FOX’S MARINA & BOATYARD

IPSWICH, SUFFOLK 52° 02.0’N, 001° 09.1’E

From humble beginnings as a family leisure boat builder and restorer in the 1920s, today Fox’s Marina and Boatyard is a 15-acre one-stop-shop known for its expertise in refitting all sorts of boats, from large worldgirdlers to small family cruisers.

Fox’s became synonymous with Oyster Yachts when Oyster Marine founder Richard Matthews took over the current site at Ostrich Creek, just south of Ipswich, in 1985. The brand still has its UK sales office and brokerage on site and works closely with Fox’s on the rigging and commissioning of the majority of its new yachts, which are launched at Fox’s Marina. Managing director Will Taylor-Jones says: “Our primary focus is running a high-quality refit yard and we have a fairly modest but friendly and efficient 100-berth marina on the side of that. We have facilities to haul, work undercover and launch yachts up to 80ft (24.4m).”

Fox’s Refit is, which carried Sir Winston Churchill’s coffin down the Thames during his funeral procession – but yachts or motorboats of any size, big or small. The refit and marine services facilities are impressive. Fox’s has a staff of 50 working for the company, rather than being independent contractors, doing pretty much everything: shipwrighting, GRP repairs, joinery and teak work, painting, varnishing, stainless steel fabricating, rigging, marine engineering and electronics.“We’ve got a very loyal team,” says Will. “The skill and knowledge are second to none in terms of being able to fix almost any problem. We also support other marinas on the river who don’t have such extensive marine services on their sites. It isn’t just about mini-superyachts – local yachtsmen and women and many from further afield, with boats of all sizes, bring their work to us.”