Erwin Marine Sales has taken over Chattanooga's downtown riverfront marina formerly managed by MarineMax and renamed the Ross's Landing facility to Erwin Marine Riverfront LLC.
The new owners said Monday they will continue offering transient dockage along Chattanooga's 21st Century Riverfront in addition to fuel, pump out, and related boating services by assuming the lease agreement with the city of Chattanooga. Unlike MarineMax, however, Erwin Marine Sales will focus its trailer boat sales at its marina just six miles upstream on Chickamauga Lake.
"We think this is a good marriage with the Chickamauga Marina just up the road, and it gives our customers a good destination to come to and we thought that would be good for them and for our business," Patrick Deal, general manager for Erwin Marine, said Monday. "And because we're locally owned, we think we can operate this as well as anyone."
MarineMax, the nation's largest recreational boat and yacht retailer headquartered in Clearwater, Fla., opened the marina in 2005 after the downtown Chattanooga riverfront was revamped and docks were added along the waterfront. The marina, which operates under a lease with the city of Chattanooga, leases dock space along the waterfront and in a small marina at Ross's Landing.
Founded in 1978, Erwin Marine Sales currently operates boat sales, service and storage facilities throughout the Tennessee River Valley System, including locations on Chickamauga Lake by the Chickamauga Dam and on Honeycomb Creek near Huntsville, Ala.
"As we move forward, we plan to market the riverfront to our existing customers in the surrounding cities where we operate today," Deal said. "Introducing more people will continue to strengthen the local businesses and organizations in the downtown area."
Louis "Kayo" Erwin, owner and president of Erwin Marine Sales, said "as a Chattanooga native, I'm excited about bringing my community together through boating and events on the water."