How One Couple Found Calm After the Storm With Hinckley Yacht Services
After Hurricane Ian battered the Florida coast in 2022, boat owners Joe and Evelyn Soares arrived at Salty Sam’s Marina in Fort Myers Beach to discover total devastation. Though damaged, their 2007 38 Sabre Express, Miss Evy II, was fortunately afloat.
The next eight weeks became quite a journey. With devastation prevalent and insurance companies overloaded with claims, it took a month to free Miss Evy II from all the debris so she could be moved. Once in the clear, their insurance company towed the boat upriver from Salty Sam’s to Belle Hatchee Marina. Yet when the couple drove into the marina to check on Miss Evy II, they found her tied to a tree. “Another punch in the gut,” says Evelyn.
Yet with a glass half-full attitude, the Soares did not give up. On a sunny Florida afternoon, after scouting other boat yards in the area, they decided to stop into Hinckley’s Stuart yard.
“We quickly realized after meeting General Manager Stephanie Robertson, that Hinckley was where we needed to be,” Evelyn says. “Hinckley and Sabre boats have many similar qualities, and since that first day, the Stuart service team has been nothing short of amazing, paying attention to every detail.”
“Stephanie had every resource we needed,” adds Joe, “including a list of haulers and surveyors. Plus, she was well versed in working with insurance companies and introduced us to Hinckley team leaders that would be performing the necessary repairs on Miss Evy II. We were so appreciative of the level of communication we received, from start to finish.”
The Soares worked with John Watson at All American Marine Transport, who eventually loaded Miss Evy II from Belle Hatchee Marina amidst difficult circumstances. They followed their boat during the journey to Hinckley’s yard, and once they arrived that afternoon “the weight had finally been lifted,” Evelyn says.
After several meetings between the Soares, their insurance adjuster, and Hinckley — while also collaborating on the surveyor and thermal imaging reports — it was determined that Miss Evy II was salvageable. Hinckley took over and executed all necessary repairs. In all, 40 people on the Hinckley service team worked on the Soares’ vessel, including carpenters, painters, and re-riggers, plus members from the talented engine and electrical department. The Hinckley team also advised the couple to select a new paint color — not just for appearance, but for improved function, too.
Evelyn says, “We were so impressed with all that Hinckley has to offer: the people, the knowledge, the skill, the talent, and the work ethic of each and every one who had a part in repairing our vessel.” The couple also decided to invest in a top-side paint job and all new EZ2CY glass. One year later, “she was a head turner and looked like new. We are so thankful that she is seaworthy, and that we can still enjoy her.”
The new Sweetwater Marina has become their go-to for ongoing maintenance needs, and the couple also now utilizes Hinckley’s Hurricane Haul Out Program. “When the boat was brought back home almost a year later, Hinckley Sweetwater rose to the occasion and did a superb job of re-rigging the boat.”
For further info on Hinckley’s Cat-5 storage, seasonal storage or Hurricane Haul Out Program, click here.
