York 40, hull #1, which they owned and continued to race successfully for many years.

New for this season at Brewer Bruce & Johnson’s is the opening of a Freedom Boat Club in the West Yard. It will offer the opportunity for new boaters to access the water, or for boaters who might otherwise retire from boating, to continue to enjoy it. The Dockside Seafood and Grill, located in the Main Yard, opened early this season and invites boaters to relax on the deck or inside.

Today, you’ll find the Kurylas on a Nelson Marek 42 and it is still a family affair with Bruce on the helm and his father navigating. Crew is made up of family and friends. The highlight of his racing career was winning the US Offshore Championship three times, one of which had his dad and son, Bruce, on the crew. Despite this success, “The most fun in sailing is Wednesday night racing,” he says. “The more the merrier, and we never leave anyone on the dock.”

Watch your email and updates around the yards for 2017 events and activities including fireworks festivities, a navigation cruise through the Thimble Islands and more! And if you haven’t met Bruce, stop by and say hello. He’ll be glad to help you with any questions regarding your boat or the marina, discuss racing, or just make your acquaintance.


Bruce has always been a strong advocate for junior sailors and takes pride in how well many of his former crew compete, “as long as I’m looking back at them!” he states with a slightly rakish gleam in his eye.

Bruce, on the helm, with tactician Blake Marriner

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EGRET (ex-Four Sisters) by Bernard Gustin About 30 years ago, in the mid-1980s, a Sabre-fleet rendezvous brought me for the first time to the “Eastern Shore” of Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay. I was at once captivated by the gracious charm and friendliness of the people; by the stupendous beauty of the Bay and its environs; and by the elegant, elongated traditional wooden “deadrise” workboats (see Sidebar) one saw throughout the Bay. On successive visits to the Chesapeake, I was constantly impressed by the variety of deadrise-shaped boats all over the Bay, especially in many of the smaller, more local boatyards. Through reading and visits to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michael’s, I came to learn more about these almost flat-bottomed fishing boats, purpose-designed by the Chesapeake builders for their local fishermen – much as the early Maine lobster-boats had evolved to reflect the needs of the lobstermen there. Gradually, though, I noted that the traditional (and to my eye, particularly elegant) wooden deadrise boats were gradually being replaced by fiberglass versions.

of craftsmanship. Mr. Max admired Four Sisters greatly, and restored her meticulously to her original profile, and to great structural and cosmetic condition. But he had a number of other major boats, including the last Trumpy built. As a result, Four Sisters enjoyed little actual use during his ownership: in the 22 years from her 1994-5 restoration at Oxford Boat Yard until now, her newly installed Chrysler “316” V-8 gas engine has only clocked 138 hours!

During a visit to the Eastern Shore around 2007, I was very impressed by an especially beautiful, traditional deadrise: Four Sisters….46’ 4” LOA and 10’ 2” of beam. She’d been built in 1951 by Robert “Frizzy” Atwell – a lead carpenter at the Trumpy yard in Annapolis. Atwell occasionally built boats for his own account at Shady Side, MD, (located 20 miles south of Annapolis) using discarded Trumpy lumber. Four Sisters was built for Ellsworth Brown, an African-American commercial fisherman also based at Shady Side, who had Four Sisters, and named his boat after them. He owned Four Sisters for 35 years until his passing in 1986.

Fortunately Mr. Max had a Captain who maintained Four Sisters as well as his other boats, and ran her engine occasionally. This kept her motor alive, but she gradually began to fade cosmetically. By 2007 when I first saw her, she was dusty. In 2009, when I noticed her again, she was really dusty, but she was at last for sale! But then, I was deep in other major boating projects. So I passed on Four Sisters in 2009, though I certainly didn’t forget her.

After Brown’s death, Four Sisters briefly had three other owners on the Chesapeake. During one of their ownership, Four Sisters’ forward cabin configuration was modified, and she was converted from fishing to pleasure use. There’s a photograph of Four Sisters from this post-Brown period, showing an attractive lady in a bathing suit lounging on the foredeck, as a friendly companion wearing a sailor’s cap glances at her admiringly from the cockpit. Soon however, by 1993, Four Sisters’ days of either fishing or pleasure were over: she sank at her owner’s home dock in a cove off the Wye River.

Fast-forward to mid-2016. One sleepless night, gazing at “Classics” listings on Yacht World, I stumbled on Four Sisters yet again, in a “For Sale” ad with pictures that showed her apparently in the same slip as when I had admired her a decade before. At opening time the next morning, I rushed to call Eric Horst, the prominent Chester MD broker handling the sale, to ask if she was still available. “No,” Eric replied… ”Mr. Max passed away, we’ve had her advertised for six months, nobody wants her, so now we’re going to try to ‘donate’ her.” “Well,” I answered, “I want her, why don’t you please ask Mrs. Max if she’d sell her?”

Along the way, however, Four Sisters had caught the attention of Peter Max, a Washington, DC businessman with a home on the Chesapeake, who had long admired her lines and profile. He had the boat raised from the bottom in 1994, and brought to the Oxford Boat Yard, then and now one of the most capable wooden-boat yards on the Bay, where Four Sisters was completely re-built and re-launched in 1995. This first restoration entailed over 3,000 man-hours

A quick visit to the Eastern Shore confirmed that Four Sisters remained in the pristine structural condition to which Oxford

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Charmed by a Chesapeake ‘Deadrise’ Traditional Chesapeake Bay Workboats The first peoples of the Chesapeake Bay, the Powhatan Indians, used dugout canoes to capture fish, oysters, clams, and crabs for food. In the early 1600s, English settlers adopted the Indian dugout canoe, first paddled or poled, then fitted with a sail, to fish the shallow waters of the Bay and its tributaries. After the Civil War, as the region’s population grew and standards of living rose, larger sailing canoes were designed to carry heavier loads. The "bugeye," as this style of boat was known, was typically a 7 to 9 log canoe, with a full deck, forward cabin, and twin masts. Eventually, bugeyes became too expensive to build, so watermen switched to frame-planked boats – the “skipjack” and the “deadrise,” the two main workboat design types on the Chesapeake until World War II. “Skipjacks,” typically 40-50 feet in length, had a raked single mast and very long boom. A large sail plan provided power for the skipjacks’ (and later the deadrise’s) main function: pulling oyster dredges, particularly in light air, with minimal crew. The “deadrise” design emerged in the 1880s from an earlier Chesapeake sail-powered skiff shape, known locally as a “bateau”. “Deadrise” boats were so called due to the transition from the V-shaped bottom at the boat’s bow to a flat angle between the keel and the rise from the keel upward to the chine (or sideboards). Deadrises had shallow draft-only 2 to 3 feetmaking them practical for use on the shallow Chesapeake Bay. Early deadrise boats were often 25-35 feet long, and many had round sterns. By the early 20th century, the average deadrise was 35-45 feet long, with a 9-12 foot beam.

Boat Yard’s craftsmen had restored her twenty years before. Then after the purchase was completed, I phoned Brewer Oxford Boat Yard, and asked the receptionist to enquire whether there was still anyone at the Yard who remembered a deadrise named Four Sisters, restored there many years before. Twenty minutes later, Oxford service manager Jason Wright called to say that Four Sisters was one of the first boats he had worked on when he had just joined the yard… “Why are you asking?” “Well,” I replied, “I just bought her, and I’m really glad to have found you. How’d you like to have her back, clean her up, and take another step in keeping her going?”

Local traditions and needs dictated differences in deadrise styles. Early Chesapeake designs also reflected northern influences including the New Haven “Sharpie” and workboats of the New York City area.

And that’s how Four Sisters, now re-named Egret, came to return to Oxford, to be worked on by many of the same team of dedicated artisans who had restored her twenty years before, as well as their younger colleagues. In another article in this issue, you’ll learn about what we’ve done to bring her to 2017 standards of compliance, performance, convenience, and comfort. Her timeless beauty and elegance continue to speak for themselves.

By the late 19th century, many essentially industrial boat builders in the US were using systematized construction and building in volume. By contrast, Chesapeake boats were traditionally built without drawings, based only on artisanal methods, known on the Bay as the "rack of eye." Deadrise builders typically worked with a few helpers, and built only a few boats per year using readily available wood and simple hand-tools. As internal combustion engines emerged after 1900, deadrise builders replaced sails with motors, adapting the boats’ hull shapes to improve performance. Many older gas-powered boats are still active on the Bay today, although diesel is preferred.

And if you attend the WoodenBoat show at Mystic, CT Seaport June 30-July 2, 2017, you’ll be able to step aboard and inspect this rejuvenated 1951 wooden Chesapeake fishing boat. She’s about to start a new chapter as a private harbor-tour and entertaining platform in Newport, RI. At the Mystic show, she’ll serve to showcase Brewer Oxford’s fabulous skills and talents… and provide a gracious spot for Brewer staff to greet their members and friends attending the show.

Fiberglass emerged as a boat-building material after WW II and gradually replaced wooden deadrise designs. Even today, however, one still sees many older wooden deadrise boats on the Chesapeake, especially in the traditional, smaller, local yards.
For more information, see Larry S. Chowning, Deadrise and Cross-Planked, on which this general discussion is partially based.

Hope to see you there!


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A Remarkable Restoration Brewer Oxford Boat Yard’s Classic Restoration Brewer Oxford Boat Yard regularly does refit projects and when Bernie Gustin approached them about a few things to be done for Four Sisters in her transformation to becoming Egret, it seemed like a fairly straightforward list. However, as the relationship developed and the crew got into the work, it became clear that Gustin was not only a serious collector of wooden boats, but also wanted to use her without worry for many years to come. His instructions were to bring the boat up to ABYC standards and advise him of anything they felt should be done. His request was to do what was needed rather than postponing the work.

The 318 Chrysler gas engine received new plugs, wiring, raw water and circulating pumps, manifolds, risers, fuel pump, alternator and starter. The dual lever controller was changed to a single lever. The propeller was pulled and checked and eventually replaced along with the cutlass bearing. The hull was re-faired due to upkeep over the years that had left dips and valleys in the surface. Longboarding knocked down the highs allowing for additional filling, sanding and priming to bring the surface to a paintable condition. Loose caulking required reefing out the seams and re-caulking. After being trucked north, Egret will receive paint as well as a coat of bottom paint that would otherwise be lost due to ablation during the road trip.

Initially, the work list comprised a new VacuFlush head, small sink and fresh water system, additional storage, modifications to dampen engine noise, updating several electrical items, varnishing hull interior and painting the bottom.

Jason Wright, Service Manager at Brewer Oxford, had worked on Four Sisters in 1994 at the Oxford location when she underwent an earlier refit. “It was great to see her again”, said Jason, “there’s a nostalgia about working on a boat like this. There aren’t many still around. And, my dad was a waterman, so that makes it kind of personal too. It brings back a lot of memories.” Carl Langkammerer, Carpentry Foreman at Brewer Oxford, spent many hours working on Egret this winter and was familiar with the vessel when she arrived having seen her at another location 20 years earlier. “It has been an exciting restoration and we loved the challenge. Mechanical, electrical, carpentry and more. No two days were the same on her and it was a pleasure to see it all come together”.

The list soon grew to include items for compliance, performance and comfort/convenience. It included all new wiring, light fixtures that look like the originals but are LED for better light, power consumption and longevity, and all new gauges. The electronics were updated, including a Garmin chart plotter, along with a new single lever shift/throttle and a larger pedestal. The helm stand was re-built to accommodate a Jet Thruster controller and command mic for the VHF. Gustin wanted a bow thruster but the available draft in the bow of the boat did not allow for a more conventional tube. The New Holland compact design is the first in this country and uses water jets in two thru hulls to propel the vessel. Fuel tanks were replaced with smaller ones which allowed for more interior space and the addition of water-lift mufflers aft to reduce noise. The engine box and sink stand received Corian tops, and handrails and Herreshoff cleats were added amidships for safety and convenience.

Jason and Carl will be onboard Egret when she is displayed at the WoodenBoat Show in June at Mystic Seaport should anyone want to know more details on her restoration. As Jason says, “She is definitely a workboat with style!”


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Boat Yard Dog Captain Meet Captain, our fearless - and mainly feared - leader from the canine world. Captain’s affable presence has become a daily staple for our Brewer Wickford Cove team, as well as for our members and vendors, who routinely bring him treats. Captain can generally be found lounging on the couch, the floor, or anywhere sunshine is hitting a horizontal surface. Occasionally, and much to the dismay of Chris (Captain’s adoptive father), Captain likes to stroll into Wickford Village for ‘meet & greets’ with the locals. Despite his tendency to leave the yard unannounced, Captain is a loyal and cherished member of the Wickford Cove team. Don’t forget dog treats next time you visit Wickford Cove!
Do you have a pet that spends his/her time at a Brewer marina? Does he/she love boating as much as you do? If so, send a brief description and a photo to Lynn Oliver, Tide Watch Editor, c/o Brewer Yacht Yard Group, 63 Pilots Point Drive, Westbrook, CT 06498, or e-mail the information to [email protected]. Please note: though dogs are welcome, they must be leashed while on BYY property, as a courtesy to those who may/may not be comfortable around animals. In support of our dog-friendly policy, dog owners are asked to clean up after their pets.

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30 Locations Maryland to Massachusetts www.byy.com

RHODE ISLAND

19 Brewer Stratford Marina Stratford, CT 203-377-4477 20 Brewer Yacht Haven Marina Stamford, CT 203-359-4500

CONNECTICUT

21 Brewer Post Road Boat Yard Mamaroneck, NY 914-698-0295 22 Brewer Capri Marina Port Washington, NY 516-883-7800 23 Brewer Yacht Yard at Glen Cove Glen Cove, NY 516-671-5563 24 Brewer Stirling Harbor Marina Greenport, NY 631-477-0828 25 Brewer Yacht Yard at Greenport Greenport, NY 631-477-9594

7 Brewer Sakonnet Marina Portsmouth, RI 401-683-3551 8 Brewer Cove Haven Marina Barrington, RI 401-246-1600 9 Brewer Greenwich Bay Marina Warwick, RI 401-884-1810 10 Brewer Cowesett Marina Warwick, RI 401-884-0544 11 Brewer Wickford Cove Marina Wickford, RI 401-884-7014

MASSACHUSETTS

1 Brewer Hawthorne Cove Marina Salem, MA 978-740-9890 2 Brewer Marina Bay Boston Quincy, MA 617-847-1800 3 Brewer Green Harbor Marina Green Harbor, MA 781-837-1181 4 Brewer Plymouth Marine Plymouth, MA 508-746-4500 5 Brewer Onset Bay Marina Buzzards Bay, MA 508-295-0338 6 Brewer Fiddler’s Cove Marina N. Falmouth, MA 508-564-6327

12 Brewer Yacht Yard at Mystic Mystic, CT 860-536-2293 13 Brewer Deep River Marina Deep River, CT 860-526-5560 14 Brewer Essex Island Marina Essex, CT 860-767-2483 15 Brewer Dauntless Shipyard Essex, CT 860-767-0001 16 Brewer Ferry Point Marina Old Saybrook, CT 860-388-3260 17 Brewer Pilots Point Marina Westbrook, CT 860-399-7906 18 Brewer Bruce & Johnson’s Marina Branford, CT 203-488-8329

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NEW YORK

NEW JERSEY

26 Brewer Manasquan River Club Brick, NJ 732-840-0300 27 Brewer Crystal Point Marina Point Pleasant, NJ 732-892-2300

MARYLAND

28 Brewer Oxford Boat Yard & Marina Oxford, MD 410-226-5101 29 Brewer Hack’s Point Marina Earleville, MD 410-275-9151 30 Brewer Bohemia Vista Marina Chesapeake City, MD 410-885-2056

Cruise with Brewer From classic New England ports in Massachusetts to Maryland’s gentle Eastern Shore… cruise with Brewer Yacht Yards & Safe Harbor Marinas.


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yards offering fuel. (Most offer Valvtect fuel)

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Brewer Location

Bohemia Vista Dredging on “C Dock” and the bulkhead was a big project that was completed this winter at Bohemia Vista. There were also four new lift slips with remote auto stops installed due to their popularity, safety and convenience.

Dauntless Shipyard/Essex Island Marina Much of the structure at the Island received attention this winter. The main office is now supported by steel beams that rest on top of piles driven on the north and south side of the office. The piles were driven through old, wooden barges that were sunk back in the 1950s and used as a bulkhead. On top of the reinforcement of the office building, the boardwalk has been repaired and redecked from the ferry dock to the main office, as well as the deck off the west side of the building. The front of the main office to the west end of the new decking area now also has a new bulkhead to protect the area from erosion.

Tim Maxwell, lift operator, mechanic and local sportsman has stocked the catch and release pond that provides hours of fishing fun when members are not out boating. Bruce & Johnson’s The heads and showers in the East yard received some upgrades over the winter and this spring the team has been focusing on landscaping and planting to be ready for the season.

The service team at the Shipyard has been busy with a complete cosmetic upgrade of a late 1970s Hinckley 43’. All of the deck hardware was removed so the decks could be stripped and refinished with Awlgrip. Several minor structural issues and cracks were repaired during this time. The hull was also repainted with Awlgrip and new teak rubrails were fabricated and installed. All of the brightwork was stripped and 10 coats of fresh varnish were applied. The owners requested that the bottom be stripped as well to complete their restoration, and it was also coated with fresh paint.

Three boats were repowered over the winter including a 1989 Cheoy Lee Pedrick 43’, a 1995 Little Harbor 40 Express Cruiser and a Hylas 46’ had a new generator installed. The spray guns were also busy this winter with a new Awlgrip job on a J111 and a 1998 Webber Cove 22’. Cove Haven A 61 Wilbur visited Cove Haven this winter for an update to its 20 year old paint job and is leaving with a custom mix Awlgrip topside color and fresh bottom paint. The team also sprayed Awlwood system varnish on the transom and she will be entering the 2017 season looking like a new vessel. Crystal Point Marina Crystal Point is one of the newest members to the Brewer family and has been hard at work to get their facility ready for spring. They have been working with engineers to secure a permit for a new pool and bathrooms for customers. In the meantime, new security cameras have been installed at the entrance to each dock. Wireless internet is next on the to-do list once the new building is in place.

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Project Updates Deep River The second floor porch on the office building is being replaced for the summer season and a staircase will be added to create an upper level gathering place for BYY members. The team at Deep River has been instrumental in the multiyear refit of a 40’ Trawler. This year, the Volvo engine was rebuilt, the cabin, wheelhouse and deck received a fresh coat of paint and the teak anchor pulpit was replaced. Two boats, a 37’ Egg Harbor and a 33’ Grady White had rotten balsa core replaced, and the Egg Harbor also received a new transom door. Fiddler’s Cove Equipment maintenance has been a big focus for Fiddler’s Cove this winter. The Taylor fork lift had the masts overhauled and replaced rollers, chains, hoses and fittings while the Travelift received a top end engine overhaul and a new radiator to make for a smooth launching season. The team is also planning upgrades to the electrical system on “D Dock”, providing 240 volt to keep up with the demand of complex on-board systems.

necessary repairs and reinstalled the components to make her safe to sail again. A Hacker (powerboat) had her gas tanks replaced and one engine removed for access to rotten structures. The carpenter at Glen Cove milled custom wood work as it was needed to put the boat back together. Another winter project was a 42’ Bertram that had a large list of items that needed attention. The team installed an oil change system, water heater, upgraded several electronics and repainted the swim platform with Awlgrip nonskid.

Much of the winter service work included maintenance from tune-ups to water pump servicing as well as an engine removal in a 29’ Formula for oil pan and exhaust manifold replacement. Several boats received upgraded electronics and one has new color-changing underwater lights. In addition to various varnish work and hull repairs, a 38 Egg Harbor and 26 Limestone were recipients of new teak and holly flooring. Glen Cove At Brewer Glen Cove, approximately 300’ of bulkhead was repaired in the eastern basin. The crew at Glen Cove has had a busy winter prepping boats for the 2017 season. Several larger projects surfaced when a racing sailboat ran aground. The damage required a new keel and removal of the grid system to make repairs. The team disassembled the interior, removed the damaged grid, made the

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Brewer Location over 4,100 cubic yards of dredge material was removed from this area and is now at least 6 feet deep at low water, giving customers a bit more comfort under their keels. Routine maintenance has kept the team at Greenwich Bay busy over the winter. Among the cutlass bearing and exhaust manifold replacements, a Tartan 37’ was repowered with a brand new Volvo engine and a Wellcraft had a long block Volvo installed. Two keels were removed and reinstalled to repair cracks at the keel/hull joint and reinforced with fiberglass and epoxy. Hawthorne Cove The long discussion over the Marina’s proposed location for a new building finally ended with a decision by the Commonwealth’s Appeals Court to uphold the Land Court Decision allowing the variance sought by the marina. This process took nearly five years and the building permitting process is now underway. The building will be just under 10,000 square feet and will provide a great working space. There are several dock replacement and dredging plans for the upcoming years to continue to make Salem a great place to be.

Green Harbor The Harbor Fire Restaurant has added a beautiful 2-ton coal-fired pizza oven for making the best pizzas around! Along with the restaurant upgrade, the second half of the Pier 2 replacement will begin in April.

A Moody 425 that went through survey three years ago has been in the shop at Salem undergoing several annual projects. The keel bolts have been replaced and the steering system was repaired with Lewmar replacement parts as well as custom fabricated parts to make the system functional and whole again. This winter, the deck repairs and chainplate servicing was undertaken to remedy leaks and potential wet core. Some of the additional work included head system overhauls and upgrading of the refrigeration system and electronics.

The team at Green Harbor is proud to have a new electronics technician on the property who specializes in Garmin, Raymarine and Furuno replacements and new installations. He is also a Volvo Penta diesel specialist. Greenport A 1981 Cape Dory 30 was the highlight of repairs at Brewer Greenport this winter. Throughout the years, the boat has received upgrades that include a new Selden mast and Doyle Sails. However, the crazing on the deck and house became the priority for this year and it was also found that the balsa core would need to be replaced. At first check, numerous delaminated areas were found so core samples were taken, confirming the rotten core. The team removed the FRP skin and dug out the rotten balsa from the fore deck, side decks as well as some areas on the coach roof. New foam core was glued in with West System Epoxy in place of the removed balsa. The crew at Greenport worked tirelessly to fill and fair the repairs, ensuring a proper finish through board sanding before priming and painting. The vessel will sail away with new painted nonskid and reinstalled teak and hardware. Brewer Greenport is pleased to take on jobs like this and look forward to their next challenge. Greenwich Bay Docks 1 and 2 were retired this year and replaced with new floating docks decked with IPE. Both docks also received an electrical upgrade to keep up with the demand necessary for supplying modern vessels. During the dock replacement, just

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Project Updates Additional projects in the yard this winter include an engine rebuild on a 1984 Avonce 36 and significant electrical upgrades to a Catalina 34. Manasquan River Club Much of the winter has been filled with making improvements to the property at Manasquan River Club. On “D and E Docks”, 300 feet of bulkhead were replaced and 200 feet were replaced on “B Dock”. The approach channel was dredged as well as the channel in front of the slips on “B Dock”. New security cameras have been installed around the property, and wireless internet will be coming to the property this season. Marina Bay Boston The Skipper’s lot has been repaired, seal-coated and upgraded with a new security gate to provide private parking for Members. There are also new finger piers on K-dock with new power pedestals and decking. R-dock has been upgraded to provide 240 volt electrical supply with the installation of a power booster. Mystic The seawall replacement at Mystic has been the focus of the winter season and new fuel tanks are in the process of being installed on the premises. Much of the focus for the team has been on preventative maintenance and getting customer boats ready for a hassle-free season.

Onset Bay The electrical system throughout the marina at Onset Bay has been renewed and there is a new security gate installed on the main pier. The paint and mechanic shop have been busy all winter long with engine installs and fresh topside paint. Oxford A recently donated Rhodes 41, Best Revenge that was purchased by new owners has been in the Oxford shop getting a full makeover. The team began with soda blasting the bottom in preparation of barrier coat and fresh paint. The hull also underwent a thorough sanding prior to spraying Awlgrip Donegal Green as part of the refit. There are extensive updates being made to this classic and she should be ready to sail in time for summer.

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Brewer Location The picnic area at Oxford has received a major facelift for the 2017 season. The team has been focusing on property landscaping and providing a great hangout spot for members. Pilots Point The #4 heads in the South yard near R and U docks received some serious renovations over the winter. The new facility will have five individual bathrooms, each with their own toilet, sink and shower. There is new lighting, ceramic tile and air conditioning to make the season more comfortable for all. An additional upgrade to the facility includes custom sheds built around the electrical panels throughout the marina. The most exciting project at Pilots Point this winter has been the restoration of the 1980 America’s Cup winner, Freedom, a well-known 12 meter sailing vessel. One of the challenges was fairing the hull which had become distorted through her years of hard racing. Longboards, filler and lots of manpower was used to return the hull to a finish fit for primer. The hull was sprayed with high build primer, finish primer and topcoated with Alexseal. There were also several areas of corroded aluminum on the hull, deck and frame that were fixed. The keel and rudder went through extensive repairs and the rigging was upgraded for the start of the season.

Plymouth The winter of 2016/2017 has given Brewer Plymouth the opportunity to repair many vessels that suffered from impact damage. A Fuji 35’ ketch that was hit by another vessel is undergoing glass and rail work and will be finished up with an Awlgrip paint job. The after keel section on a Pearson 10M is being rebuilt due to grounding damage. A Northern Bay 38’, a Downeast style boat, had some significant damage from a grounding and the work included engine removal, fabricating a new fiberglass fuel tank, building a hull mold to facilitate in the repair process and a fresh Awlgrip paint job. In addition to these larger projects, the staff also replaced a fuel tank on a 35’ Ocean Sportfish and installed a second 20 kilowatt Onan generator on a 55’ Hatteras Sportfish. The yard is pursuing dredging permits for the 2018 season and will be replacing some of the aging finger floats on A and B docks.

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Project Updates 36 and Tartan 37 received new paint jobs and a Jeanneau 43DS had new teak decking put down. Many owners decided to have their head systems rebuilt which included new hoses, fittings and vents. General maintenance has kept the team busy this winter as well as the conversion of a throttle control system from mechanical to electronic on a 58 Hampton. Stratford The talented team at Stratford has been busy this winter with a great deal of unique projects. A 37 Carver had her engines and outdrives removed to fix a water intrusion from the hull. A 48 Ocean required a complete removal of the interior countertop to repair a loose deck cleat and improperly tabbed air box. A 28 Alerion received a new shaft coupler, shaft seal, additional battery and improvements to the cockpit drainage system. Among the general maintenance items that the crew found while doing their winter service work, they also replaced a cockpit refrigerator, resealed overhead vinyl, installed LED courtesy lighting and installed an oil change pump for engines and generator.

Sakonnet The docks at Sakonnet will look refreshingly new this season as I, J and K dock in the North yard were all replaced. The team is also finishing repairs to the bulkhead on K dock to ensure the longevity of the facility.

Stratford is known for their 15 point inspection that is based on the recommendations that ABYC publishes. It is a great way to find issues before they interfere with the boating season.

The skilled crew spent the winter doing routine maintenance and took on the job of repowering a Bertram 31. Stirling Harbor The mild winter has allowed the facility at Stirling Harbor to receive significant upgrades. The rotting bulkhead at K and J docks and the old fixed docks have been removed. A new vinyl bulkhead is being installed two feet higher than “postSandy” height and new floating docks will be installed to replace the old fixed docks that were retired this year. The pool bathrooms also received a bit of refurbishing and will have a fresh coat of paint for the beginning of the season. The team at Stirling Harbor has been busy with maintenance work and a few special projects over the winter. Both a Sabre

Wickford The bridge project in Wickford is finally completed which will make traveling to the marina hassle free. Yacht Haven The last of the original power pedestals on pier 11 has been replaced to provide efficient and reliable electric. The party dock on pier 1 also received a remodel and will be ready for the 2017 season!


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Brewer Preferred Member Since 1992, the Preferred Member program is our way of saying “Thank you” for being a loyal customer, by offering recognition and discounts throughout our family of marinas. When visiting another Brewer location, you will receive free overnight stays, fuel discounts and local vendor offers, as well as be treated as if you were at your own home port.

We look forward to your visit and thank you for being a member. Watch for more info on byy.com!

Boat Yard Dog Berra Berra, a lovable Golden Retriever, considers it his responsibility to make friends with those passing by Blue Chip on the dock at Brewer Stratford Marina. Wendy Eason often watches him from inside the boat as he gets friendly with anyone willing to stop. “He doesn’t miss many!” she notes with a smile. Her son, AJ, has a special bond with Berra and has always been the one to walk him or take him ashore when they are cruising. “He doesn’t seem to mind, although that’s pretty unusual for a teenager.” She adds, “We love being on the boat so much that I guess we just can’t imagine anything else. Berra loves the boat so much that he evens responds to the command Blue Chip by running for it – of course, that’s only when he is allowed and no else is around!”
Do you have a pet that spends his/her time at a Brewer marina? Does he/she love boating as much as you do? If so, send a brief description and a photo to Lynn Oliver, Tide Watch Editor, c/o Brewer Yacht Yard Group, 63 Pilots Point Drive, Westbrook, CT 06498, or e-mail the information to [email protected]. Please note: though dogs are welcome, they must be leashed while on BYY property, as a courtesy to those who may/may not be comfortable around animals. In support of our dog-friendly policy, dog owners are asked to clean up after their pets.

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Buy with Confidence, Sell with Success! For almost twenty-five years, Brewer Yacht Sales has helped Brewer members as they enter or transition out of the boating world. “With Brewer Yacht Sales, your boat is not listed with just one broker in one location – it’s listed by a team of 14 professional yacht brokers and the full support of the largest marina network in the world!” commented Jackie Joslyn, Office Manager of Brewer Yacht Sales when asked about Safe Harbor Marinas. As the largest

brokerage in New England, “We average 365 boat sales a year and the Brewer – Safe Harbor relationship offers a unique alliance that no other yacht brokerage company has within the industry.” Brewer Yacht Sales’ longstanding commitment to Brewer members remains as strong as ever under the Safe Harbor umbrella. To speak with a broker please call 860-399-6213 or visit our website: BrewerYacht.com


Get to Know Joe Sciuto. Joe has been on and around boats since he was six weeks old and grew up in the brokerage industry. Joe is a graduate of Tabor Academy in Marion, MA, with a J.D. from the Roger Williams University School of Law where he focused on Maritime and Admiralty law. Joe services our clients from the South Shore of Boston to the Cape. Please call 508-287-2602 or view his listings at breweryacht.com / Team!


Meet our Newest Team Member Alexander Hall. Alex joined Brewer Yacht Sales in January and works out of Brewer Sakonnet Marina in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. With a background in naval architecture and 13 years’ experience as a captain and engineer for a 100’ motor yacht, Alex is poised to assist both buyers and sellers alike.

Joe Sciuto

Please call 401-207-9534 or view his listings at breweryacht.com / Team!
For more detailed information on how to list your boat for sale with Brewer Yacht Sales, or to learn more about our existing Brewer member incentives, please contact 860-399-6213, email [email protected] or list your boat online at www.breweryacht.com. We have potential buyers for your boat!

Alex Hall

Brewer Yacht Sales Offices in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut & New York

Log onto breweryacht.com for a location near you! Or call 860-399-6213 byy.com

BREWER YACHT YARDS 63 Pilots Point Drive Westbrook, CT 06498

For more info, visit byy.com!