In 1947, Bob Derecktor founded a shipyard in Mamaroneck, N.Y. Derecktor Shipyards is still operating today — 75 years after it opened. The company has had its ups and downs. It’s Bridgeport, Ct., yard filed for Chapter 11 protection twice between 2008 and 2012.
But today, the company operates three new construction and repair shipyards — it’s headquarters and new commercial construction base in Mamaroneck, N.Y., it’s large-yacht repair facility in Dania Beach, Fla., and its newest yard in Fort Pierce, Fla., designed specifically for megayachts. (Derecktor also owns a full service yacht yard and marina in Robinhood, Maine.)
Derecktor’s Mamaroneck yard built the 63'x21.3' Capt. Ben Moore for Harbor Harvest. The boat was one of WorkBoat’s Significant Boats of 2019.
“The yard in Fort Pierce has been doing a lot of repair work on Bahaman utility boats,” said John Koenig, Derecktor’s director of communications. “Yes, the yachts, of course, but we’ve been pleasantly surprised with the Bahaman boats.”
The New York yard is in the same spot and in the same spirit, building and repairing vessels of all types while adding to the yard’s history. Currently that yard is in the middle of a contract to repower six ferries for NY Waterway and recently delivered a 68' research vessel for the University of Vermont.
Koenig said that yard can handle any commercial refit job and sees refitting propulsion packages as a big market in the future. “Hybrid and electric propulsion are the future, especially in boats that don’t have to go fast, like the ones that operate in the harbor,” he said. “We see it as a good business.”
Koenig said the New York yard has built a diverse group of vessels in the past and would like to get involved in building boats for the offshore wind energy industry.
“We’d love to build wind boats,” he said, “especially since New York has such an involvement in that industry.”
The company will soon release a book about the history of Derecktor Shipyards to celebrate its 75th anniversary. “We also plan to do something to celebrate our anniversary at the Fort Lauderdale [International] Boat Show (Oct. 26-30) and the [International] WorkBoat Show (Nov. 30-Dec. 2),” said Koenig.
