By Alison Strachan
Brad Boutilier tells me he’s been in the boating industry for most of his life. He spent several years as a sea cadet then worked toward his captain’s papers, and then moved into operations management. He adds that “sailing and being on the water has always been a passion”.
His background on the sea led to an entrepreneurial venture that saw him purchase a struggling boatyard in East River and turn it into a successful thriving business.
Boutilier told me that when it came to the Lunenburg opportunity, “I always admired the Lunenburg Shipyard and could never have dreamed of having the opportunity to be part of it, let alone the opportunity to rejuvenate it and bring it back to its glory.”
In June 2023, things got rolling and very real in Lunenburg for Boutilier with the purchase of the Lunenburg Shipyard.
Lunenburg’s Sandy Marshall, then chair of the Lunenburg Waterfront Association, welcomed the news. “Lunenburg’s working waterfront is vital to the economic well-being of Nova Scotia. The historic Lunenburg Shipyard is an essential piece of our marine industrial infrastructure. This purchase by an experienced operator will continue our reputation for servicing vessels, of all kinds, both recreational and commercial, including those supporting the new opportunities emerging in modern ocean technology such as renewable energy.”
Joseph Kinley added, “We are thrilled to know that Lunenburg Shipyard will continue to provide jobs and economic benefits to this community that we care so much about.”
Brad Boutilier on a Lunenburg Shipyard Ltd. slipway. Photo from LinkedIn
Since then, Boutilier’s Lunenburg Shipyard has issued a flurry of job ads and undertaken marine activities such as the first haul of the SV Alvei on its refurbished slipway that happened about nine months ago.
I asked Boutilier what’s been going on since and what his goals are for 2024.
“The initial plan was to get the smaller vessel, services and storage yard going — a business that we know very well from East River. We were very pleased with the support of the local community with the traditional sailing vessels, the local pleasure boaters, and the fishing fleet,” he said.
“Following that we always felt an obligation to get the marine railway running so we can look after the Fisheries Museum vessels, Bluenose II, and the larger local fishing fleet in their home port of Lunenburg. We currently have one of the railways up and running and certified to accommodate these vessels.
“We continue to upgrade the marine railways and will likely have two in operation by late summer.
Sailing Vessel Alvei on the refurbished slipway at Lunenburg Shipyard Ltd.
“We’ve made some bold moves on the maintenance side where we are building our roller frames here instead of purchasing them from the United States at a much higher cost. We have the skilled trades and with local engineering and suppliers of our custom rollers, we are taking charge of improving our facility in cost-effective and efficient ways”.
When I asked about employment numbers, Boutilier said, “2024 started slow and through the support of our East River facility we kept staff going and enough projects to keep the Lunenburg site profitable through the winter. We are excited for the rest of the year. The yard seems to be very busy. We have several vessels scheduled to be hauled out.
My guess is that we will have approximately 20 staff by the end of 2024, and 25 or more moving into mid-2025. Fifty-plus employees are not far off, based on where we want to take this.”
Boutilier sees opportunity and growth ahead for the shipyard.
“How I’ve grown my other businesses is by doing more and providing unique services. East River went from a struggling South Shore boatyard to the largest of its kind in Atlantic Canada, the largest capacity hauling and storage facility for yachts with the largest year-round team to service them. We have the most indoor storage in Atlantic Canada and accommodate vessels up to 150 feet in length. We expect to do the same thing in Lunenburg for even larger vessels.
“There is a niche in our market where we can handle the larger fishing, fleet vessels, tugboats, midsize-Coast Guard boats as well as larger, traditional vessels, and Tall Ships.
“Most looked at the Lunenburg Shipyard as a challenging facility, one that would not be able to transform into a modern facility due to the changing culture and interest of the town, along with the environmental regulations becoming more stringent. We see it as an opportunity to provide an environmentally friendly and modern facility where we can use newer methods of hauling vessels that are better for the environment and more efficient and cost-effective for our clients, along with modernization that can include a facility to put these large vessels inside during ship repair and maintenance processes so that work can be completed in a controlled environment.
“Providing work inside a building where all controls, including noise which years ago was part of the tradition of Lunenburg but has become more challenging, can be controlled inside as well.
“We know that sometimes we will have to meet strict schedules and there will be requirements of shift work through the night to complete these vessels and get them back in operation. We feel our modernization plan is a great fit for the town because it addresses the concerns I’ve set out above. It also provides a thriving working waterfront that always was — and we feel must be — the heartbeat of Lunenburg.
“We truly believe our shipyard has the potential to be one of the most modern facilities in Canada and be a recognized and special destination, locally and internationally.”
When I first contacted Boutilier for this interview and comments on the Halifax Sail Grand Prix, he responded, “We are repairing the Sail GP camera boat as we speak.’ That didn’t surprise me. I left him with a few more questions and asked him to check back in with me when he wasn’t in the midst of work.
Boutilier is enthusiastic about the potential that Sail Grand Prix brings. “Sail GP is an exciting International event that draws in a broad audience. The technology, the speeds, and the hype around this type of event is exciting and puts our beautiful waters – Canada’s Ocean Playground – in the international spotlight, as it should be.
“Nova Scotia is becoming more recognized as a great cruising ground for yachts and super yachts which brings great growth in our industry and is very welcome news for us and many other ports along our coast.
“What we are doing in East River and Lunenburg is an example of us finding new markets and opportunities as the industry changes. Lunenburg once thrived as a fishing port with schooners and later Clearwater and Adams & Knickle vessels, and more, but now those docks sit mostly empty.
“Vessels have moved to more commercialized ports that support their larger capacities for the most part. For the Lunenburg waterfront to continue to remain active, it had to change. We are moving in the right direction. We celebrate the traditions with the historic museum vessels and the Tall Ships that visit Lunenburg each year. They come for the traditional skill sets and the historic waterfront and town where their vessels fit in so well. We have had support from yachts that we see coming more and more to Nova Scotia.
“From my standpoint, Sail Grand Prix gives our wonderful waters and our region international exposure that will promote more interest and activity in boating in Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada.”
Boutilier tells me that his business has participated in event sponsorship and emergency repairs for the Sail Grand Prix event support vessels. He says that his two businesses are the ones to “go to” when it comes to supporting Grand Prix vessels because the companies deal with carbon and composites and so, he says “we are the ones folks call on short notice who can get the work done.”
Boutilier sums up his connection with the sea by saying, “I am a mariner at heart. I love the romance of the sea and it’s in my blood. To be a leader and doing what we are doing in Lunenburg at the shipyard is a true honour and I feel as though I am a custodian rather than an owner. I spent a great deal of time with John Kinley. It was important to him, his family, and all the interested parties of the shipyard that the yard continued with the right folks. They wanted to see the traditions live on and I was so blessed that we were able to work together and recognize that I could be key to continuity and the next custodian of the Lunenburg Shipyard.
“We are very excited for the next few years and what is to come. This is just the start and I look forward to sharing our shipyard story with everyone as we grow.”.
Recently, Boutilier announced a new marina will be added to Lunenburg this spring, offering diesel and gas fuel services, docking for yachts and superyachts, indoor and outdoor winter storage, and a full suite of marine services.
New marina located on part of the former Lunenburg Foundry property.
There’s going to be more to tell in a future story.
Lunenburg traditions are strong. The town depends on its volunteers, and despite being a newcomer, Boutilier quickly raised his hand for a volunteer opportunity as a director on Lunenburg’s Board of Trade, one of the oldest boards on the Atlantic seaboard, and one of the most important organizations in the town. That seems to be a very good sign.
