COVER STORY
TCBusiness.com 7
benefit for the whole area,” Bob
Chew, a salesman for Stuart
Boatworks, said. Even a company
that makes boats shorter
than 30 feet long like his will
feel the effect of the new lift
and shipyard.
“Maybe the owners of those
yachts won’t be there, but their
crews will be, and so will the
people who refit and repair
their yachts,” Chew said. “And
they’ll hire local people to do
some of the work. And the outof
town crews will rent hotel
rooms, eat at restaurants and
on and on.”
GROWTH ON THE HORIZON
By May 2022, when the huge
mobile boat hoist is fully operational,
the estimated annual tax
revenue will be $800,000, which
is expected to rise to $1.5 million
by year four, Beard said.
“It’s going to spur a lot of
new economic growth in the
area and is also going to increase
the footprint of yachting
services in South Florida.
Palm Beach down to Miami is
sort of the center for the yacht
world in the U.S. and some of
the most accomplished and
technically skilled tradespeople
are located in those areas.
“Bringing a yard like Fort
Pierce online will extend that
market north and it will help
spur not only the local economy
but the Florida economy,”
Beard continued. “We’re going
to be able to accommodate
boats that normally don’t
come to the U.S. We’re looking
into bringing an entirely different
market that doesn’t come
here now because there’s not
been the opportunity to get
service work done. There are
only four sailing yachts in the
world we will not be able to
haul with this lift.”
Some of the yachts being
serviced at Derecktor Fort
Pierce will be there for just a
few weeks and some for a year.
Some boats will get mild maintenance
and others a major
overhaul or new construction. >>
BERNIE WOODALL
Bob Chew, a salesman at Stuart Boatworks, believes the addition of Derecktor
Shipyards and its mobile boat lift, which is the largest in the world, will have a
tremendous impact on the region’s economy.
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