Westport opening a service center in Stuart, Fl.

Westport grows service in Florida.
After the acquisition of Westport yachts earlier this year by Gary Chouest of Edison Chouest offshore it was announced yesterday that a service center would be opening on the Saint Lucie river adjacent to American Custom yachts. Enclosed covered buildings and hard serviced haul out facilities along with enhanced haul out capabilities will be built at the Saint Lucie site to handle Westport's larger 50 meter vessels. The New river site will also be given a face lift with new technical buildings and a new three story office complex.
Excerpts from this article can be found on Superyacht news.com 28 Oct. 2014

It's a good bit up the ICW from Jupiter inlet to ACY's facility as the Saint Lucie inlet is a mess depth wise even with all the ongoing
dredging. Going through 4 corners @ Manatee Pocket and up through the Very narrow and current (tide) misaligned railroad bridge @ the old Roosevelt bridge is going to pucker many a captain more so than the New River ever has. Chouest has the $$ and they have always done things first class facility wise but Westport will have to bring some of its work force to the new facility to train and retain good technicians as they wont be coming over from ACY .
I've had the opportunity to take a couple of 35 - 40 meter yachts to AYC a few years past and wasn't impressed but with the exception of the paint hall. I found them to be VERY sport fish centric and really didn't have the refinement to compete with other yards as far as Yacht quality work and sourcing were concerned. I'm sure they'll get up to speed if they already haven't. Sea tow and Boat U.S. rubber boats will be licking their chops dreaming of New River money on this deal. It'll be interesting to sit back and watch how this comes to fruition and if it will be a success.

I would be inclined to think this facility would be the warranty facility for the 164 as that's really all the Ft Lauderdale facility is ( a warranty facility for all Westport's) as you said, I don't think that anybody brings their boat back to the builder for a refit but then again, ALL builders like to keep close hands and eyes with pre planned maintenance programs during the warranty periods of these vessels as many owners and captains use the "Big W" for a catch all for the first 12 months. I knew a Capt. on a new 130' that would claim light bulbs during the first year of warranty due to a perceived vibration that was taking bulbs out...
Never found the vibration and Westport graciously appeased this Gent for the first year. Talk about customer service with a smile!
I'm waiting for the time in the next few years that a press release states that manufacturing of Westport's line up will start taking place at this facility because they have to face the reality of the marketplace and client base and the transportation costs associated with the Pacific North West manufacturing plants. Christensen is moving ahead with its Lake Telico manufacturing facility in Knoxville Tenn. for a few of those reasons but the main reason is that they cant build to 60 -70 meters in their current plant and launching facilities.

The economy put the brakes on Lake Telico in '08 but now with their order book full until 2018 they're actively marketing a 62 meter that apparently has a returning customer willing to build if Christensen makes some contractual concessions relating to cherry picking some of the key dept. heads & relocating some of Vancouver's general work force and management to the Telico location to facilitate the quality of the build as nobody wants to be the first Guiney pig in a venture like this and certainly not with a 60+ meter new build. They have gone as far as interior mock ups for joinery and marble etc to be manufactured out west and installed @ the Telico facility Not wanting to get away from the Westport thread but I do believe that Christensen has had a maint. crew and facility build out crew at the Telico location for several months waiting for the green light. Ocean Alexander is a whole other animal and I have no knowledge concerning the future of that collaboration.

Martin County commissioners have a proven track record of being star struck when the name "Chouest" is linked to any local business development and I really cant blame them as Gary Chouest and family (starting with Gary's dad) have a gleaming track record for making money and employing hundreds of people in high paying jobs that in turn fuel the local economies. If I recall correctly, Three years ago during the economic down turn ACY / Chouest announced a joint venture to manufacture pre peg carbon GRP wind farm aero blades @ the ACY facilities land and between the state of Florida and the Martin County commission and the Martin county business development board I believe the tax incentives and lease backs for new construction totaled more than eighty million dollars all with the carrot of employing a new work force of six hundred. Unfortunately this venture never became a reality and Chouest and co. repaid all forwarded funds back to the state and county with no litigation so that was refreshing for a change. I never underestimate what a county and state will do to prostitute themselves when it comes to a positive press release that's self serving for the party that may be in control at the time as they're both guilty of this but when the big boys of business come a knocking to create jobs and infrastructure to generate local and state tax's than anything is possible such as dredging and bridge widening etc.

I agree with you that this location as is isn't outwardly suitable current and river width wise but its a head scratcher that a 165' named Compass Rose with a draft of 12.6' sat @ ACY for over a year and had its interior and electronics installed while sitting in the deep slip on the far west slip by Bosch towers. All I can figure is that besides playing the tide they had to drain every drop of fluids to lighten ship and even then they would have to drag it through the silt and mud. I had the unfortunate job of project managing a refit for Lloyds @ ACY after the Hurricanes of 2004 and that vessel was 148' & had a draft of 7'4 and we had Sea Tow bring us through the Saint Lucie inlet after sounding it the day before. Once past the Roosevelt bridge we were in and out of the bottom (mud) several times. Once we were tied up at ACY we were fine in the slip. I can see why Chouest would want to combine all of the companies yacht holdings on the 70 acres that they own out right as I have no idea what the state of the Lauderdale site is i.e. long term leased or owned?