As we ring in our 40th year in service, we want to take a look back at how Monterey Bay Boatworks came to be. Jumping back to 1924, Angelo Siino opened the Siino Boat Works, then in 1937 acquired the Monterey Boat Works, currently located and used by the Hopkins Marine Station as a lecture hall. Frank Siino was born the second son of Angelo Siino. He and his older brother Ray, were raised working in the original Monterey Boat Works in the family tradition of building and repairing handcrafted wooden boats. To further keep his hand in the trade, he built the wood boat, Felucca Liboria, that hangs in the Monterey Aquarium. It was with a bit of pride that Frank received Mr. Packard at his home one day, as Mr. Packard wanted to look at the Felucca and ask Frank if they could put it on exhibit where it can be seen today. With the onset of a life-changing illness that Ray was dealing with, the more popular use of fiberglass and steel boats, and a diminishing fishing industry in Monterey, it was decided to close the Monterey Boat Works yard in 1970. Frank went to work as a manager in the local Tynan Lumber yard in Monterey, but never left his lifelong trade of working on boats, as he did so on the side, repairing and tending to the wooden boats of the Monterey fleet. With the support of his friend Mike Maiorana, Frank left Tynan Lumber to return full-time to his lifelong passion of working on boats, but this time at Monterey Bay Boatworks. Mike Maiorana had told the story on a number of occasions that when he was asked to join as a partner in the new Monterey Bay Boatworks Boatyard, he would only do so if Frank Siino ran the yard.Mike Maiorana came to America in 1938 when he was just 3 years old. Like the thousands of other Italians who immigrated to the US, he came with the promise of “The American Dream”. In the late 1970, over coffee with his fishing friends, the Monterey Bay Boatworks became his dream. The local commercial fisherman needed a full-service boatyard where they could maintain and fuel their vessels. The only full-service boatyard they had access to at the time was in Moss Landing, a 2-hour boat ride away. Mike, being the only confident English speaker of the group, was ready to help and applied for the necessary permits. With Monterey’s city council’s approval, permits to start construction were granted in the summer of 1981. In 1985, Monterey Bay Boatworks was established, and in 1986, with the help of the original 5 business partners, remaining active shareholders Chuck Piccuta and Bart Bruno, the Boatworks was operational. Chuck, a friend of Mike’s, saw the gleam in Mike’s eyes while sharing his Boatworks dream with him in the garage with a paper-mache diagram, and knew this was an adventure he could not pass on. This was no easy task, as there were a lot of ducks to acquire before putting them in a row. Chuck, with his experience in finance, found two limited partners to join: Dave Lewis and Clancy Spangle. But someone was missing to complete the team. Bart Bruno, although born in Carmel, is from an Italian immigrant family with a passion for the boating community. His family ran B. C. Bruno & Sons, boat rentals, fishing charters, harbor facilities, fishing supplies, general merchandise, and groceries out of Pittsburg, California, after leaving Monterey near the end of the Sardine era. At a young age, his passion for the boating world began within his family’s company. Over the years, he branched out into the construction and engineering world, and with that, he founded Monterey Peninsula Engineering (MPE), as you can see all around the Monterey Area. Mike met Bart while first starting the realization of his dream. Bart, having a boat in the city marina, put his name on the waitlist with Mike for the future marina. When Mike needed support to petition the city for his dream, he reached out to Bart for a recommendation, which would then result in a partnership agreement. What started as a mere dream has grown into a decades-long, successful adventure. Monterey Bay Boatworks broke ground in 1985, erecting two buildings for restaurants, a dive shop, kayaking, and Boatworks operations. In the beginning, it was a family affair, as Chuck remembers, wives, siblings, and children all participated in building Monterey Bay Boatworks. With memories of being on his hands and knees down on the dock nailing in rub rails, it was a labor of love that pieced the marina and Boatworks together. It was no small feat bring this dream into the real world but over time finding those who brought a little extra to table like Dave Garrett the General Manager for 9 years, who then hired Diane Colwell, General Manager and COO for 21 years, overall serving MBBW for 30 years and Marieta Aranda CFO for 29 years and the current COO, thus ensuring the longevity and success of Monterey Bay Boatworks.While the Frank Siino Boatyard catered to the local commercial fishing community, there was another need for dockage. In 1986, the Breakwater Cove Marina was completed with 60 berths (including frog and end-ties) with a handful of moorings. Following its success and highly sought out need for boat berths in the Monterey area, the first Marina expansion began in 2004 and ended in 2005, adding 35’ berths and updating electrical. The original fuel tanks were installed in the late 80s, then Jim Allen designed our boom system, using boat masts, and has since been upgraded based on his plan still with a boat’s mast, with the last fuel dock expansion completed in 2005. Later, adding the Marina tenant restrooms in 2009. As the recreational boating community increased, more berths were needed, and the second marina expansion was completed in 2012, replacing the old fuel dock with the 200’ concrete dock, known today as the Service Dock and the additional 150’ cement guest dock. The Breakwater Cove Marina is now at max capacity with 100 berths, varying from 25’, 35’, 50’ and 70’. We are the deepest, open water marina in Monterey, where at our shallowest depth being 6’ inside the marina and 12’ at the fuel dock during zero tide. We have facilities set for vessels up to 200’, with reservations booking two years in advance. Over the years, the Frank Siino Boatyard has slowly transitioned from commercial fishing boats to recreational sailboats and powerboats. Monterey Bay Boatworks and Breakwater Cove Marina have been noted and used as examples of environmentally conscious, safety-oriented businesses with environmental agencies. Maintaining our integrity and commitment to not only the boating community but also our environment, we’ve been able to grow, adapt, and transform with the ever-changing times, thanks to the hard work of past and present staff. With Mike’s dream firmly set in stone with dedicated staff on hand, the Partners became Shareholders in 2021, when the Breakwater Cove Partners Inc. was created, securing the operations management of Monterey Bay Boatworks for continued success. Most recently, we leased our Marine Supply Store and Boatyard departments to Monterey Boat Haven in April of 2025. We trust that they will continue to uphold the same standards set forth by our decades of service to our customers and the environment. After 40 years, there are many Monterey Bay Boatworks stories and memories we all share. Through those stories, Mike's dream will live on, and with the support of our dedicated staff, tenants, and Shareholders, the success of that dream will continue to grow. Thank you to all past, present, and future supporters. We look forward to another 40 years, with new and exciting things in the works! Stay up to date by following us on social media and sign up for our monthly e-newsletter, the Felucca.
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From Mark Siino and the Siino family to Monterey Bay Boatworks:It is with no small amount of pride that Frank’s family feels when they see the sign dedicating the yard to Frank at the Monterey Bay Boatworks. Frank enjoyed his final years there immensely. The Siino family would like to take this occasion to sincerely thank Monterey Bay Boatworks for their assistance in keeping the General Pershing afloat. The wooden 60-foot historic vessel was built by Angelo Siino, his two brothers, Gaetano and Francisco, with the help of their father, Erasmo, and Angelo’s son, Ray, all considered master boatwrights. A three-generation family involvement is a rare event. Thank you again for those from the past and present at the Monterey Bay Boatworks; you are so very much appreciated.
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In memoriam:
Mike Maiorana, Dreamer, & Shareholder
Dave Lewis, Former Partner
Clancy Spangle, Former Partner
Frank Siino, The Maestro
Scott “Scotty” Krivanek, Employee
Javier Barocio, Employee
Joosep Junkam, Employee
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History contributed by the Siino family, Maiorana Family, Bruno Family, Piccuta Family, Diane Colwell, Marieta Aranda, and Edy Bryant.
Published by Rachel Greathouse, Breakwater Cove Partners Inc.
