Following multi-million dollar renovations, Palm Harbor Marina was certified as a Clean Marina by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

West Palm Beach, FL – Following multi-million dollar renovations, Palm Harbor Marina was certified as a Clean Marina by the state Department of Environmental Protection. To earn this designation, Palm Harbor Marina implemented stringent environmental measures designed to address critical environmental areas, including sensitive habitat, waste management, storm-water runoff, spill prevention, hurricane and emergency preparedness.

With a minimum of 460 points required, Palm Harbor Marina was awarded 780 points out of a possible 800. This is one of the highest percentage scores according to Clean Marina Coordinator Bill Richards. “We went above and beyond the requirements and did things right from the start. To be recognized by the state of Florida and the Department of Environmental Protection as a Clean Marina is an important distinction,” stated Palm Harbor Marina Manager John Smundin.

Palm Harbor Marina’s multi-million dollar renovations represent the strength and commitment of the Chase family, working together with the City of West Palm Beach, to help stimulate the local economy, energize the downtown area, and to build a destination Marina. Palm Harbor Marina sets new standards for comprehensive amenities, stellar service and first class facilities.

“Together with our engineers, the design team, city officials and our entire staff, we set out to create a state-of-the-art marina that reflects responsible growth while protecting Florida’s natural resources. As you can see from our filled marina today, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. We are honored to have earned this important Clean Marina designation as it illustrates our commitment to being exemplary stewards of West Palm Beach’s newly renovated waterfront,” said Cheryl Chase a principal of Leisure Resorts, LLC, owners of the Palm Harbor Marina.

The private Clean Marina designation ceremony will be held March 24 at 9 a.m. at the Palm Harbor Marina.

Palm Harbor Marina, located just south of the Flagler Bridge in the heart of the Palm Beaches, offers 200 slips with outstanding amenities including concierge services, yacht club and social room, fitness facilities, Epicurean center and video game room. The marina also features a state-of-the-art concrete floating dock system, high speed fuel pumps, in-slip pump out services, security, single and 3-phase power and more.

The DEP’s Office of Sustainable Initiatives is comprised of three voluntary, non-regulatory programs that assist Florida industry and citizens in protecting the environment. The Clean Marina Program, the Florida Green Lodging Program and the Florida Pollution Prevention Program offer a variety of services including on-site assessments, consultations, speakers and workshops, all at no cost to citizens or organizations. The goal of the Sustainable Initiatives programs is to meet the needs of the present population without compromising resources for future generations. To learn more about DEP’s Sustainable Initiatives, click here.

Exclusive event includes evening yacht hop and on-water demonstration day

As the November sun set over West Palm Beach,
its beams spread a golden glow over the yachts,
guests and tents of the inaugural Yachting Life
Private Yacht Showcase. The two-day affair began
with an elegant yacht hop on Friday and concluded
with VIP hospitality and yacht demonstrations on
Saturday. The by-invitation-only event was held
the weekend after the world’s largest in-water boat
show in Fort Lauderdale. The contrast between
the two events could not have been greater.
The showcase hosted by Yachting magazine
was decidedly upscale. Pre-qualified guests and
high quality yachts came together in an elegant and
relaxed environment at the beautiful Palm Harbor
Marina, located on the Intracoastal Waterway in
the heart of downtown West Palm Beach.
Festivities began Friday evening with cocktails
and hors d’oeuvres on shore for nearly 400 guests.
Yachting magazine event planners pulled out
all the stops to create a chic and sophisticated
waterfront “nightclub.” Comfortable lounge areas
surrounded a festive glowing blue bar where
Potions in Motion served a dizzying array of
libations, including several signature cocktails
prepared with LaCroix sparkling water. All food
was prepared individually at internationally
themed stations. Each dish was a gem; a perfect
portion of subtle tastes artfully presented by Mara
Global Dimensions catering.
As fabulous as the décor was, the stars of the
event were the 40 yachts on display. Yachting’s
guests had the opportunity to tour everything from
the sleek 26-foot handcrafted mahogany Hacker
Craft runabout to the imposing 130-foot Westport
tri-deck motor yacht. The wide range of vessels included picnic boats, sport fish, convertibles
and cruisers. The most unusual offering was the SeaLegs ultra-modern amphibious tender that operates on land as well as on the water. New boats in the under 50-foot category included models from Hinckley, Bahama Boat Works, Cruisers, Intrepid, and Hacker Craft. HMY Yacht Sales displayed several new yachts in the over 50-foot category including Tiara, Grand Banks and Maritimo. Other new yachts above 50 feet were Viking Sports Cruisers/Princess, Vicem, Cheoy Lee, Cruisers, Sabre, Ocean Alexander, Hinckley, and Outer Reef. In the over 100-foot category were yacht builders Hargrave, Northcoast and Westport. Brokerage yachts were represented by HMY Yacht Sales, Galati Yacht Sales and Generation Marine. Several luxury brands were on hand as well. Corum, NetJets and Scrub Island in the British

Virgin Islands had displays in the lounge area while Palm Beach Motor Cars featured models from Aston Martin, Land Rover and Jaguar outside. The tropical-themed original artwork of Daniel Caldwell enhanced the carefree tone of the event. Metan Marine Restoration showed how heirloom boats could be restored and memories brought to life on the water. Saturday dawned bright and clear for the 100 guests who returned for a second look at the yachts. Several boats conducted on-water demonstrations during the day and guests were treated to a sumptuous brunch on shore. The mood was casual and intimate, providing guests the opportunity to tour boats at their leisure and have the full attention of the representatives. Yacht builders were pleased with the outcome of this first-time event. Mike Joyce, president of Hargrave Yachts, had two new raised pilothouse motor yachts on display and said he is looking forward to next year’s showcase. Vicem Yachts president Dirk Boehmer said to Yachting editor George Sass “I would like to congratulate you on the fantastic event you hosted this weekend. I found it very worthwhile and thought the venue was perfect for attracting quality buyers.” And Westport’s vice president, Philip Purcell stated “The coordination, quality and professionalism was well noted. We look forward to having the opportunity to participate in like events in the future.” Feedback from guests was also positive. Bridget Green enjoyed learning about Palm Harbor Marina as well as talking with the “various yacht companies, particularly Diane and Eric of Hinckley.”

Palm Harbor Marina was the ideal site for this first-time event. The 200-slip marina has state-of-the-art concrete floating docks and can accommodate yachts up to 200 feet in length. Marina amenities encompass a private clubhouse with yacht club, fitness center, gaming room, epicurean center and concierge services. Located in the heart of the Palm Beaches, it is only minutes away from world-class dining, shopping and entertainment. For more information about Palm Harbor Marina or to make reservations call (800) 435-8051 or email them at info@palmharbor-marina.com. To find out more about The Yachting Life Private Yacht Showcase and future Yachting events, contact David Carr, Events Manager, (954) 594-7655; david.carr@bonniercorp.com.

Palm Harbor Marina sets new standards for what a modern mega-yacht harbor should be and is proud to fly the Clean Marina flag in its efforts to continue to help preserve and protect Florida’s natural resources.

Because Florida has over one million registered vessels, environmental education within marine industries is the first step towards safeguarding the state’s natural resources. In response, the Clean Boating Partnership developed the Clean Marina, Clean Boatyard, Clean Retailer, and Clean Boater Programs to protect Florida’s waterways. Palm Harbor Marina will join the over two hundred Clean Marina facilities that the Clean Boating program has designated in Florida.

To earn this designation, Palm Harbor Marina implemented environmentally sound measures, designed to address critical environmental issues including waste management, storm-water runoff, spill prevention and emergency preparedness. Palm Harbor Marina also spent $20 million on renovations providing new docks, a new seawall and dredging. These new state-of-the-art docks were a major upgrade compared to the old wooden docks because of their strength and all the amenities that come with them. Those amenities include extra wide gangways and finger piers, more stability, a higher freeboard for bigger boats, single- and three phase power with surge protection to accommodate megayachts, in-slip pumpout, gated dock access with surveillance cameras and high-speed diesel and gasoline dispensers at the refueling station.

In 2000, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Marine Industry of Florida formed the Clean Boating Partnership. This public/private partnership consists of marina and boatyard operators along with representatives from the Marine Industries Association of Florida (MIAF) and its local chapters, Florida Sea Grant Program, United States Coast Guard (USCG), USCG Auxiliary, USCG Sea Partners Program, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the DEP.

By Dorie Cox

Nothing lasts for long, but John Smundin’s dedication to his marinas does.

“I’ve only worked at two places,” Smundin said from the docks of Palm Harbor Marina in West Palm Beach. “I was wondering if that almost sounds negative these days?”

But yacht crew can see that his longevity is an asset born from fidelity and a love for his work. He’s been in the industry since 1979 and since then has worked only at Pier 66 in Ft. Lauderdale and at Palm Harbor Marina where he is dockmaster.

He and his wife left New Jersey to make a change and moved to Florida in 1979.

“We moved on a whim, we had no plans at all and only some friends here. We just wanted to move from Jersey,” he said.

Maria, his wife, had been to Florida before, but it was Smundin’s first trip. His friend, docked at Pier 66, connected Smundin with office staff, Patience Cohn (who is currently special projects manager at Marine Industry Association of South Florida). Cohn was dating Smundin’s friend and told him they were looking for a dock attendant.

“He’s an anomaly for his longetivity,” said Cohn of Smundin’s history, “He has earned his place.”

Smundin reminisced for a moment about how things were different when he first started.

“I’ll tell you why, it was the atmosphere. It was more like a yacht club, not a marina. It was owned by Phillips 66 and the same boats came each winter, it was a premier facility.

“I didn’t realize it at the time, but it was prestigious. There was so much going on, there were movies being made and celebrities everywhere.”

In 1986 he went to work for Palm Harbor Marina and has been there ever since. Back then, he said, the marina had four wooden docks with 160 slips for smaller boats and the marina was half the size it is now.

Palm Harbor Marina is still under the same ownership is has been for the last 40 years. It is located south of the Flagler Memorial Bridge on the west side of the Intracoastal Waterway and was orginally known as the Old City Dock.

Smundin said the marina is two and a half miles from the Port of Palm Beach and south of the Lake Worth Inlet with one bridge and no fixed bridges. The depth in the marina is 11 feet at mean low tide. Last December. the marina was closed to undergo total rehabilitation. The renovations were unveiled during a grand opening ceremony before the Palm Beach Boat Show in March.

The marina still occupies the same coastal area but has expanded out to near the ICW and slip sizes for yachts have increased from 40-160 feet to 60-235 feet. That brings an average yacht size from 47 feet to 90 feet. Smundin said they have improved the uplands and added what they call a yacht club; a multi-purpose room, fitness room and media room.

“We don’t call it a crew club because the owners can use it also,” Smundin said.

Plans include an epicurian market to replace the previous ship’s store.

“It was like a 7-11 on the water, but that’s gone.”

The second phase will include a hotel, a resort-type property, restaurants and a pool. Palm Harbor has a 200-foot dock at the fueling area and 500 feet on another dock for side-to docking. The marina is within walking distance of the heart of downtown West Palm Beach and to a variety of restaurants, shops and cultural activities.

“Most importantly we have worked closely with Department of Environmental Protection and we are dredging the low spot north of the bridge,” Smundin said. “That would give yachts 10 feet of depth from the inlet to us. That was always a concern with the captains; they used to have to time their trip in or out.”

He said the marina is working closely with Florida Inland Navigation District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to foster mutually beneficial relationships for all involved.

“It’s been since 1979 trying to get this done,” Smundin said of the dedication of Palm Harbor Marina to get everything done. And that’s how long Smundin has been dedicated, too.

West Palm Beach, FL (Oct.15, 2010) – The recently completed dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway, to increase depth to10 feet mean low water (MLW), has opened up a new gateway for larger yachts and commercial vessels to access the commercial and private waterfront of Palm Beach and the redeveloped downtown West Palm Beach.

In addition to boosting the appeal of this area to a broader yachting community nationally and internationally, the 10,000-12,000 cubic yards of dredged materials will help create critical shallow water habitat important to local fisheries, wading and shorebirds, manatees, and sea turtles in the South Cove estuary. [South cove will also feature a 556-foot-long elevated boardwalk for walking, jogging or fishing, an observation deck and educational kiosk for public events.]

Through a unique public/private partnership, the waterway improvement is the finishing touch in West Palm Beach ’s $30 million downtown waterfront redevelopment. There are very few places in the world where larger yachts can dock within walking distance of a vibrant downtown community. Palm Beach and West Palm Beach feature a broad range of entertainment: live music, colorful boutiques, trendy nightclubs, restaurants, sidewalk cafes, shops, historical landmarks, a 20-screen theater, open-air plaza, cultural arts theater and residential areas in a lush tropical setting.

“The positive economic impact of being able to accommodate a broader range of the yachting community is tremendous,” said Cheryl Chase principal with Chase Enterprises, owners of the Palm Harbor Marina. A study, conducted by Thomas J. Murray & Associates on behalf of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida, found that nearly 1,500 megayachts cruised into Broward, Dade, and Palm Beach counties in 2006. On average, each vessel created nearly $500,000 in economic impact among boatyard expenses, brokerage commissions, and charter fees, as well as area entertainment and restaurants. That’s $750 million generated by a relatively small number of yachts and, even with the impact of our current diminished economy, that is financially significant, explained Chase. The same study also stated that the 1,400 larger yachts (with length exceeding 80-feet) serviced by Tri-County boatyards supported an estimated 7,300 jobs.

“We shared the vision of Mayor Frankel to be a part of creating a waterfront that will help stimulate our entire community. The Palm Harbor Marina is only phase-one of our long-term vision to complete the transformation of our area to the ultimate yachting destination,” added Arnold Chase, principal with Chase Enterprises.

Owners and captains of yachts with a draft of more than eight feet have welcomed the news. ”As a captain of a yacht in excess of 150 feet, safety is of utmost concern in planning marina and port visits. Having a low spot in a waterway definitely deters larger yachts since they would risk damaging the running gear or running aground. We’re very excited that we are able to dock in the West Palm and Palm Beaches areas since it offers all the top level entertainment and luxury amenities our owners, passengers and crew desire, “ explained Mega Yacht Kathryn Captain Chris Ramos.

Palm Harbor Marina, located along the Intracoastal Waterway, is already seeing a positive impact and is booking more large vessels at its full service marina. “Large yacht owners and crew enjoy the excitement of the new downtown developments and being able to walk to it from their slip. There aren’t many ports that have such great amenities and attractions close by,” added Palm Harbor Marina’s John Smundin.

Additional information >>

The renovations at Palm Harbor Marina transformed a modest marina into one of the best megayacht facilities on the eastern seaboard. Palm Harbor Marina, a 200-slip facility in West Palm Beach, Fla., spent $20 million on new docks, a new seawall, dredging, and a new yacht club facility. Remarkably, it finished the renovations in one year!

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March 25, 2010, West Palm Beach, FL—The principals of Chase Enterprises, owners of the Palm Harbor Marina, announced that HMY Yacht Sales, one of the country’s premier yacht dealership and brokerage houses, was bringing their flagship office to the newly renovated marina during their Grand Opening event on Thursday, March 25, 2010.

“We are very pleased to have the HMY team onboard with us at the new marina,” said Cheryl Chase. “As one of the largest and most comprehensive yacht sales and service organizations in the world, we felt that their organization would be the perfect fit for our new facility,” she said. “Their dedication to superior customer service and support, as well as their expertise in the industry, mirror’s our own commitment to providing the very best for our customers.”

The addition of HMY at the Palm Harbor Marina also brings with it the opportunity for positive economic impact for the community. “The presence of more boats simply means more jobs,” she continued. “This partnership is a win-win for everyone.” During the ceremony, Steve Moynihan, owner and founder of HMY Yacht Sales thanked the Chase family for their commitment to the industry by creating this beautiful facility especially in a down economy. “We are excited to be a part of this amazing project and hope that by bringing our cornerstone facility here we are able to bring even more jobs and prosperity to this community,” he said.

Timeline plans for the move-in have not been formalized, but it is anticipated that HMY will open their new flagship dealership at the Palm Harbor Marina no later than Summer 2010.

March 25, 2010, West Palm Beach, FL—Mayor Lois Frankel and members of the Chase Family celebrated the official Grand Opening of the new Palm Harbor Marina on Thursday, March 25th at 11 a.m. “This multi-million dollar project represents the strength and commitment of the entire Chase family, working together with the City of West Palm Beach in a public/private partnership, to stimulate our local economy and provide hundreds of jobs, energize the downtown area with our ‘bridge to bridge’ waterfront plan, and create a destination Marina that will attract yachts from around the world,” said Mayor Frankel.

Defying the laws of logic and conventional wisdom in this challenging economic climate, Palm Harbor Marina was completed with no public funding in a record nine months. Its development has been a boon to the local economy through the creation of hundreds of new manufacturing and service jobs. “This project is the latest chapter in myfamily’s 30-year commitment to the community,” said Arnold Chase, principal with Chase Enterprises, owners of the Palm Harbor Marina. “We shared the vision of Mayor Frankel to be a part of creating a waterfront that will help stimulate our entire community. The Palm Harbor Marina is only phase-one of our long-term vision that also includes an upscale hotel complex that will complete the transformation of our area to the ultimate yachting destination.”

“It has been through strong partnerships like our one with the City that have made this project possible,” said Cheryl Chase, Principal with Chase Enterprises. “It was one year ago…nearly to the day, that we broke ground on this very site and to have completed this project so efficiently was an extraordinary accomplishment that wouldn’t have been possible without every department in the City working together,” she continued.

The development of unique partnerships to drive more business and jobs to the community continued to be the theme of the program as Ms. Chase introduced plans for the addition of HMY Yacht Sales’ flagship office at the marina. Steve Moynihan, owner and founder of HMY Yacht Sales, one of the largest and most comprehensive yacht sales and service organizations in the world remarked, “We are most excited to be a part of this amazing project and look forward to bringing even more jobs and prosperity to this community,” he said.

Palm Harbor Marina expanded their partnership with Show Management and was an instrumental part in growing the 25th Annual Palm Beach International Boat Show.  “We are pleased to have been able to expand our Show to such a beautiful marina and look forward to a long and successful relationship,” said Skip Zimbalist, III, Chairman and CEO of Active Interest Media, promoters of the Show.

Palm Harbor Marina is capable of hosting nearly 200 yachts of all sizes from 50′ to 250’ in length. It is conveniently located only minutes from the Palm Beach Inlet and just south of the Flagler Bridge. It encompasses an area approximately the size of five city blocks with 2.2 million pounds of concrete floating docks! “Each of those slips when filled with a yacht represents nearly $500,000 in economic impact to the City and approximately five full-time jobs to support it,” continued Cheryl Chase. “When you do the math, the success of this marina is a powerful addition to our community.”