June 23, 2020
By Craig Ritchie
Severely damaged last fall as Hurricane Dorian tore through Canada’s East Coast, New Brunswick’s Shediac Bay Yacht Club is set to officially re-open on June 26 following a $2.2 million reconstruction.
The club’s marina facilities on Shediac Harbour suffered major damage on September 7 when high winds and a massive storm surge from the category 2 hurricane overwhelmed the breakwater – pushing aside numerous concrete blocks each weighing more than 4,000 pounds – before flinging boats and docks atop one another and up onto the shore. Yacht Club manager Gerry O’Brien, who has boated in the area for decades, told media he had never seen anything like the devastation that followed Dorian, describing the scene after the storm as “a real mess.”
Following nine months of hard work and approximately $2.2 million in restoration work, the marina is now ready to officially re-open for the 2020 season on June 26. “Now it will be one of the nicest marinas around,” said O’Brien. “Everything is state-of-the-art as far as the docks go.”
The marina will open with a capacity of 172 slips for boats to 54 feet in length, while a final section of marina still under reconstruction will open a few weeks later with room for an additional 24 vessels. The facility is normally open from Victoria Day weekend until the Friday before Thanksgiving.
Apart from operating the marina facilities, the bilingual Shediac Bay Yacht Club operates a popular sailing school, promotes racing, and organizes both cruises and social events.
Boats and marina facilities at the nearby at the Point-du-Chene wharf were also severely damaged by Dorian, and have also been rebuilt for the 2020 season. The Wharf is a major tourist attraction in the Shediac area, drawing more than 300,000 visitors each year. A number of shops and restaurants along the structure have now been rebuilt on pilings to raise them two metres off the ground as a safeguard against future storms.
Marine Industry Career Path: Brett Ramsey
Wendy and Brett Ramsey
Boating Industry Canada is kicking off its Marine Industry Career Path series once again. For the first installments this year, we have two subjects to highlight. Introducing Wendy and Brett Ramsey!
The Ramsey’s have been working in the marine industry for many years but have both had unique paths in getting to where they are now. They’ve also been working on an impactful pilot project for a long time, which will now be launching this spring. The focus of this initiative is to bring more young people into the marine industry.
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Building on its award-winning M Series, Bayliner unveiled the all-new M19 at the Miami International Boat Show. The M19 joins the M Series lineup of the M15 and M17 delivering the stability and versatility the series is known for with a focus on expanding boater participation through its intuitive design, ease of maintenance and inclusive price point.
With an overall length of 19 feet and starting at $30,995 USD, the M19 is built on an improved M-hull foundation offering increased stability and automotive style handling for familiarity to appeal to the next generation of boaters. The M19 features an upgraded nine-person capacity and is watersports capable for a full day of adventure on the water.
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Airmar hires Suzanne Hawley as Brand Manager
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