The full-service marina, located at 32 Venice Ave., Celoron has been purchased and will now be managed by employees Rebecca Wallace, Dennis Newhouse and Brett Swan. The marina was founded in 2001.

Rebecca (Becca) Wallace, former business manager, becomes president and CEO of the corporation. Her employment with the company began in 2010, but Wallace says she basically “grew up at the marina.” She has been an avid boater from age 5, spending weekends and holidays with family at the marina since then. Wallace Becca has held positions at the company’s concession at Long Point State Park, as office assistant, office manager, and currently business manager for the last five years. She is a graduate of Jamestown Community College with a degree in business administration.

Dennis Newhouse has been service manager at Ready About Sailing Inc. for more than 15 years and was employed as lead mechanic at the marina since before the establishment of Ready About Sailing. Newhouse has been a skilled mechanic for power boats, engines, and boating systems for more than 30 years.

After the establishment of Ready About Sailing, Newhouse has developed competencies in repair and maintenance of sailboats of all kinds, not only on Lake Chautauqua, but from Cleveland to Pittsburgh, to Lake Erie, to Buffalo and the Finger Lakes.

The Ready About Sailing Inc. marina is pictured from Chautauqua Lake. Photo by John Brock

Brett Swan is an original founder, owner and corporate secretary of Ready About Sailing and has been employed there for more than 20 years. Swan has served as property manager since the company’s inception and maintains the permanent dock systems, storage and service buildings, and all property grounds. He was trained at WholeSail Yachting in Buffalo and is an experienced rigger and splicer of simple and complex sailboat rigging systems, mooring and anchoring lines and systems, and decorative knots and splicing. Brett Swan has been manager of the chandlery located on marina grounds for many years.

Greg Swan will serve as consultant to the business throughout an extended transition period.

“I have full confidence in this talented and experienced group and all of the key employees that will support them for the future,” said Greg Swan. “Our customers know each one for the unique value each brings to the business and as they step into their new roles, I know they will carry their service to customers to an even higher level.”

Ready About Sailing was founded in November 2001 with a stated mission to serve the sailing community with local and friendly products and service. By 2004, the company purchased Holiday Harbor West docks and storage property and business and broadened its range of product and service offerings to include motor-craft and paddle-craft. Since then, services have been expanded to include management of the food and drink and fuel concessions at Long Point State Park for the last 15 years.