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.

Hatteras Yachts, a division of Brunswick Corp., plans to add 350 jobs during the next five years at its manufacturing facility in New Bern.

State officials this afternoon approved giving the company incentives worth up to $3 million if it meets hiring goals and keeps 279 existing jobs at the Craven County site.

The new jobs will pay average annual salaries of $31,425. The Craven County average is $29,848.
 
The company also stands to get $900,000 of incentives from Craven County.

The expansion comes at the expense of Hatteras' facility in California, where it makes Cabo yachts. That plant is being closed and the work will transfer to New Bern.

The company began building boats on the North Carolina coast about 50 years ago. Hatteras once employed 1,400 people in New Bern, but has struggled during the recession, which hurt many boatmakers.

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On Saturday, March 21st, University Lake and the Cane Creek Reservoir
in Orange County reopened for boating, fishing, picnicking, sunbathing
and other recreation. Both lakes are full due to winter rains. The
lakes are operated by Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA).

Tis the season when boat retailers and outfitters start unloading their fleets.

The state Department of Transportation regulates the towing of wide trailers and other wide vehicles.

Before the legislature changed the law today — overriding a gubernatorial veto to make exceptions for boat trailers — the same requirements had been applied to all types of trailers more than 8.5 feet wide.

These new rules for boat trailers take effect today:

Boat-trailer combinations ...

... less than 10 feet wide:
- Can be towed without a permit any day of the week, including holidays -- but only between sun up and sun down.

... 9.5 feet wide or less:
- Also can be towed at night.

... 8.5 to 10 feet wide:
- Must be equipped with at least “two operable amber lamps on the widest point of the boat and the boat trailer such that the dimensions of the boat and the boat trailer are clearly marked and visible.”

... 10 feet wide or wider:
- Require an annual permit from the state Department of Transportation, and can be towed during daylight hours only. A one-year over-width permit costs $100.

Additional rules, permits and fees also are applied to trailers that exceed certain lengths and weights.

For permits and details, contact the state DOT permit office at www.ncdot.org/~osowpermits/ or 1-888-221-8166