50 Years of DIY at Cracker Boy Boat Works

The marina industry today is filled with properties that sell themselves as resorts, offering a full array of amenities for boaters looking to spend quality family time on or near their boats and the water. But that snapshot of a marina leaves out the working side, the boatyard, that is the glue that holds the industry together. Boatyards keep boaters in their boats.

Cracker Boy Boat Works, with locations in Riviera Beach and Ft. Pierce, Florida, is celebrating 50 years of keeping people on the water. Through the years, they haven’t changed how they do business. They’ve kept ownership in the family and focus solely on hauling and launching boats, while sharing their experience and knowledge built over decades in the industry.

Early Days
The Murphy family purchased the Riviera Beach property in 1946 to use for their construction company. The waterfront parcel allowed easy barge access for material and equipment deliveries largely used for marine-related projects. But they were not taking advantage of the upland. Putting their heads together, they determined the upland could be used for do-it-yourself (DIY) boat repairs.

“There were few boats in the area at the time, mostly fishing boats, that went to an island and beach their boats to do needed work between the tides,” remembered John Murphy, president of Cracker Boys.

Pilings were placed for the travel well, a 25-ton lift was purchased and a small marine store was added. Hans Peter Vollmer, who came up with the business idea with the Murphys, became the first facility manager of Cracker Boy Boat Works, named after a common nickname given to early Irish/American Floridians. The first haul out was the Murphy’s tug.

“We attracted those fishing boats. We had the marine equipment and slowly we grew into what we are today. We acquired additional property whenever we could, expanding from 2 and a half acres to more than 6. At present, we use every bit of it,” Murphy said.

In 1978, the Murphys and Vollmers saw expansion potential in Ft. Pierce, which had a growing boating industry. “We were enjoying what we were doing here, so we purchased property on Taylor Creek and operated it in the same way. We also used the waterside area for loading and unloading construction materials,” Murphy said.

A seawall, travelift piles and yard fencing were soon added, followed by a marine store, restrooms and a shop. Water and electric were installed, along with 24 storage spaces. The first haul out at this new site was the Vollmer’s boat, “Saturday Child.”

At The Yard Today
The properties have slowly expanded a bit to keep up with the growing number of boaters and expanding boat sizes. The Riviera Beach property recently took delivery of a new 75-ton Marine Travelift as part of the scheduled replacement plan. They haul boats up to 110 feet with drafts to 18 feet. Ft. Pierce has a 75-ton Travelift with the ability to haul boats up to 70 feet, and both locations can step masts without the properties’ cranes.

“We see racing sailboats, commercial tugs and barges, and we still use the water portion of the property for those,” Murphy said. “Over the years, we’ve become very popular as a do-it-yourself yard. We have a customer base that returns each year, and we still add new ones.”

Barbara Rautenkranz, office manager for the past 10 years, commented that their business model gives them the ability to focus on what they enjoy doing and not have the headaches that come from managing a repair roster that could exceed 60 boats. “We’re happy to haul and launch and sell materials without having to get in the middle of the work process,” she commented. In peak season, they move 10 to 12 boats each day.

The launching and hauling are handled by yard manager Sam Dutoit. “Sam has over 20 years of boat mechanic experience and is constantly in the yard coordinating the movements and answering questions for the captain and contractors,” Rautenkranz said. The office typically schedules hauls 60 minutes apart and launches 30 minutes apart, necessitating careful coordination and maneuvering.

They keep a list of licensed, insured and trusted contractors and otherwise let customers work on their own boats. The only caveat for DIYers is that they must use the materials Cracker Boys sells in the marine store, and they have to supply their own ladders. Rautenkranz said their customers range from the DIYer to yachts with full crews, outboard service technicians who do warranty work and fleet managers who bring in boats in rotation for service. What their customers have in common is an appreciation for the service they receive.

“We listen to the customers. We ask what we can do to help them. We give them old-fashioned service,” Murphy said. At 90 years old, Murphy has been through every step of the business’s history and is still very much involved in the day-to-day operations, spending days on his golf cart, cruising the property to check on customers. While he said he’s the only original still left, his son, daughter and grandson have taken roles in the company, so the business will remain in the family for many more years to come.

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