Fort Lauderdale is a well-known stopover for megayachts. Within days, many of them will come calling before the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and the Caribbean charter season. The stopover is usually an opportunity for some refit work, and the local marine industries have successfully made the case that improvements to infrastructure and waterway access are a priority. This summer, major work started on both public and private property to offer larger yachts access to local refit facilities. In June, the dredging of the Dania Cut-off canal, providing entry from Port Everglades, began in earnest. The goal is to deepen the canal to a depth of 17 feet, opening the way for megayachts to safely enter the canal. The project is slated for completion in March 2013. However, the project hit a snag in early September with the discovery of a hard limestone slab. The contractor had to ship in new equipment to break through the bedrock before work could continue. Meanwhile, Derecktor of Florida proceeded with a significant expansion of its facility and the installation of a 900-ton lift. Built in Italy by family-owned Cimolai Industry—a specialist in mobile lift units—the new structure should become operational any day now. The Cimolai lift is reportedly the largest mobile structure in Florida and the world’s tallest. The late Bob Derecktor established the shipyard in 1967 and the facility has been busy every since. However, the tremendous growth in the size of yachts over the past decade outpaced the shipyard’s ability to handle the largest of them, mandating an equipment upgrade Currently, the shipyard can accommodate yachts as large as 210 x 40 feet, with a depth of up to 14 feet.

For more information on Derecktor’s expansion, visit derecktor.com