Gunboat Company, a maker of high-end sailboats, announced today that it would locate a new shipyard in Dare County and create 71 jobs.

The company plans to invest $1.8 million over the next three years at a site in Wanchese.

Gunboat will receive a $213,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund if it meets hiring and investment goals.

The average annual wage for the jobs will be $27,093, plus benefits. That's above the Dare County average of $24,128.

Gunboat makes catamaran yachts It is a part of Rhode Island-based Gunboat International.

The boating industry experienced a sharp drop in sales during the recession, causing a major restructuring of many sectors of the industry.

The industry has shown some signs of recovering in recent years after shedding hundreds of jobs in eastern North Carolina.