THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 7, 1994 TAG: 9410070580
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHRISTOPHER DINSMORE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
Fall is shaping up to be the best season in several years for boat traffic on the Intracoastal Waterway.
October is typically the biggest month for yachts heading south, and marinas along the waterway in Hampton Roads report traffic in some places has rebounded as much as 30 percent over last year.
To support and capture more of that traffic, Atlantic Yacht Basin Inc. just added 500 feet to its 1,000 feet of dock on the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River in Chesapeake.
``Business is growing, boats are getting bigger and we need to grow with it,'' said W. Vance Hull, whose father, W.S. Hull, owns Atlantic Yacht Basin.
Hampton Roads is a popular fall stopping point for boaters making the journey to Florida or the Caribbean from points north. At the base of Chesapeake Bay, marinas offer shelter, fuel, stores and easy entry into the inland passage known as the Intracoastal Waterway.
The waterway itself starts in the Elizabeth River off Norfolk and follows bays, rivers and canals to Florida. It was designed to help pleasure craft avoid treacherous seas off Cape Hatteras in North Carolina.
``This month is a good month for transients,'' said Vanessa Bonenberger, assistant dockmaster at Scotts Creek Marina Inc. in Portsmouth.
Bonenberger estimated that the marina has seen about 30 percent more traffic so far this fall than last. Scotts Creek Marina sets aside about 20 of its 135 slips for transient traffic.
``It's up,'' said Gordon Shelton, owner of Tidewater Yacht Marina in Portsmouth. ``It's definitely up 10 to 15 percent.''
Directly across from Waterside, Tidewater Yacht sets aside 100 of its more than 300 slips for transient boaters.
At Atlantic Yacht Basin, which dedicated its new docks Thursday, most of the 1,500 feet of dock is dedicated to the lucrative transient business. It's a substantial source of additional revenue for the firm, which is well-known for its yacht repair business, Hull said.
In addition to dockage fees, yachters stopping in Hampton Roads spend money on fuel, groceries and other marine supplies. Some eat meals in the region's restaurants and visit tourist attractions, Bonenberger said.
The marinas attribute the rebound to a number of factors, ranging from the economy's strength to the repeal of the luxury tax on yachts costing more than $100,000.
``There's no question about'' the effect of the repeal of the luxury tax, Shelton said. ``Most of the boats we handle cost more than $100,000.''
He also cited the low interest rates of the past few years. ``People are starting to buy boats again,'' Bonenberger agreed.
She's also encountered many people making their initial trip. ``A lot of people are retiring early with the cutbacks and early retirements going on and are heading south for the first time,'' she said.
While Intracoastal Waterway business may be looking up for the first time in a few years, Shelton doubts he'll see another major boom. ``It will never get back to where it was in the late '80s and early '90s,'' he said. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
RICHARD L. DUNSTON/Staff
To support and capture transient traffic, Atlantic Yacht Basin Inc.
has added 500 feet to its 1,000 feet of dock on the Southern Branch
of the Elizabeth River in Chesapeake.
by CNB