STURGEON BAY – Bock Marine, a full-service or do-it-yourself boatyard on 16 acres just north of Beaufort, NC, recently took delivery of a Marine Travelift 85BFMII mobile boat hoist. This is the third Marine Travelift machine the yard has purchased, mirroring their three generations of Bock family ownership.
About Bock Marine
Bock Marine was founded in 1975 as Roanoke Island Steel & Boat Works in Wanchese, North Carolina by Carl Bock, Jr. The company was well known for building custom commercial fishing vessels and quickly outgrew its original one-acre site. In 1983 Bock, Jr. relocated to the current facility in Beaufort, NC and changed the company’s name to Bock Marine Builders, Inc.
In 1988, prompted by a waning market for commercial fishing boats, Bock diversified with the purchase of their first Marine Travelift Machine, a 60-ton mobile boat hoist. This allowed the facility to expand their services to refit and repairs, hauls, and storage.
In 1995, Bock Marine upgraded to a 70BFM Marine Travelift (70 metric ton lifting capacity) to meet the demands of their market. The same year the company completed their last new construction project. Fast-forward to present day, and the facility is known worldwide as a destination for repairs and refit, still under the care of the Bock family: Carl Bock Jr.’s son Kenny and his wife Nancy, and grandchildren Alex Bock and Carlee Robbins. To modernize the boat yard and increase both efficiency and capability, Bock Marine decided to upgrade lifting equipment again, welcoming a new Marine Travelift 85BFMII (85 metric ton capacity) mobile boat hoist.
Carl Bock Jr. in photo
Bock Marine’s original 60-ton boat hoist has since been retired, but the ’95 70-ton machine is still in good working order, a testament to its quality and their team’s impeccable maintenance program.
Customizations
This new machine was delivered with the wireless remote control and 2-speed hoist options, to increase efficiency and maneuverability.
In addition, Bock Marine’s 85BFMII was designed with the same footprint as the 70BFM to operate on the site’s existing piers. When asked to speak to the similarities and differences between the two machines, Ryan Sherman, yard manager for Bock Marine Builders commented:
“We were able to immediately start using the lift for launching and hauling because of the similar size and setup. With the new lift we are able to do the same jobs with fewer people because of the wireless remote, and we are able to lift larger boats with more ease because of the increased weight capacity.”
He added the operators love the new machine: “…the addition of the remote control was obviously a big change for our operators, but as soon as they started using it, they fell in love with the ability to get a 360 degree point of view during jobs. The remote makes lifting even the larger boats a much simpler task.”
impact
Now equipped with two Marine Travelift mobile boat hoist machines, the new 85BFMII will act as Bock Marine’s “daily driver,” while their 70BFM remains available for emergency hauls/repairs.
“The addition of our second lift has opened up our efficiency immensely. Running two machines at the same time has been an absolute game changer.” – Sherman commented.
Future outlook for the facility includes aluminum boat construction. With their increased lifting capability, the yard’s plan is to get Bock Marine back into boat building.
Delivery
When asked about the delivery and setup process, Kenny Bock, President of Bock Marine said:
“Delivery and setup were extremely efficient and professional. The Marine Travelift Tech arrived fully prepared and extremely knowledgeable and made sure we were able to reach him with any questions or concerns after setup.”
Click here to learn more about Marine Travelift BFMII Mobile Boat Hoists