It is no secret that Massachusetts offers unparalleled experiences for boats of all sizes. From booming Boston Harbor to all the small towns along the Cape, there are ample cruising opportunities. For more than 25 years, Chuck and Ann Lagasse have been passionate about managing and building marinas in this Massachusetts region. "We are boaters, they explain, so we know firsthand what boaters want and need."
In 2007, after years of managing multiple marinas in Newburyport, Chuck and Ann purchased Boston Yacht Haven Inn & Marina, set in Boston's historic North End. Their plan was to create the first mega yacht facility in the city. The marina's Inn received a complete overhaul that included upgraded amenities and nautical de´cor. A captain's lounge was added as a place where boaters and the crew could mingle and relax. The marina too was extensively renovated and is now a state-of-the-art facility featuring 100 deep-water slipsand 30 of these slips can accommodate yachts up to 225 feet. The property is just steps away from renowned Quincy Market, the theater district and a wealth of restaurants and shops.
Since there was such a positive response from the boating community to Boston Yacht Haven Inn & Marina, the Lagasses decided to take on another project and purchased Charlestown Marina in late 2014. A strict deadline was set for a major overhaul of the entire facility in historic Charlestown, across the harbor from Boston, and in May 2015 the marina was opened. The state-of-the-art facility boasts 350 slips and can accommodate vessels up to 500 feet. There's also a new 900-foot hybrid steel concrete breakwater system, new electric services and water connections and new shower and restroom facilities. A Pier 6 Restaurant, security, laundry facilities and grilling stations are all on-site.
This past summer the Charlestown Marina surpassed its transient and seasonal goals, and the Lagasses plan to continue expanding this season. "We welcome everyone," says Ann, "from 18-foot Whalers to mega-yachts."
This February, the Lagasses made their next move, purchasing Provincetown Marina, which is set in the town of the same name up at the very tippe top of Cape Cod. Provincetown is a quaint, beloved coastal town with a rich cultural heritage. Currently, the marina has 50 slips and 110 moorings, but the goal for this summer is to have 65 new slips open, with water and electrical hook-ups. "This is a five-year project," explains Ann, "and we are hoping to eventually enlarge to more than 100 slips."
If anyone can pull it off, it is the Lagasses.
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