Lighthouse Marina is a full-service marina in Aquebogue that offers dockage, boat storage, repairs, boat sales and boat rentals on the Peconic Bay.
A family-owned business, Lighthouse Marina was founded by Larry and Arline Galasso in 1970. They had previously started Jericho Boats in Smithtown, and they were looking to buy a marina on the East End, according to their son Alex Galasso, who is now the owner.
“We looked at three of them, and ended up settling on the Lighthouse Marina,” Galasso said. “I was only 13 at the time.”
The marina quickly gained a reputation for comprehensive, hassle-free service, he said. “We are all about service,” he said. “We strive to maintain that quality of service people have come to expect from us.”
When customers have an issue with their boat over a weekend, for example, the marina staff makes sure that the boat is “back on the water again” by the following Friday.
“We want the experience to be pleasurable,” Galasso said. “We don’t want people to be breaking down in the water.”
Lighthouse Marina also prides itself on its “resort atmosphere,” he said. This includes dockside dining, a solar-heated swimming pool, picnic areas, a tiki bar and a shop stocked with “all the necessities,” from bait and gas to ice and snacks.
“We have a lot of families here,” Galasso said. “We’ve seen their children grow up through the years. Some of our clients have been with us for three generations.”
In addition to its 150 slip marina, the marina offers indoor heated storage for the wintertime for boats up to 65 feet long. It also offers on-site, domestic and international repairs, servicing all major brands.
A full brokerage service is available through Lighthouse Yacht Sales, which is run by Galasso’s younger brother Andrew. The brokerage service sells Bennington and Southport boats, and the marina also rents out Bennington luxury pontoon boats.
The family also opened Lighthouse Marine Supply in 1998 on Edgar Avenue, selling marine parts and accessories both wholesale and retail.
The marina will hold a cocktail party to celebrate 45 years of business next month for its clients and customers.
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