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Signs of strong season buoy Greater Victoria marinas

and Canadian visitors show up at Greater Victoria marinas.

A new luxury marina may finally get started in Victoria's harbour and a marina owner in Sidney is planning a four storey condominium development on the upland.

"Definitely, there's been a rebound in the market over the last year," said Greg Horne, co owner of Custom Yacht Sales Ltd. in Sidney. dollar.

"We've exported a fair number of boats and replica van cleef and arpels alhambra ring I know a lot of the other brokerages have as well."

There's also been some pent up demand in the local market, which represents more than 50 per cent of sales, Horne said. Alberta residents and other Canadians make up 25 to 35 per cent of the market and the balance are Americans.

All categories are seeing sales. "Everything from luxury yachts to sport fishermen to family cruisers are selling. Before it used to be the high end where we were van cleef alhambra ring replica getting activity." He categorizes a luxury yacht at $500,000 plus. "Then the spring market, coinciding with the Victoria Boat Show in April, just spurred a whole bunch of activity."

Recreational boating plays a major role in the capital region's economy, where everything from rowboats to luxury yachts are built and repaired and supplies are sold. Vessels visiting local harbours bring tourism dollars to the region.

Fishing charters, whale and wildlife viewing trips, and paddling are all part of this world.

Canada's recreational boating industry accounted for about $4.4 billion in annual direct revenues and employed 40,000, said a 2012 report titled the Economic Impact of Recreational Boating in Canada, released by the National Marine Manufacturers' Association.

Canadians own more than 4.3 million boats, according to the report.

Parksville boat broker Guy Robertson handles the lower end of the boat buying market. Many people are looking to convert cheap commercial fishboats or tugs into pleasure craft.

He recently sold a 75 foot steel tug boat, built in 1944, that had replica van cleef & arpels butterfly ring been derelict in Deep Bay.

"That boat will be turned into a half million dollar yacht in probably eight months time," Robertson said. "Just to have a boat with an old diesel motor that burns $10 an hour to drive at eight knots cruising the coast is kind of a dream for a lot of people."

Greater Victoria is a haven for boaters because of its proximity to scenic, sheltered waters, ferry terminals and Victoria International Airport.

"We've got probably the best cruising in North America," said Mark Dickinson, president of Van Isle Marina in Sidney.

Dickson took over Van Isle from his father, Steve, who established the marina with 35 slips in 1955. Van Isle, which recently blasted out reefs to expand its area for moorage, now has 510 slips and room to store another 95 boats on dry land. Dickinson plans to turn the marina over to his daughter, Dana, and son, Greg, who are both involved in the business.

A "huge job generator" at Van Isle has been a haul out site for vessels to be repaired or stored, he said.

Modern marinas have to cater with services boaters now expect, such as Wi Fi, Dickinson said.

Modern cruisers have high tech navigational aids and conveniences such as microwaves and dishwashers.

For Van Isle, 2013 delivered record boat sales and "so far this year, we are running parallel to last year, which is a good sign," Dickinson said. "We are off to a great start. The weather has been great and we have had lots of reservations so far. Day long weekends already."

The majority of visiting boaters are from Washington state, with others arriving from Vancouver, Alberta, Oregon and California, she said.

Port Sidney Marina owner Kim Pullen said summer visitor numbers look strong.

That's made up of "Canadian boaters, who are weather dependent, so we are looking for a good summer. And then you've got your American boaters, who are currency dependent and that looks good."

Pullen had offered the 320 slip marina for sale at $17.2 million but said this week that it is not on the market at this time.

Meanwhile, construction could start "within a few weeks" on the Victoria International Marina, said Larry Halgren, spokesman for the project.

The Wall

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