Stagnant economy hasn’t prevented North Charleston boat retailer from staying enthused about work

  • Jim Parker
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  • Posted: Sunday, August 16, 2009 12:01 a.m.
    UPDATED: Thursday, March 22, 2012 7:20 p.m.
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Duncan's Boats moved into a new 15,000-square-foot facility at West Montague Avenue and the Interstate 526 on-ramp two years ago.
Leroy Burnell /The Post and CourierDuncan's Boats moved into a new 15,000-square-foot facility at West Montague Avenue and the Interstate 526 on-ramp two years ago.

The owner of family-run Duncan’s Boats is eager to go to work every day. “I can say I’m as happy as I’ve ever been with my job,” Jim Duncan said.

That’s remarkable, considering the boat dealer described the current state of the business this way. “Last year was tough. This year is tougher,” he said, noting that sales are off 40-50 percent.

Still, this is the water-crazy Charleston area, and enthusiasts continue to enjoy boating even if there aren’t as many purchasing new vessels right now, he said.

And Duncan’s Boats, which has 12 employees, is ready to respond when economic conditions turn.

The venture opened a 15,000-square-foot retail outlet at 3571 W. Montague Ave. in 2007, lining up popular brands and offering service, accessories and boater safety education along with watercraft sales.

Using an architect’s plans, Duncan configured the building at Montague and Interstate 526 to be boater friendly. Steps lead from the entrance to a raised L-shaped wooden “dock” that rims the air conditioned showroom, making it easier for customers to look into boats or even to climb onto them. Vessels are grouped by brand, size -- starting at 17 foot -- and type such as outboard or inboard.

The sales office and accessories center are on the same level as the dock. Also inside is a wing upstairs for boater safety classes and an employee lounge. In back is a 5,000-square-foot covered outdoor space for larger boats up to 52 feet. That area also has a raised wooden plank to enhance viewing for customers.

The store sells four lines, Bayliner, Trophy, Regal and Cobalt. Bayliner, which the dealership has offered for 30 years, is a national manufacturer. The 17-foot Bayliner is Duncan’s biggest seller, a lower-priced boat that’s large enough for a family. It is a sister builder with Trophy. They are both owned by Brunswick, the conglomerate that also runs bowling alleys and makes billiards equipment. High-end builders are Regal, based on Orlando; and Cobalt Boats, headquartered in Neodesha, Kan.

About 40 boats are on display at any one time.

During the financial slowdown, the venture has been selling more used boats as well as vessels it picked up from repossessions. Those include three pontoon boats. Combined with the new models, Duncan’s sells watercraft priced from $12,900 to $800,000.

Duncan is a second generation boat retailer. His father, Larry Duncan, worked for long-time Charleston boat manafacturer Renken after military service and constructed boats for the company, later building vessels on his own. By 1970, he had turned his focus to retailing and opened an outlet on Rivers Avenue.

In the 1980s, Duncan expanded. He built a large marina on the Ashley River, Duncan’s Boat Harbor, which also had retail space. Hurricane Hugo leveled the marina and dealership. Duncan rebuilt.

But by 1996, Larry Duncan was ready to turn over the day-to-day operations of the business. He offered the job to his son.

“I grew up in the business, rigging boats, going to outdoor boating school,” Jim Duncan said. He graduated from Clemson University with a mechanical engineering degree but soon realized that engineering didn’t prepare him for boat sales. He moved to North Carolina in 1983 and handled engineering work for RJ Reynolds.

When the offer came up to return to the Charleston area, it wasn’t an easy choice, since the Duncans had two children in school at the time. But Duncan made the move because of his love of the boating business. He was manager at Duncan’s until 2006, when he bought the retail store from his father -- who still owns the property. In the meantime, Larry Duncan sold the marina.

The family still owns two acres on the Ashley River, and future plans call for relocating the service center there to make use of the waterside locale. The service shop situated next door on Montague Avenue repairs boats as well as works on Mercury and MerCruiser engines, Yamaha outboard motors and Volvo Penta Stern Drives.

Duncan said he’s considering selling boat motors, too, most likely Mercury or MerCruiser, to diversify the business. As of now, he sells them only in package deals where customers buy the boat, motor and accessories together.

“We concentrate on bringing Charleston families into boating,” he said. That includes he and wife Mary Jane, who is an assistant at the store. They own a 33-foot Regal.

For more information, visit the dealership’s Web site at www.duncansboats.com or call (843) 744-2628.

Reach Jim Parker at 937-5542 or jparker@postandcourier.com