Overhauling the Boat

In 2004, Captain Jeff Stewart Sr. and his wife Mary Stewart were on a bareboat yacht charter in the Virgin Islands. While they were in Tortola, BVI, they stumbled on a ship which would change the course of their business. They found the Hurricane. The Hurricane was built in Crown Point, LA, by Aluminum Boats Inc, in 1986. Aluminum Boats, INC, was a company started by Trinity Marine Group, at the same site of the old Camcraft Factory. Camcraft built the Cape May Whale Watcher in 1970. In 1970 it was called the Big Flamingo and it remained the Big Flamingo out of Wildwood Crest up through 1977 when it was sold and eventually became the Arrow until 1992, when it was sold to Herman Volme and Jeff Stewart and it became the Cape May Whale Watcher. So, in essence, both the Hurricane and the Big Flamingo, now the Cape May Whale Watcher were built by many of the same people, in the same boat yard, 16 years apart.

The Stewarts liked the Hurricane for its massive size and lots of needed space. They endeavored to purchase the vessel and continued negotiations up until 2007, when the deal was finally completed. Over the years that had passed from when the Stewarts originally took interest in the Hurricane she had been left in St. Thomas and was not well taken care of. Jeff and his wife and family realized this but knew that if they tended to her needs the Hurricane could become everything they needed in an event boat- she could become the Spirit of Cape May.

Finally, in May of 2007, the Hurricane was shipped via Dockwise Yacht transport (think the largest ship you’ve ever seen full of very normally large boats like the Cape May Whale Watcher, taking them a great distance) from St. Thomas to Newport, RI. Then Jeff Stewart JR, along with Chief mechanic Scott Wolf, and Captain Miles to bring her home to Cape May County to begin her rigorous repairs/rebuilding. The journey was long and arduous but in the end the vessel arrived at Yank Marine in Tuckahoe, NJ in June 2007. With a tired crew full of ideas and hope for issuing in a new era of cruising Cape May- as soon as they made a few major repairs to make her beautiful.

The vessel then arrived at Yank Marine in June 2007. The vessel underwent massive rehab. This included, gutting of the ships systems, galley, electronics, wiring, hull plating replacement, bathroom replacement, stripping of all paint and starting from scratch. All surfaces were re-coated, engines were surveyed, and generators were replaced.

After leaving Yank Marine in August of 2007, the vessel was brought to her final berth, at the Miss Chris Marina. Here the vessel had bulwarks replaced and fabricated, electronics replaced, wiring replaced, all paneling replaced, windows replaced, restrooms gutted, railings replaced, new seating installed, a new sound system fitting and a new galley built. All tables were replaced, flooring redone and other electrical, electronic and interior upgrades were completed. The vessel was re-stability tested at the new weight calculation for 399 passengers and 100 mile operation. The vessel was recertified to new regulations in 2008. It is fair to say that at this point we dubbed her the Spirit of Cape May for not only does she meet the needs of a town that loves events and fine things, but she also only came into existence as she new is because of the spirit of the Stewart Family and their friends who helped them make the Spirit a reality.

The Spirit of Cape May as she is now known represents the next step in the Party Boat/ Eco Tour/ Event Yacht evolution. She can do many things and evolve as needed, she carry many people comfortably, and be economical to operate in a fuel conscience world. She is the new millennium of passenger carrying in New Jersey and we hope you come out cruising with us and find out for yourself.