SCITUATE - August 18, 2026 - The Scituate Select Board voted unanimously August 18 to approve an amended lease agreement with Scituate Boat Works, authorizing seasonal use of 16 slips at the Scituate Maritime Center marina during spring and fall shoulder periods. The revised agreement formalizes temporary staging access to address harbor congestion while netting the town an additional $6,000 annually and restructuring revenue collection into predictable quarterly payments.
The Full Story
Following severe winter storm damage across coastal private marinas earlier this year, Scituate Boat Works experienced severe bottlenecks moving customer vessels between the water, docks, and inland storage lots. The resulting overflow occupied slips around the Scituate Maritime Center, sparking public feedback and prompting harbor officials to formulate a structured operational solution.
Waterways Commission Chairman Dave Dinneen presented the negotiated terms to the Select Board. Under the previous lease, Scituate Boat Works held rights exclusively to the south side of Float A. The newly adopted addendum permits the company to utilize approximately 16 slips—spanning all of Float A and the south side of Float B—during two distinct shoulder-season windows: April 15 through the morning of May 14 in the spring, and October 16 through November 14 in the fall.
“It looks to us, and after having a very good year with these shoulder seasons, it’s just another way to help generate additional revenue... and it helps a partner of ours be able to function a little bit more easily.” — Dave Dinneen, Waterways Commission Chairman
Board members underscored that the designated docks will function strictly as a temporary staging zone rather than a standard marina rental. Select Board Chair Susan Harrison clarified that Boat Works cannot sublet slips, host transient boaters, or permit vessel owners to linger on moored boats. Once an owner arrives, the boat must immediately depart.
In addition to seasonal staging, the board approved an administrative cleanup to Section 9 of the Marine Park Marine Service Center lease. Finance Director Nancy Holt explained that the town will now collect the additional 3% lease payment on a quarterly basis based on prior-year revenue—with a final year-end true-up—eliminating irregular multi-year reporting lags and stabilizing town cash flow.
