A Historic Transition at Beaufort Town Docks
Published on April 28, 2026
For nearly 50 years, the Beaufort Town Docks in Beaufort, North Carolina, were leased to a single party. Haywood Weeks operated the docks as a private, for-profit enterprise, catering to transients at first, and then adding commercial activities, including ferry services.
In 2024, Weeks let the town know he was ready to retire. The Beaufort Board of Commissioners and the community were left to reevaluate their docks and form a long-term vision for what they could and should be. “A key priority was preserving Beaufort’s character as a boutique coastal destination while also strengthening its economic vitality,” said Matt Zapp, town manager for the Town of Beaufort.
The Search for New Management Begins
While the town leaders briefly considered handing over the docks to another private entity, the community’s priority was to see management of the docks returned to the public. They made sure their opinion was heard. Local citizens started a grassroots effort to lobby and inform the town commissioners through a massive lawn sign effort, a Facebook page and dozens of well-attended town meetings.
The Town responded by creating the Beaufort Waterfront Operations and Finance (BWOF) Committee, which formed in August 2024, to represent the community’s interests.
The group insisted that the Town Docks continue to support the historical flavor of Beaufort as a transient boating community that focuses on the downtown commercial district. BWOF wanted to ensure the docks remained a transient stopover that affords visitors boardwalk views of the waterways, along with nearby Rachel Carson Reserve, Fort Macon State Park and Shackleford Banks.
The initial task was to review and update the recommendations that the Town’s Harbor and Waterways Advisory Committee had already established and determine the next plan of action. The overall agreement was to bring the operation of the docks back under public control.
“The BWOF helped identify operational needs, establish strategic goals, and provide guidance on the framework for selecting a qualified management partner. Their work ensured that the transition would be both deliberate and aligned with community expectations,” Zapp said.
A formal RFQ/RFP process was implemented to find qualified third-party operators with marina management expertise, to undertake a 3-to-5-year commitment. The search continued through the winter of 2025, and proposals were reviewed in the late spring and early summer of that same year.
F3 Takes Over
F3 Marina, a division of Founders 3 Management Company (F3), was chosen to manage the docks and signed a contract in the fall of 2025. Weeks officially handed over operational control to F3 on January 1, 2026.
F3 was attracted to the Beaufort Town Docks location as an ideal layover for transient boats and because the town was committed to a partnership and facility improvements. “The town offers great docks, fantastic restaurants and shops and incredible views of sunset and sunrise. Having the town as partners is a tremendous honor,” Lori Meehan, F3 Marina regional manager said.
“One of the early benefits (of the F3 partnership) has been the Town’s ability to make strategic capital investments aligned with long-term goals. For example, the Town invested approximately $1.2 million in a new diesel fueling station and upgrades to in-slip fueling carts, which are expected to be operational in April 2026,” Zapp said.
The project included the installation of a 26,000-gallon underground fuel tank and a dedicated delivery lane along the Town’s Front Street. The lane will accommodate fuel deliveries as well as merchant deliveries without impeding traffic flow, which can become heavy in the height of tourist season.
While the priority was to install the new fuel tank and in-slip fueling, more renovations are underway, including commercial dock improvements, a new pumpout system, and a dockmaster office.
Technology updates have also been part of the improvements to streamline not just operations for employees, but also for customers. Online booking will now be completed through MarinaGo and Dockwa.
“Dockwa provides the transient boater with the ease of booking reservations the same day. MarinaGo is the backbone of the operation, providing two-way sync to QuickBooks for billing,” Meehan explained. The system also gives the customers a portal to view and make payments, request service, and track expenses. The upgrades make it simpler to provide the town with detailed transaction history.
Maintaining a close relationship with the town and having the ability to coordinate and learn from the previous owner helped the transition run smoothly.
“The previous employees have been very kind in helping us to transition the property,” Meehan commented. Two of them applied for and were hired by F3. “The institutional knowledge remains with us as both employees have been there for many years.”
An immediate benefit has been the successful booking of slips for the annual Big Rock fishing tournament. The slips sold out for the 10-day event, which Meehan credits to the efforts and expertise of the employees.
“The transition itself has gone very well. As with any operational shift of this scale, there were logistical and organizational adjustments, but those have been managed effectively through strong coordination between the Town and F3 Marina,” Zapp said.
Beaufort Town Docks provides 12 commercial slips totaling 510 linear feet, 6 annual slips for resident-owned vessels up to 35 feet, and 6 dock and dine slips up to 35 feet that are free for up to 3 hours. There are also 39 50-foot slips and 680 linear feet of T-heads for transient use during peak season and available off-season for monthly rental.
The upgrades to the docks include high-speed in-slip fueling and pumpouts slated for half the docks this year and half next year. The bath house and dock electric are scheduled to be renovated next budget year, with the Town also pursuing grants for the replacement of the seawall and floating docks. “Investing in this asset is their focus, and we are so excited to partner with them in this effort,” Meehan said.
“Overall, the transition has positioned the Town well for the upcoming peak season,” Zapp said. “The combination of local oversight, professional management, and targeted infrastructure investment is already yielding benefits, and the Town is optimistic about the long-term success of the Beaufort Town Docks under this new model.”
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