QUEPOS, Costa Rica — When Marina Pez Vela opens at Quepos, Costa Rica, in early 2009, it will become the only boating facility along that country’s midriff, a region famous for world-class sportfishing and jungle parks.

Photo by: courtesy of Marina Pez Vela Coming Soon — Marina Pez Vela, now under construction in Quepos, Costa Rica, is scheduled to open its first 100 slips — for yachts up to 200 feet — in early 2009.

The tiny port of Quepos lies about halfway between the Gulf of Nicoya and Golfo Dulce. Millions of tons of palm oil and sailfish have been shipped from the historic Quepos Pier, which lies in the lee of the Punta Quepos headland. Sheltered by this same headland, the huge breakwaters of Marina Pez Vela are nearing completion.

“I moved down here 10 years ago to retire,” said Harold Lovelady, founder of the Marina Pez Vela project. “I just needed a place for my boat; I didn’t really need another job.”

The first phase of Marina Pez Vela is scheduled to open during the first quarter of 2009, with 100 full-service slips for yachts up to 200 feet in length. The breakwaters are nearly completed, combining 25 huge coffer dams (each 18.5 meters across) and dog-bone-shaped connectors, according to Lovelady. With the breakwaters completed, docks will be installed by Bellingham Marine.

A full-service haulout and repair yard for yachts is also planned, providing 75-ton and 200-ton Travelifts for maintenance and repairs.

“I quickly realized that if we were going to build a yard, it had to be a ‘no-kidding’ full-service yard,” Lovelady said. “It will be the only such yard within hundreds of miles.” Marina Pez Vela’s boatyard and 200 additional slips are set for completion in the third quarter of 2009, according to marina spokeswoman Suzanne Lennon.

Pez Vela means sailfish, and the marina is planned as a luxurious homeport for sportfishing and world-cruising yachts, complete with a concierge, hotels and dining.

Costa Rica’s most popular nature preserve, Manuel Antonio National Park, lies 5 miles from Marina Pez Vela. So much impenetrable jungle lines the midriff of Costa Rica that only one road leads into Quepos from the north; none to the south. However, a new air service is planned to link boaters to the nation’s capital in San Jose.

For more information, visit www.marinapezvela.com.