Megayacht dock for Yarmouth in 2008

Dave Whiting, manager for the Port of Yarmouth and the Yarmouth Development Corporation is excited about the economic potential of the huge luxury vessels. “We’ve had a few over the past six years,” he said. “Business-wise, for example, when Crosby’s Florists was downtown they bought out their entire stock of fresh flowers. The owners fly in to join these yachts, they don’t sail with them. The vessels come in here with their crew and sit here for one to five to seven days.”

Whiting said when he conducted research into megayachts he learned that there was more money flowing into Southern Florida from this sector than there was from large cruise lines. “It’s a big business,” he said.

The single new floating dock will replace the old, including finger piers, and will be installed further out: three-and-a-half to four meters from shore as opposed to one-and-a-half. The depth will permit vessels with a draft of close to 3.7 meters to dock.

Hydro, fresh water and arrangements for fueling will be provided. Whiting says some of the fuel bills for the big ships can reach $64,000 or more.

Local conveniences like the airfield, Canada Customs office and close proximity to the U.S. will appeal to megayacht owners, who are accustomed to superior service says Whiting. “These guys don’t like to dock next to a fishing wharf. They don’t like to be adjusting their fenders with every rising tide nor do they want to have to climb in a little runabout to come to shore each time,” he said.

The floating docks will be built in the Valley this winter and installed next spring.