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May 2014, The Journal’s Colonial Beach Summer Guide
Bill Bowman’s Boathouse Marina is bringing vintage boats back to life RIchard Leggitt Bill Bowman has spent his life refurbishing and restoring aging things that have fallen on hard times. “Houses, cars, boats, I have always enjoyed taking something that is in trouble and bringing it back to better days,” Bowman said. A year ago, Bowman, who spent most of his life in the construction business in Richmond, bought Stanford’s Marine Railway Marina in Colonial Beach. Today, Bowman’s The Boathouse Marina is one of the Beach’s flourishing businesses. “All of our slips are rented, and I have a waiting list for slip rentals,” Bowman said. “We have refurbished the marina and have been pretty successful.” The Boathouse Marina has WiFi, a new boater’s lounge, showers, and a 25-ton boat lift that has replaced the old marine railway. “We have transient slips, and we are boater owned and boater friendly,” said Bowman. And, in addition to the usual marina services offered by The Boathouse Marina, Bowman takes pride in the restoration work the marina is doing to refurbish and refit a number of vintage boats. “I have always liked boats,” Bowman said. “I have lived on the water my entire life. I grew up on the Pamunkey River in Hanover County; then I lived on the James River in Richmond; and now here on the Potomac.” “And I enjoy the pleasure of taking
something that is down on its luck and then refurbishing and restoring it and bringing it back to life,” Bowman said. “And that especially applies to wooden boats from the 1800s through the Depression era. There is something about a wooden boat that just demands perfection.” Bowman and his crew of skilled craftsmen maintain and restore boats for customers and also work on Bowman’s collection of several dozen boats. “I have been collecting boats since I was in college. And, as you become known, people will come and seek you out.” Bowman’s collection includes a classic 1927, 57-foot wooden Elko cruiser, the Hermione. And, he is currently restoring a triple cockpit, wooden 1924 Chris Craft rum runner like the boats that were used to bring alcohol into the United States from Canada during Prohibition. Bowman’s team has been working on a vintage 1957 wooden, open cockpit Barbour for a customer. “In this business, you have to become very particular; you want to have something special,” Bowman said. The Boathouse Marina offers a wide variety of services in addition to its restoration and maintenance work, including a tow boat, “Butch”, for boaters needing assistance. The marina is located at 829 Robin Grove Lane on Monroe Bay. The phone number is 804-224-7644. The web address is www. theboathousemarina-va.com.
Bill Bowman, who has owned The Boathouse Marina since 2013, is gaining a well regarded reputation for the work the marina is doing, including the restoration of vintage boats.