Hi-Lift Marina to be redeveloped as yacht club

AVENTURA, Fla. – Aqua Marine Partners, LLC plans to redevelop Hi-Lift Marina in Aventura, Fla., into a Mediterranean-style yacht club that includes a dry dock storage facility comprised of 211 vertical boat slips capable of storing vessels up to 43 feet in length and up to 30,000 pounds, the company said in a release yesterday.

Dubbed Vertical Yacht Club Thunder Alley, Aqua Marine Partners says the Aventura facility will be South Florida’s most luxurious, full-service marina.

The club will employ the patented Vertical Yacht System, which features two laser-guided, computer-controlled overhead bridge cranes that run the entire length of the facility. The electric lifts haul the boat from the water in a cushioned cradle and deliver it to its customized slip in a matter of minutes.

Vertical Yacht Club Thunder Alley members will have access to a lounge, business center, spa with whirlpool and massage room and gourmet café. The club’s concierge service will provision boats with food, drink and gas – all at cost.

Andrew Sturner, CEO of Aqua Marine Partners, said the new club will provide much needed water access as boaters continue to face limited options for storing their vessels, having them repaired and getting them in the water.

“Our new development will defy this trend by providing approximately 200 boaters with opportunity to secure a permanent slip for their vessel in a hurricane safe environment,” Sturner said. “I’m committed to enhancing what’s left of Aventura’s marine district,” said Sturner. “Our project is going to revitalize Thunder Alley and set the standard for boat storage facilities around the world.”

Vertical Yacht Club Thunder Alley will replace Hi-Lift Marina, a traditional dry dock marina that has been in business for more than 40 years. Passport Marine, which is currently on the premises, will rebuild its showroom and continue to provide boat sales, service, parts and accessories.

The Aventura project will be the flagship for a network of Vertical Yacht Clubs that Aqua Marine Partners is developing throughout the U.S. and abroad. Projects are currently under development throughout Florida – from Fort Lauderdale to Panama City. Members of each Vertical Yacht Club will have access to slips and reciprocal privileges at every Vertical Yacht Club in the world, including fuel and provisioning at cost.

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