Letter to the Editor: Dana Point Shipyard (Thankfully) Continues

Byline: Catherine Cope

On Oct. 4, 2011 the Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to approve a new long-term lease with Dana Point Shipyard. After years of negotiation and planning, our vision of an upgraded and modernized shipyard will take place.

Dana Point Shipyard is the continuation of a dream that started with the vision of two men, Gene Jerry and C.B. Shannep. They would turn that vision into reality, and would develop a business partnership that has lasted for more than 40 years.

The family owned Dana Point Shipyard — operated by Gene Jerry, Cathy Cope and Steve Morris (three generations) — will now be able to last well into the fourth generation of operation in the harbor. This history of the business that has become a full marine service center can be found online at danapoint-shipyard.com.

Dana Point Shipyard will continue to service and support vessels in the Dana Point Harbor area and beyond.

Some of the future upgrades will include:
• A 100-ton Travelift with a beam capacity of 24 feet. Our current Travelift is 50 tons with a 17.5-foot beam capacity.
• A new industrial water clarifying unit and stormwater treatment system. This will replace the current clarifying system, which gets the job done but is 30 years old.
• New upgraded Travelift piers to support the additional weight of even the largest vessels in Dana Point Harbor. No longer will larger vessels need to travel to Newport Beach or San Diego to haul out.
• Reconfiguration of our current dock system.
• An upgraded website that will provide for customer interaction and answers to technical questions addressed within 24 hours.

All these proposed future upgrades will be in place by 2016 — and many will be in place by 2013-14.

Thanks to the many people who were instrumental in obtaining our new lease, including Supervisor Pat Bates and the Orange County Board of Supervisors, Brad Gross and staff at the OC Dana Point Harbor Department, John Erskine and Nossaman LLP, Bob Love and RGL & Associates, Boaters for Dana Point Harbor and Dana Point Boaters Association. And finally, to the recreational boating community of Dana Point Harbor: Thank you for the honor of serving you, now and in the future.

Catherine Cope
Dana Point Shipyard
Dana Point