Svendsen’s Relocating to Richmond

Svendsen’s Boat Works —an institution in Alameda for 54 years — is relocating. The yard will close its gates in Alameda on November 3, and reopen in Richmond in January. The Chandlery will remain at its current location for the time being.

"Beginning January 1 2018, Svendsen’s renowned team of experienced boatwrights, riggers and metal fabricators will join forces with Bay Marine Boatworks in Richmond to become the premier boat repair facility in Northern California," a press release from the boatyard said. Bay Maritime, the owner of Bay Marine Boatworks and Bay Ship & Yacht in Alameda, bought all the divisions of Svendsen’s, including Svendsen’s Marine Distributing, as well as Svendsen’s Rigging Shop and Svendsen’s Metal Works.

"We have plans to move all of the capabilities and many of the employees of Svendsen’s," said Sam Elliott, Svendsen’s Boat Works General Manager, adding that combining the yards will increase Svendsen’s ability to service most of the pleasure craft in the Bay Area. "We’re going to have more capabilities," Elliott said. "We’ll have better service overall. We really think that the sum of the two yards will be better than what they were separately. Unfortunately, we can’t stay in the Alameda Marina due to the development," Elliott added, referring to the proposed expansion of the Alameda Marina.

The press release also said that the "soon to be combined facility in Richmond will include an expansion of Bay Marine’s existing boatyard with use of recently acquired land, as well as state-of-the-art environmental improvements. The site will also include a new marine store presently in the planning stage."

CORRECTION: This story originally said that Svendsen’s would be closing at the end of November. The boatyard will close its Alameda location November 3, and reopen in Richmond on January 1.