Brick's Marine Businesses Hang On In Tough Economy

A good spring striped bass run has helped Rich Wilkowski's bottom line this spring.

Wilkowski, a lifelong Brick resident, is the owner of Jersey Hooker Bait and Tackle on Route 88. He said business at his shop has started to pick up lately as more anglers are hearing about good fishing action around town.

"Striper fishing has picked up, and there's nice weather, finally," Wilkowski said. "Everyone is trying to break the cabin fever."

For Wilkowski, who started his business in 2009 during the heart of the economic recession that has battered hundreds of marine businesses nationwide, including major boat builders such as Ocean County's Viking Yacht Company, the small tackle shop has seen its business grow. But most of Wilkowski's customers are fishing from shore, not boats, he said.

"We have lots of customers who are unemployed, and what they're doing with their free time when they're not looking for jobs is going fishing," said Wilkowski. "It's one of the cheapest things you can do from land, and you can put some dinner on the table for the family."

In the Herbertsville section of town, Dominic Ruggiero, one of the owners of CDN Marine Service, said customers of his boat repair and service business are putting their boats in the water this season and business has been steady.

"It hasn't affected us here at the marina too bad yet," Ruggiero said of CDN's location at Lightning Jack's III marina off Ridge Road. "I think the clientele that we have, the size of boats we have, the 18- to 21-foot range boats are ones people can still afford."

"I haven't had any of my customers tell me they're not going in," he said, however he believes the real test of the 2011 boating season will come around July.

"The maintenance part of it seems to hold on, but I'm not sure what will happen when all the boats go in the water," he said. "The big question is going to come mid-season, when repairs have to be done. With gas prices, who knows? Unfortunately, in my business, I need people to use their boats in order for them to break down."

On Barnegat Bay, Thomas Beaton, owner of David Beaton and Sons Marina off Mantoloking Road, said slip rentals are down, but business has generally been steady.

"It's a little better than it was a year or two ago," Beaton said. "Slip rentals are a little off, but we do mostly sailboats, so the gasoline isn't really a factor."

People are spending less money on extras for their boats, however, and he's heard from friends who sell new boats that business is down significantly.

"I think it's going to be a very slow climb," Beaton said. "It's improving, but it's going to take a number of years to get back where it was."