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In this week’s Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, host Luke Barton steps away from a standard bite-by-bite rundown for a special conversation with Connor Capps of Capps Boatworks in Virginia Beach. Connor shares the remarkable origin story behind the family business, from his father Nelva Capps’ commercial fishing days out of Hatteras to the storm, rescue, and sinking of a 74-foot trawler that ultimately led to the start of the shop. The episode also breaks down what Capps Boatworks does today, including annual bottom paint, fiberglass and gelcoat repair, transom and structural rebuilds, custom brackets, paint work, and other repair projects that keep Chesapeake Bay boaters safe and on the water.
Conditions Recap
This episode is more of a boatyard and service spotlight than a traditional fishing report, but there were still a few seasonal takeaways. Spring is arriving in the Lower Chesapeake, water temperatures are warming, and fish are beginning to move. That means more anglers are getting ready for the season and more boats are coming due for annual maintenance, bottom paint, zinc replacement, and repair work before the bite really gets rolling. Connor noted that spring is the busiest stretch for haul-outs, so anglers planning preseason work should get on the schedule early.
Special Feature: The Story Behind Capps Boatworks
Capps Boatworks has deep roots in the working-water heritage of coastal Virginia and North Carolina. Connor explains that his father, Nelva Capps, grew up in Hatteras and worked as a commercial fisherman from a young age. After becoming successful enough to captain boats and eventually buy his own trawler, Nelva lost that 74-footer in a brutal storm after it grounded while trying to come in through Oregon Inlet. The Coast Guard could not immediately get to the crew because of the conditions, and by the time everyone was rescued, the boat was gone. Instead of filing bankruptcy, Nelva went back to work, then began building boats. That hard-earned experience on the water became the foundation for the workmanship and standards that still define the business.
Connor makes it clear that the shop’s identity comes from that background. This is not a place built around shortcuts or quick cosmetic fixes. The family approach has always been to do the work correctly, think through the full scope of the problem, and build or repair boats in a way that will hold up over time. That mindset shows up throughout the conversation, especially in the way Connor talks about structural repairs, bottom jobs, and custom fabrication.
Boatyard Report: What Capps Boatworks Handles
Capps Boatworks is located between the Great Neck bridges in Virginia Beach and is set up to handle a wide range of repair and maintenance work. Connor says the yard has 20 wet slips, room for boats on the hill, a 70-ton travel lift, and indoor shop space for larger rebuilds, custom work, and paint jobs. Their most common service is annual bottom paint. Boats are hauled, pressure washed, prepped, and repainted so owners can head into the season with clean running surfaces and protected hulls.
Connor strongly recommends ablative bottom paints for many recreational boats that are run regularly. He specifically mentions Sea Hawk soft paints as a practical option because they shed as the boat is used, reduce heavy sanding between applications, and help keep maintenance costs down. He also notes that stepping up to higher-copper paint can improve antifouling performance in some situations. For boaters keeping vessels in the water, this annual cycle of haul-out, wash, paint, and zinc inspection is a big part of staying ahead of problems before the season peaks.
Beyond bottom work, Connor says the shop handles fiberglass repair, gelcoat repair, paint blending, full paint jobs, structural rebuilds, transoms, brackets, through-hull work, transducer installation, lockers, fish boxes, and custom modifications. He describes one major recent project in which the shop stretched a boat 14 inches and incorporated a custom-built bracket into the new transom structure. He also explains that although composites are common in many projects, he still likes wood for structural work when it is properly sealed and glassed in, because it remains strong, durable, and reliable when used the right way.
Maintenance Tips for Chesapeake Bay Boaters
One of the most useful parts of the episode is the practical talk about routine maintenance. Connor says most boat owners should plan on bottom paint once a year, ideally in spring before the main season gets underway. He also recommends checking zincs on the same schedule, because once zinc anodes are gone, underwater metals can start getting eaten up by electrolysis. In some slips or marinas with more aggressive electrolysis issues, zincs may need attention more often.
He also touches on sea cocks and valves, noting that many boaters do not realize some of them have grease fittings and need periodic attention to keep them operating smoothly. If valves seize up, owners may discover the problem at exactly the wrong time. Through-hulls, bonding, corrosion, intake hardware, and fittings are all things that deserve inspection before they turn into a safety issue. That section of the conversation is a good reminder that a lot of the biggest boating problems start as small maintenance items that get ignored too long.
Best Timing for Boat Work Before the Season
Connor says this time of year is exactly when boat owners start flooding repair yards with requests for bottom jobs and preseason work. The challenge is that many people wait until late spring to call, which can mean long lead times just to get hauled out. His advice is simple: if you know you will need annual maintenance, call early. For more involved projects like structural repairs, paint jobs, or custom modifications, reaching out well ahead of winter is even better, because those larger jobs are often booked far in advance.
He also says the best way to start the process is with a phone call. Simple bottom paint scheduling may be straightforward, but anything more involved usually requires a real conversation about the boat, the goals, the timeline, and what the owner is actually trying to solve. That is especially true for repair work where the visible damage is often only part of the bigger issue.
