by Larry Chowning –
There are more boats in Deltaville than there are people and boats and marine businesses drive the local economy.
As the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted economic life across America, Deltaville Boatyard owner Keith Ruse has found ways to dodge those woes brought on by COVID-19.
Deltaville’s location on Chesapeake Bay enhanced a wooden boatbuilding industry that spanned from the late 1800s to the early 21st century. During that span of time, more wood-planked deadrise boats were built in Deltaville than anywhere on the bay. Even though wooden boatbuilding has declined, the location of Deltaville on the bay and the marine infrastructure associated with the maritime community are still alive and thriving.
Deltaville Boatyard on Jackson Creek and other marinas and yards have capitalized on generations of boatyards that helped establish the community’s current reputation as the “Boating Capital of Chesapeake Bay.”
Ruse is expanding his maintenance portion of the business that will increase employment for the area. The local marine industry employees more people than any other non-governmental or non-school entity in the county.
A full-service boatyard, Deltaville Boatyard currently employs 25 workers, an increase of 20% over last year. That’s going to go up by at least 10 more with the construction of a new 25,000 square foot climate controlled service facility with construction scheduled to start in the spring.
“This type of facility is a commodity that has been frequently requested by both commercial and recreational boaters traveling along the coast,” said Ruse. “It will allow us to expand our business to work on large commercial vessels, such as those with the Coast Guard, Navy, and Army,” he said.
“We will be one (boatyard) of just a few in the mid-Atlantic region with this type of service facility and will allow us to hire at least 10 more employees, providing more careers and vocational training in the marine industry,” he said.
Staff development
“We are hiring employees locally as well as from other areas of the country who have decided to relocate here in Deltaville for work,” said Ruse. “We provide vocational training and certification for our employees through such organizations as the American Boat and Yacht Council.
“We have connected with local colleges and career centers through participating in job fairs and supportive partnerships,” he said.
Equipment upgrades
Ruse is also making equipment upgrades that include purchase of new sandblasting equipment to more efficiently remove bottom paint in order to strip and repair vessel bottoms.
The yard is also preparing to purchase a new 100-ton boat lift to replace the current 75-ton lift. “This will expand our customer base by allowing us to haul much larger vessels,” said Ruse.
Deltaville Tap & Raw Bar
Ruse is currently refurbishing a portion of his marina to house the Deltaville Tap & Raw Bar, which is moving from a location on Broad Creek.
“The owners were looking for a new venue, and Deltaville Marina offered them a place to use, which allowed for a more up-scale experience with views of Jackson Creek,” said Ruse.
“We are building a new deck for outside dining, and for their ability to have a revolving influx of new customers,” he said. “This also benefits the marina as we often have customers looking for restaurants and entertainment that will be provided on the premises.”
Commercial marine work partnerships
Deltaville heritage is strongly tied to commercial fishing. Deltaville Boatyard provides a service area at reduced rates for commercial fishermen. Watermen are allowed to have their boats hauled and work on their own boats. “We strongly encourage and support those who work in our local waters,” said Ruse.
The yard also works with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) in maintaining the VIMS research vessels. “We also provide custom fabrication for commercial and recreational vessels,” he said.
Deltaville Boatyard can do most anything when it comes to boats — from custom woodworking, fiberglass and steel hull repair, and engine installation and repair.
Dredging and improvements
Ruse has been a key player in working with governmental agencies in the process of dredging Jackson Creek. “Through a public/private partnership in 2010 and again in 2017, we had the channel dredged in Jackson Creek,” said Ruse. “This allows for large vessels, both recreational and commercial, to be able to come into the creek.”
The sand from the dredging is being used in a Living Shoreline project at the boatyard. “We repurposed the sand from the dredging into a living shoreline to help promote the natural ecosystems in our waterways,” he said.
In 2015, the marina portion of the business was awarded a “Boating Infrastructure Grant” through the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, now called the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. “This was for a new transient boaters floating dock for accommodating vessels up to 130-feet in length,” he said. “Each of the 19 slips have their own 100-amp shore power and full length pier on each side.”
The yard also installed a new fuel pumping system and a new sewage pump-out system free to customers and funded with a Virginia Clean Marina grant.
The yard also installed a new saltwater pool, new “crab shack” and a large garden for growing herbs and vegetable for free to marina customers.
Keith Ruse and the crew of Deltaville Boatyard are keeping Deltaville’s maritime heritage alive and are following in the footsteps of such pioneers as Milford and Linwood Price, Lee and Ed Deagle, Edward and Billy Norton, Alvin, Moody and Raymond Walden, Johnny (Crab) Weston, Paul Green, Virgil Miller, Alvin and Barbara Sibley and others who had a vision to establish early marinas and boatyards in Deltaville.
The infrastructure they built is alive and well!
