Dan Bacot

Dan is a lifelong boater with extensive experience navigating the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and the East Coast, enjoying both powerboating and sailing. His current boat is a 35-foot pleasure version of a Chesapeake Bay deadrise, custom-built by Evans Boats in Crisfield, MD. With over 48 years in the marine industry, Dan has worked closely with boaters across marinas, boatyards, and yacht sales. Raised in Annapolis, Dan began boating at the age of four, following his parents’ purchase of their first sailboat. Since then, he has owned and managed numerous family and personal boats, including sailboats, trawlers, downeast, sportfish and motor yachts styles ranging from 26 to 73 feet. He learned to operate a powerboat on a classic 34’ Chesapeake Bay wooden deadrise that was originally built to hand tong oysters on the James River of Virginia.

In 1980, Dan’s family relocated to Gloucester Point, Virginia, where they acquired York River Yacht Haven. Under Dan’s leadership, the marina expanded into a full-service facility featuring 325 slips, a working boatyard, ship’s store, yacht sales, an oyster farm, and a restaurant. Over his 33-year tenure, Dan managed every department, ultimately serving as General Manager.
After the marina was sold in 2013, Dan returned to Annapolis to pursue his passion for yacht sales, helping boat buyers and sellers fulfill their needs. His interests extend beyond the boating world, particularly in Chesapeake Bay restoration, aquaculture, and sustainable waterfront development. He served an 8-year term on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and worked with the Army Corps of Engineers to grow over 15 million oysters through York River Yacht Haven’s aquaculture division. These oysters contributed to restoration efforts in the Great Wicomico and Lynnhaven Rivers, and the project demonstrated that marinas can have a positive environmental impact.

Dan remains deeply committed to these environmental causes and continues to advocate for sustainable solutions in the marine industry.

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  Miss Charlotte Louise - 48' Sabre 2021