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Charlotte Amalie
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@Work: Coral Bay Marine

March 28, 2005 – Tucked away amid the parked cars and boats in various stages of repair near Skinny Legs Bar and Restaurant along the Coral Bay waterfront sits Coral Bay Marine Service, a small family-owned business that supplies boaters as well as people in the midst of projects.
"It's lots easier than going to town," owner Sandy Mohler said, referring to Cruz Bay.
In addition to boating supplies, the store carries sandpaper, screws, rope, chain, shackles, water hoses, fuel clamps, and more. Sandy also repairs sails, and the store is home to a mail service where numerous Coral Bay folks receive correspondence and packages.
And, if you're a person who likes to recycle books, Coral Bay Marine Service keeps tabs on an informal book exchange located near the office.
Sandy and her husband, Alan, bought the business from Tom and Barb Gerker in 1990. Sandy said the Gerkers opened shop way back in the late 1970s.
At first, the Mohlers managed the business for the Gerkers, but soon bought it out lock, stock and barrel.
"We're the longest continuously operating business in Coral Bay," Alan said.
He said other businesses have been open longer, but have changed hands numerous times, or closed and then reopened.
Coral Bay Marine Service was originally housed in a small building near the head of the Coral Bay dinghy dock, but the Mohlers moved the office to a nearby air-conditioned trailer several years ago.
Like all small business owners, the Mohlers face challenges. However, Sandy said the biggest one comes because they are unable to get a long-term lease for the land their business sits on.
"It's hard to project into the future and we can't do any improvements," she said.
The area is part of the lengthy dispute between the Moravian Church and the V.I. Port Authority. Although Territorial Court, now Superior Court, ruled last year in favor of the Moravian Church, the matter is still not totally sorted out.
Sandy acknowledged that change is sure to come to the Coral Bay waterfront as well as the rest of the area, adding that she hopes local residents are able to continue owning businesses.
"But change is so slow, it's hardly worth worrying about," she said, tacking on her belief that developing the area will bring in more tourist dollars.
The Mohlers met when Alan worked at Coral Bay Marine Service and Sandy opened up a sail loft nearby. Soon the two were married, and in 1988 Sandy gave birth to their daughter, Chutney, aboard their sailboat.
Sandy hails from Colorado Springs, Colo. She moved to St. Thomas in the 1970s on vacation and didn't go home.
"I got into boating," she said, telling of how she sailed down island, worked on building a boat in Bequia in the Grenadines, and finally landed on St. John.
Alan moved to the Virgin Islands from west Texas, stopping first on Water Island before heading to St. John.
The two keep plenty busy. For starters, Chutney, now 16, needs their attention. They're also building a house in the Coral Bay area and, of course, the business takes lots of time.
When they have a few free hours they like to poke around the harbor and areas nearby in their powerboat.
"I still like boating," Sandy said.
She also likes owning a business in Coral Bay.
"I enjoy being part of the Coral Bay community," she said.
Coral Bay Marine Service is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

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