Higgins Yacht Yard, Inc.

- Since 1790 -

Full service boatyard & marina in St. Michaels, Maryland

Located in the historic St. Michaels Harbor on the Chesapeake Bay, our boat yard and marina has been the original port and ship yard of the town since the 1600's. Rooted in a rich history of boat building and boat work, we continue to provide a full-service boat yard and marina today, now updated with modern amenities. With over 50 slips, we offer transient, seasonal, and annual dockage, with electric & water hook up, shower & restroom facilities, WiFi, and ice available 24/7.

We are conveniently located just footsteps away from town, being the closest marina in the harbor to the main town road, Talbot Street. Experience the quaint charm of historic St. Michaels by browsing our many shops, restaurants, galleries, museums, and more. There is something for everyone to experience and explore here in St. Michaels.

About Us

Although the name has changed over the years, the property of Higgins Yacht Yard has continuously been a working boat yard since 1790. The marina aspect dates back even earlier, as this location was the original port of St. Michaels. A few footsteps away from the boatyard, going up Carpenter Street, is the corner of Carpenter and Locust Street, famously named "Hell's Crossing", after the rowdy sailors who roamed the streets and local bars after coming off the ships.

The current name of "Higgins" comes from Captain Jack Higgins, who owned the business for over 23 years, starting in 1956. Then, it was known as Higgins Marine Service. Although two different owners have taken over since then, the name of Higgins has been kept as an ode of respect to Capt. Jack and his family, who still reside in St. Michaels today.

In 2017, our current owner Jonathan (Jon) Clarke took over ownership of Higgins Yacht Yard from Tad duPont. Tad had ran the business for 38 years, after purchasing it from Capt. Jack in the summer of 1979. Today, Jon continues to provide the same marine services offered over 50 years ago, including mechanical work, carpentry, winterizing, haul outs, storage, and more.

Jon Clarke was born and raised here on the Eastern Shore and comes from a family with a long history of boating. His family has owned Magic, one of the famous Chesapeake Bay log canoes, since 1923, with Jon skippering and racing her since he was fifteen years old. Jon is a graduate of The Landing School in Maine, where he received a diploma in Yacht Design in 2014. He then attended Southampton Solent University in England, where he earned a Bachelor of Engineering in Yacht and Powercraft Design, graduating with first division honors in 2016.