Crocker Marine Services builds docks, seawalls, and boat lifts for select projects in Pensacola, Florida, and the surrounding Escambia County waterfront. Pensacola's private shoreline is spread across Pensacola Bay and Escambia Bay, the city's bayous — Bayou Texar, Bayou Chico, and Bayou Grande — and, farther out, Big Lagoon, Perdido Key, and Santa Rosa Sound on the Pensacola Beach side. Each of those waters comes with its own permitting path. Based in Fort Myers, we take Pensacola work case-by-case — larger docks, seawalls, boat lifts, and HOA, marina, and commercial projects — using our own crews and equipment.
Marine construction services in Pensacola
Our team handles a Pensacola project from survey and permits through construction. See the services we offer, or browse finished dock, seawall, and lift work from Southwest Florida.
Docks
Bayou docks are usually sheltered, while bay-front and Santa Rosa Sound docks need heavier framing for wind and wave exposure. We build new docks, perform dock repairs and dock replacements, and install dock accessories and dock canopies.
Seawalls
Pensacola's seawalls have been tested hard. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 drove a 10-foot storm surge into Pensacola Bay and knocked spans of the I-10 Escambia Bay bridge into the water, and Hurricane Sally in 2020 produced the third-highest water level on record at the Pensacola tide gauge while loose barges struck the Pensacola Bay Bridge. We provide seawall repair and maintenance, seawall replacement, and new seawall installation in concrete and vinyl.
Boat lifts
We install and repair boat lifts from Coastal Boat Lifts in Fort Myers. NOAA's Pensacola station shows a tide range of about 1.3 feet, typically one high and one low a day, so lift sizing focuses on vessel weight, low-water depth, and surge clearance. Boat lift repair covers motors, cables, and controls.
Marine inspections
Our marine inspections give buyers, sellers, and insurers a written report on dock, seawall, and lift condition — useful on a property that has been through Ivan and Sally.
Permits and local conditions in Pensacola
Inside city limits, permits go through the City of Pensacola; outside them, Escambia County. On Pensacola Beach, land is leased rather than owned, and the Santa Rosa Island Authority reviews construction alongside Escambia County's building permits. Work below the mean high-water line also needs approval from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, whose Jacksonville District runs a permits office in Pensacola, and Gulf-front work falls under Escambia County's Coastal Construction Control Line.
Local conditions we plan around in Pensacola:
- Pensacola Beach leaseholds. Docks on leased Santa Rosa Island land need Santa Rosa Island Authority review, and riparian rights depend on the lease. A recent pier proposal on Santa Rosa Sound was withdrawn over exactly that question.
- Fort Pickens Aquatic Preserve. The preserve takes in parts of Big Lagoon, Pensacola Pass, and Santa Rosa Sound, where seagrass is abundant outside the Intracoastal Waterway channel.
- Surge history. Ivan (2004) and Sally (2020) set the benchmark for how high water can reach on the bay and bayous.
- Outside our core area. Pensacola is our farthest Northwest Florida market, so we take select projects and plan mobilization in advance.
Why Pensacola homeowners choose Crocker Marine
- True Price Guarantee. The price we quote is the price you pay — no change orders, excluding rock excavation, client-requested changes, or specialty permitting.
- Licensed across Florida. Our certified building contractor license, CBC1266139, is statewide, and we carry $2 million in insurance.
- Established team. In business since 2014, based at 2101 McGregor Blvd in Fort Myers, with more than 60 years of combined experience.
- Warranties and financing. 15-year seawall and 1-year dock warranties, plus financing options.
Pensacola marine construction FAQ
Do you take projects in Pensacola?
Yes, on a select basis. Pensacola is outside our Southwest Florida core area, so we concentrate on larger docks, seawalls, boat lifts, and HOA, marina, and commercial projects, and confirm crew and equipment logistics before scheduling.
Do I need Santa Rosa Island Authority approval for a dock on Pensacola Beach?
Yes. Pensacola Beach land is leased, and the Santa Rosa Island Authority reviews construction there in addition to Escambia County, FDEP, and the Corps. Riparian rights under your lease matter too.
Who permits dock work on Bayou Texar or Bayou Grande?
It depends on whether the parcel is inside City of Pensacola limits or in unincorporated Escambia County. We confirm jurisdiction first, then handle state and federal permits as well.
Does seagrass affect docks on Big Lagoon or Santa Rosa Sound?
Often. Both are partly within the Fort Pickens Aquatic Preserve and have extensive seagrass, which can limit dock size and placement.
How should a seawall be designed after Ivan and Sally?
With surge in mind. Wall height, tie-backs, and drainage should reflect how high the water has reached in this area. A marine inspection is a good starting point for an existing wall.
How do I get a Pensacola estimate?
Book a free estimate or call (239) 841-9674.
Nearby service areas
Fort Walton Beach · Destin · Panama City Beach · Inlet Beach · All service areas