Virginia-based Ocean Marine Yacht Center has new owners, and a new name. It’s now known as Ocean Yacht Marina.
Suntex Marinas, which owns about two dozen marinas in the United States and Caribbean, bought the Portsmouth-based facility. It’s at mile-marker zero, halfway between New York and Miami on the Intracoastal Waterway. Suntext Marinas now fully owns the property upon which Ocean Marina Yacht Center’s refit and small-boat-stowage operations occur, plus its assortment of dry and wet slips.
Suntex Marinas’ other holdings include ones that megayachts frequent, such as Liberty Landing Marina in New Jersey. It further owns two properties in Virginia near Ocean Yacht Marina. They are Tidewater Yacht Marina and York River Yacht Haven. Both accommodate megayachts as well.
Previously, Ocean Marine Yacht Center was operated by Jim Bento. Bento is remaining involved, leasing back the megayacht repair portion of the business. Megayachts to 305 feet (about 93 meters) can be worked on dockside. A 1,250-ton Syncrolift handles the biggest projects, though a 90-ton TraveLift is also present. Workshops include carpentry, fiberglass, and engine repair. There’s further a dedicated paint shed. Two 20-ton forklifts can transfer smaller boats to the 275 dry rack slips for winter stowage. Wet slips total 112. A ship’s store rounds out the overall amenities.
Suntex Marinas intends to invest in Ocean Yacht Marina and the refit operations. Part of this will include increasing employment among craftspeople. Renovations will take place as well.
“Suntex Marinas is a natural partner for Ocean Marine Yacht Center,” says Bento. “Now with three Suntex facilities in close proximity and eight along the East Coast, we can realize economies of scale, maximizing efficiencies, reducing costs, and passing services and savings on to customers.”
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