Back at the beginning of the year Fox’s Marina and yard were sold to Morgan Marine of Brightlingsea which in the process was re-branded, Morgans Group.

Brightlingsea – the base for Morgans and where the ‘family’ marina and yard is located.

Fox’s Marina and yard will continue to trade under the well known brand name that accomplished ninety-nine years of service to the yachting fraternity. The yard was probably in its birth throes during the very early sailing life of Maurice Griffiths when he shared the ownership of an old ship based in Oyster Creek.

UK’s Premier Marina & Boatyard for refit and repair – Fox’s Marina

The Chandlery business passed into the Morgans group in the original sale too, however, the brokerage business remained separate. Earlier this month it has been announced that the sales business has been purchased too. The last time I looked in the windows at advertisements, one can only describe the size and cost of many craft well beyond the means of a ‘normal’ person… I even saw a Crabber 26 going for around £100K – a boat with open plan accommodation below with less space than aboard my humble wooden clinker sloop!

Morgans Group adds Fox’s Yacht Sales to East Coast platform

The Fox’s sales base was also expanded into Wolverstone Marina earlier in the year too, all outlets are included.

Fox’s was long owned by Richard Mathews (of West Mersea YC) and it is understood that he remains a non-executive director.

The yard for many years has been a main-stay base for the rigging of Oyster Yachts which are built at a specialist site near Wroxham, Norfolk. Another recent announcement stated that Oyster was to close their South Coast facility near Southampton, concentrating on Eastern England.

New Oyster Yachts nearing completion at Fox’s – summer 2025.

Fox’s has long been a favoured top of the Orwell port of call for the good ship Whimbrel and is likely to continue to be. It is a pleasant spot for both access to Ipswich and for local walking with the Suffolk Food Hall Centre just down the road.

The Morgan Group have also long had ambitions to expand in Brightlingsea however after a survey by the Harbour Commissioners and technical paper, those plans are on hold. The company wished to expand moorings out to the mid creek point and extend towards the commercial wharf out from their shore storage area. The turning of ships would have been problematic and the ability to get spritsail barges past (Edme to and from St Osyths).

I hope Fox’s Marina does not change and more importantly the chandlery is maintained in a similar way to currently: compared to Morgans Chandlery, Fox’s is hundreds of times the better…