The popular Blue Moose Café, nestled in a blue tin building between Townsend Bay Marine and Haven Boatworks, seems one of the few places left in Port Townsend where shoptalk doesn't include worrying about the economy.
A mélange of marine tradespeople, including business owners and shipyard workers, say they aren't feeling the strains of a softening economy reported by other Jefferson County businesses. A strong fishing season and popularization of wooden boats in Europe have contributed to good times for companies operating out of the yard.
"In my world, there is no recession," said Chris Chase, a member of Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-op. "I tell that to my friends in the community, and they're just shocked."
While haulout numbers haven't reached the levels they were during 2006, a record-breaking year for the port, they aren't bad either, said Doug Lockhart, Port of Port Townsend yard supervisor.
"I haven't seen anyone hurting," Lockhart said. "They're all definitely busy."
The port's 300-ton heavy haulout lift, which did 122 round trips in 2006 and 107 round trips in 2007, had recorded 53 round trips as of June 1, Lockhart said, including 32 round trips during the spring months. That's compared to 38 during spring 2007 and 45 in the spring 2006.
The 70-ton hoist did 72 round trips this March, compared to 75 in March 2007 and 65 in March 2006. The small lift did 89 round trips in April, compared to 91 in April 2007 and 90 the year before that. In all, the smaller lift had conducted 305 round trips as of June 1, 2008. The 70-ton hoist did 820 round trips last year and 846 round trips in 2006.
Bob Muret, general manager of Gold Star Marine, says the company's 18 employees have worked on more than 100 boats during the past year.
"We are very, very busy," Muret said. "It looks like we're going for a record year this year."
At $72.50 per hour, Gold Star is one of the most expensive shops in the yard - but also one of the busiest.
Part of the reason the yard is doing so well is because businesses provide boat owners with an indispensable service - getting boats in condition to go into the water. For commercial fisherman, that's as essential as buying nets.
"The service to those boats can't be overlooked or you won't be fishing anymore," said Terry Nowell, an employee at Steelhead Marine. "It really behooves the port to remain attractive to commercial vessels and pleasure boats."
Freyja Boatworks, which caters exclusively to wooden boats, is "flush with projects," said co-owner Brian Wentzel, who tossed off a rhyme to explain why deferred maintenance can be more expensive.
"Wooden boats continue to rot, whether there's money to take care of them or not," he said.
The wooden boat-owning community, which largely consists of aging baby boomers with disposable income, doesn't seem to be hurting, Chase said. He's seen little regard for the elevated costs of fuel among yachters either.
"That clientele base is spending money, almost as fast as it ever did," said Chase, whose latest project is modernizing a 1934 sailboat commissioned by William Randolph Hearst for an owner who hopes to take it cruising around the world.
Diana Talley, owner of Taku Marine and president of the Port Townsend Marine Trades Association, said business is so good some companies are looking for more workers.
"Every yard down there needs qualified labor," Talley said.
Future fears
Still, could a boating recession be on the horizon?
"There's no guarantees; everybody knows that," Muret said. "This is such a fickle industry that you're full one month, and the next there's nobody."
"Is it coming?" Chase considered the question carefully. "I think people are starting to think more," he said slowly. But he isn't seeing canceled projects, deferred maintenance or other symptoms that could signal a downturn.
Port of Port Townsend Executive Director Larry Crockett, who researched boat sales for the first two quarters of 2008, said the market was not looking very strong.
He doesn't worry about business from commercial fishermen. But if there's going to be a downturn, its effects would most likely begin to be felt in 2009, he said.
"[Recreational boaters are] the ones I can see sitting in their living rooms saying: 'Oh, geez, that's going to cost me $1,500. I think I'll wait a year,'" Crockett said. If recreational boaters begin delaying projects, fewer people will be hauling vessels out, cutting into the port's revenue. It could cause a ripple effect to businesses that supply paint, hardware and tools for those projects, Crockett said.
Nowell believes fuel prices will soon begin affecting the cost of fish.
"There's no way the price of fuel can't be shown in the price of fish soon," he said.
Pete Hanke, owner of Puget Sound Express specializing in whale-watching tours and passenger ferry service to the San Juan Islands, said that despite a rate increase, the number of people signing up for tours hasn't declined. But his expenses have gone up.
"Anything that has to do with parts is quite a bit more expensive. As an example, oil filters are 20 percent more expensive than they were last year," Hanke said. "Any metal part that you buy is going to be more expensive."
Increased food prices have also affected Puget Sound Express' outlay for materials, since tours also include food service.
Inside the cavernous Port Townsend Rigging, owner Lisa Vizzini and a single employee were taking care of daily chores on a sunny summer afternoon. Much of PT Rigging's clientele is regional, Vizzini said, and unlike some business owners, she has seen a downturn.
"We're not as busy as we would expect this time of year," she said. "I think if you're doing a project, you might be waiting."
Vizzini is hopeful business will pick up soon.
"I just fret. I'm a business owner and I have employees," she added. "I'm a worrier."
For "the rest of the story" and full coverage of all Port Townsend and Jefferson County news, events and people, subscribe to our award-winning weekly newspaper.
