at our port on📍 3000 South Andrews Avenue for a day brimming with merriment (GET DIRECTIONS):

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• Free Eats & Grog

• Endless Entertainment

• Giveaways & More!
   

With free eats and grog, and shanties to sing,
Games and auctions and treasures we’ll bring.
This ain’t just a shin-dig, it’s somethin’ much more—
A jubilant toast to the crew and the store!

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So hoist yer colors, make yer way here,
Let’s celebrate Sailorman with laughter and cheer.
Raise a tankard, mates, to 50 grand years,
And the memories ahead with all of ye dears!

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Fort Lauderdale, FL – What began as a spur of the moment investment of $1000 in Chris Craft parts by Cliff Hunt in 1975 at a Thunderbird Flea Market has evolved into one of the most renowned new and used marine supply stores in the world. Sailorman New & Used Marine, founded by Cliff and Maggie Hunt, has been a staple of Fort Lauderdale's boating community for 50 years.

After years of extensive cruising, the Hunts sailed into Port Everglades, planning to sell Romany, a 35’ sloop that Cliff had built from the bare hull in Vancouver. They needed a place to store and sell their newly acquired parts and purchased a hole-in-the-wall consignment shop called “The Lazarette” at Harbor West (now The Hilton on 17th Street). By 1977, the store officially became Sailorman.

In the next 8 years, Sailorman outgrew its original location and two others (South Federal HWY and SW 4th Avenue) before settling at its State Road 84 address in 1983. The business remained there until 2017, when it moved a few blocks away to its current location at 3000 South Andrews Avenue, occupying a full city block.

Chuck Fitzgerald, at the time a sales rep for Land n’ Sea since ’75, called on Sailorman as part of his weekly route and fell in love with the store.  After multiple attempts to buy the business, Cliff finally sold the company, and Chuck took over the reins on January 1, 1985. With a fresh vision, he set out to build a company culture based on building relationships, aiming to ensure that everyone—whether buying, selling, browsing, or earning a paycheck—had a positive experience. This shift, along with Sailorman's unmatched selection of marine products, has made the store an iconic part of the boating world.

Over the last five decades, Sailorman has navigated the changing tides of both local marine and global retail markets. Originally catering to sailboat cruisers passing through Fort Lauderdale on their way to and from the Caribbean, Sailorman's inventory has evolved to meet the needs of power vessels and mega yachts, reflecting Fort Lauderdale’s transformation into the "Yachting Capital of the World." Despite these changes, Sailorman has maintained the charm and character that customers have come to love.

Chuck will be the first to tell you that Sailorman's success is found at the heart of the company: it’s crew.  Three generations, along with a competent staff with over 200 years of combined marine experience provide an old school customer service experience in an era where it's increasingly rare. Throughout its history, Sailorman has employed people from all walks of life including corporate VIPs, military veterans, liveaboards, a dentist, and even a Hollywood dancer mentioned in Betty Davis’s memoir.  Many have forged lifelong friendships along the way.  

 

In 2019, Sailorman hosted a Crew Reunion, bringing together former employees from all over to reminisce about their time with the store.
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