EVERETT — Bellingham Yacht Sales plans to open a location at the Everett waterfront, bringing new yacht sales to the Port of Everett for the first time in recent memory.
The waterfront has what the business was looking for in a second site, including a boat launch, prime moorage and waterfront office space, Bellingham Yachts president Dean Ouilette said.
Another reason for the expansion: the planned waterfront development that would bring hundreds of homes, restaurants and stores and trails. That project is expected to open in 2019
“People just enjoy being around the water,” Ouilette said. “With all that they’re doing down there, it’s going to become a destination, we’re really excited about it.”
He signed a two-year lease deal with the port for 450-square-feet of office space at 1135 Craftsman Way, Suite 100, at the Craftsman District of Waterfront Place. The business will keep boats on display at the Port’s North I-Dock adjacent to the Travelift Dock.
Ouilette has been showing boats last week at the Seattle Boat Show, which runs through Feb. 4. After the show, he’ll bring boats for sale to the Port of Everett. He said he expects the office to open by Feb. 11.
Bellingham Yacht Sales has been in business for 32 years with a location at the Port of Bellingham Marina. The company has 12 employees and expects to eventually add as many at the site in Everett. The business will keep the name Bellingham Yacht Sales, but will brand it as BYS.
Ouilette said that he has as many as 25 boats on display in Bellingham. At first, he said he will only display around five at a time in Everett, but that could grow over time.
Bellingham Yacht Sales will feature new boats for sale from Back Cove Yachts and Sabre Yachts, as well as offer used yacht brokerage featuring Cutwater boats and Ranger Tugs, and full services with in-house yacht shipwrights.
The location in Bellingham also charters boats, but the Everett site won’t do that initially, Ouilette said.
Bellingham Yacht Sales has looked to expand into the greater Seattle area market for a while, Ouilette said, but shied away from the City of Seattle because of the traffic and parking problems. Everett also has the advantage of being easy to reach from Bellingham.
He said the current office and dock space will work initially, but he expects to move the business into a new building that the Port plans to construct in 2018 southeast of the current Waterfront Center building. The new building will feature office space connected to a heated bay where shipwrights can work on yachts indoors.
He praised Port officials for their help.
“They’ve welcomed us with open arms,” Ouilette said. “We feel like they’re really good partners to work with.”
Bellingham Yacht Sales can be reached at 877-310-9449 or by email at sales@bellinghamyachts.com.
