Cracker Boy Boat Works in south Florida has upgraded its boatyard with a new Marine Travelift 75BFMII, replacing an existing mobile boat hoist as part of its equipment rotation strategy. The investment comes as the family-owned business celebrates 50 years in business this year.

Cracker Boy Boat Works was founded in 1976 as a marine construction business and later expanded into a DIY boatyard with facilities in Riviera Beach and Fort Pierce. The company now serves recreational boats, barges, tugs and commercial marine construction equipment.

The business operates three Marine Travelift machines across its yards five days a week and replaces its oldest unit every few years as part of its equipment rotation strategy to avoid operational disruptions and unplanned downtime.

The new 75-metric-tonne machine is fitted with a wireless remote control and an extended sailboat top beam. “The remote allows operators to position the Travelift more quickly, while the extended crossbar eliminates the need to wait for sailboats to adjust rigging, or reposition for hauling,” said John Murphy, president of Cracker Boy Boat Works.

“Professional crew and timely communication made for a smooth set-up. The detailed pre-assembly information allowed us to prepare properly and avoid delays, and the crew was efficient and great to work with,” Murphy added.

The boatyard also highlighted its established relationship with Marine Travelift, which has operated since 1954 and manufactures mobile boat hoists, marine forklifts, self-propelled transporters and other lifting equipment for the marine sector.

“The machines are workhorses and share our ‘can-do’ attitude. From sales to service, the support we receive is essential to maintaining the level of service our customers expect,” the operating team said.

Images courtesy of Marine Travelift.