About Hope Springs Marina
History of Hope Springs
Hope Springs Marina LLC was created on March 26, 1993. A partnership of four local businessmen was formed with the sole purpose of purchasing a marina. We were all boaters with a common desire to create a one-of-a-kind experience for boaters like ourselves. About three years later, one of the partners sold out his interest to the other three, who are still partners and friends today. The Marina had originally been used as a campground. Over time, a pier was added and the marina was named Cavalier Marina. Back then, Aquia Ski Club operated out of the marina. They had regular meetings here and actually had a ski-jump and slalom course in the cove across from the marina. In the mid-eighties, Cavalier Marina was sold and renamed Fairfax Marina by its new owner, who owned another business in Fairfax. The new owner had big plans for expansion, including a crab house, tackle shop, indoor boat storage, picnic pavilion, 4 piers and a BBQ restaurant with entertainment on weekends. Unfortunately for him, the economy turned down in the early nineties and he was forced to sell. We were in the right place at the right time and were able to acquire it in 1993. Since then, we have been building out the original site plan with many modifications and improvements. The transformation is nearly complete; from a rundown, overgrown 45 slip marina/campground in 1993 to a beautiful, modern, state-of-the-art facility today.
In our 25 years of ownership, we have greatly expanded our footprint here as well. We first acquired a 1/2 acre lot and house where we now store boats in the backyard. The house is gone now, but it’s picture is included in the book Then and Now – Stafford County by Anita Dodd and Amanda Lee. Next, we were able to purchase the house and adjacent lot across Hope Springs Lane from us which we use for overflow parking from the boat ramp. Several years later, we purchased 6 1/2 acres from the railroad, directly behind us running along the train track. Sometime in the future, we may be able to create more parking when needed. Finally, we were able to acquire the small triangle of land to the right of our entrance, where our sign and mailbox are. This now gives us a total of nearly 14 acres of land.
Located at Hope Springs Marina you will also find Affordable Outdoors and Freedom Boat Club.
Affordable Outdoors is your “One Stop Boat Shop”. They specialize in new and used boat sales, brokerage, parts, and service. You can find out more at www.AffordableOutdoorsInc.com or call 540-659-6940.
Freedom Boat Club opened a location at Hope Springs Marina in the spring of 2020 and have a wide variety of boats to choose from. For more information, text “Hope Springs Marina” to 703-896-5799.
Our Crew
David Self
General Manager
David was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia and spent much of his childhood boating, fishing, and crabbing in the Northern Neck, on both the Potomac and Rappahannock sides. He attended Stafford Senior High School and following graduation went on to graduate from Tech School in Philadelphia where he became Certified as a Marine Technician. Having grown up in the beer business working with his parents and grandparents, David is a highly skilled worker with a great deal of forklift experience. David has been with our marina since 2014, first serving as our Boathouse Manager. Currently David serves as our General Manager, certified forklift trainer and he also possesses a 100 Ton Near Coastal Captain’s License! With over 15 years’ experience in the boating industry, he has held many positions, ranging from Fuel Dock Attendant to Marine Technician as well as having experience working in the Parts Department at a large boat dealership. We are extremely fortunate to have David as our General Manager and look forward to having his continued input towards the care and comfort of our customers. He loves boats and the boating industry and is a perfect fit for our marina!
Carol El-Bisi
Assistant General Manager
Carol grew up in Manassas and attended Osbourn Park high school. After graduation, Carol started working and has not stopped since. Carol has been with Hope Springs Marina since 2012. She lives in King George with her husband and they have four grown children, some with children of their own. She cares very much for her family, and enjoys spending as much time as possible with them. One of her favorite pastimes is riding on her husband’s Harley Davidson, which is something she tries to do often. Her caring and pleasant attitude makes her a joy to work with.
Larry Stanley
Lot Attendant
Larry has been a proud Virginia resident for his whole life. He was born in Fairfax, and graduated from Hayfield High School in Alexandria. Now living in Stafford, Larry performs a number of services around the county. He has been an employee of Hope Springs Marina for over twenty years, working security at our boat ramp and bottom painting boats as well. If you come to the marina on weekends, chances are you’ll meet Larry at the entrance. The weather may be hot some days, and he may be out in the sun for hours on end, but he always has a smile on his face and will treat everyone with kindness and respect. Larry also works as a school security officer in Northern Virginia. When he is not out working his hardest, Larry enjoys boxing and boating; on the water is one of Larry’s favorite places to be. His fun loving and caring personality makes him a joy to work with.
Tanner Hammond
Boatel Supervisor
Tanner was born and raised in Stafford County, Virginia. He has been with Hope Springs Marina since 2017, starting as a summer job in high school helping customers on the docks. After a few years on the docks, Tanner began training as a Forklift Operator and has been safely transporting boats in and out of the water ever since. When Tanner is not busy on the Forklifts or making repairs to the docks, you can find him on the water, cruising around Aquia Creek.