For long-time club member Ben Estes, the Skipjack upgrade was a launching pad for an ongoing series of improvements around the club. The retired airline pilot who moved to Virginia from Dallas in 1999 had already remodeled a couple of houses as an outlet for his creativity.
“When they redid the Skipjack, it made the entry hall look terrible in comparison,” Estes says. He set about giving it a full facelift with reframing, re-tiling, new balusters and a new chandelier to make it more attractive and welcoming.
“The original front door from 1870 was only three feet wide, so it looked very unappealing,” Estes recalls. “Now it’s six feet wide with a transom over it and when you walk in, your eye goes all the way to the water. And you want the water to set the mood at the club.”
Once satisfied with the entry hall, Estes moved on to the outdated-looking main dining room, tearing it up and taking out a wall to open it up to the Grill Room. Panel doors were installed between rooms to offer a lounge area and additional space for large events when needed.
“It gives us more options,” Estes says of the renovations.
Why so much involvement at the club? Estes says it’s because of the people, both members and staff. “There are so many people with really interesting life experiences here,” he says. “My family has been all over the world and it’s nice to be with others who can relate to that. It makes for excellent dinner conversation.”