Operating a full-service boatyard on the North Carolina coast presents a distinctive set of challenges. Valuable vessels, workshops, marine equipment and a wide range of maintenance and repair activities all coexist within a working environment where reliable fire protection infrastructure is essential.
For Bock Marine in Beaufort, North Carolina, that requirement also had to be considered alongside another defining characteristic of the region: exposure to severe coastal weather.
When fire protection water storage was required to support the facility’s sprinkler system, the solution needed to deliver more than the required capacity. It had to meet NFPA 22 requirements, accommodate a constrained site footprint and be structurally engineered for the cyclonic conditions associated with its coastal location.
SBS Tanks supplied an 85,330-gallon CY11R07 Cyclonic Range water tank, creating a purpose-engineered fire protection solution designed around both the facility and its environment.
Bock Marine is a full-service boatyard located in Beaufort, North Carolina, providing a broad range of marine services including haul-outs, welding and fabrication, fiberglass repairs, painting, carpentry, electrical and mechanical work, sandblasting, rigging and vessel storage.
The nature of these activities makes dependable fire protection an important component of the site’s infrastructure.
The project therefore called for dedicated water storage to support Bock Marine’s fire protection system. The selected tank was required to comply with NFPA 22, while the tank design was also reviewed and sealed by a North Carolina State-licensed professional engineer.
But regulatory compliance was only one part of the design challenge.
For infrastructure located along the North Carolina coast, environmental loading and long-term material durability cannot be treated as afterthoughts.
In addition to the potential for severe wind conditions, coastal installations are exposed to humidity, salt-laden air and persistent moisture. The Bock Marine solution therefore needed to address both structural resilience and long-term durability.
SBS Tanks specified its Cyclonic Range, designed for projects where demanding wind conditions require additional engineering consideration. Cyclonic engineering was one of the key requirements influencing tank selection.
The CY11R07 also provided an important advantage in terms of site utilization. Rather than achieving the required storage volume through an increasingly large tank diameter, the required capacity could be achieved through a vertically optimized configuration.
This allowed approximately 85,000 gallons of fire protection water storage to be incorporated while making more efficient use of the limited footprint available within an active boatyard.
For commercial and industrial facilities where tank space competes with buildings, operational areas, access routes and other infrastructure, the ability to select different diameter and height combinations can have a meaningful impact on project feasibility.
Coastal environments introduce another important consideration: corrosion. Salt-laden air, humidity and persistent moisture can accelerate the deterioration of conventional steel infrastructure, making material selection particularly important for long-term performance.
SBS Tanks utilizes Galvalume® steel panels, selected for their corrosion-resistant properties and ability to provide durable structural performance across demanding applications.
The tank’s internal liner system provides an additional advantage. Stored water is contained within a purpose-designed liner rather than being in direct contact with the steel tank shell, helping protect the tank structure from corrosion associated with the stored water.
For a coastal boatyard such as Bock Marine, where humidity, salt air and severe weather form part of the operating environment, the combination of corrosion-resistant Galvalume® steel, liner technology and cyclonic engineering provides a water storage solution well suited to the demands of the site.
The benefits of the selected solution continued into construction.
SBS Tanks uses a specialized jacking installation methodology in which the tank is progressively erected and raised during construction. At Bock Marine, this methodology avoided the need for cranes and scaffolding, contributing to a more efficient installation process.
This was particularly valuable within an active boatyard environment.
The complete tank installation was undertaken by a five-person team in just five days, despite challenging conditions that included extreme heat, humidity and rain.
Efficient installation has implications beyond the tank itself. Reduced construction duration can help limit disruption to surrounding operations, simplify coordination with other contractors and support the broader project schedule.
Preparation also began before the tank reached the site. SBS Tanks provided the required foundation specifications to the client, allowing the foundation to be completed and ready for installation when the tank arrived onsite.
Performance in demanding environments starts long before installation.
The project incorporated SBS Tanks’ established manufacturing and installation procedures, together with independent engineering review and certification of the tank design.
The Bock Marine tank was ultimately engineered around three fundamental project requirements: NFPA 22 compliance, cyclonic performance and footprint optimization.
Together, these demonstrate why tank selection should extend beyond nominal storage capacity.
Two tanks may hold a similar volume of water, but the suitability of a fire protection tank ultimately depends on how effectively its design responds to the location, environmental loading, available footprint, regulatory requirements and construction conditions of the individual project.
The completed Bock Marine installation demonstrates this approach in practice.
An 85,330-gallon fire protection water storage solution was incorporated into a constrained operational boatyard, engineered for the site’s coastal conditions and installed efficiently despite difficult weather. The project was completed safely and within the expected timeframe, with both the contractor and end user satisfied with the completed installation.
For Bock Marine, the result is dedicated water storage infrastructure supporting the requirements of its fire protection system.
For the wider fire protection industry, the project demonstrates a broader principle.
Fire protection water storage cannot always be approached as a standard tank placed on a standard site. Coastal exposure, severe weather, restricted footprints, operational requirements, construction schedules and local engineering criteria can fundamentally influence the appropriate solution.
At Bock Marine, SBS Tanks addressed those considerations through a vertically optimized, cyclonic-rated, corrosion-resistant and NFPA 22-compliant solution—delivering the required fire protection water capacity while responding directly to the realities of the site.
Because when fire protection infrastructure is expected to perform in a demanding environment, the right solution is not simply about storing enough water. It is about engineering the tank for the project, the site and the conditions it will face.
SBS Tanks USA designs, supplies and installs modular steel water storage solutions for fire protection, commercial, industrial, agricultural and utilities applications across North America.
With capacities ranging from approximately 3,000 gallons to more than 1.1 million gallons, SBS Tanks offers a wide selection of diameters and heights to suit diverse project footprints and site conditions. Fire protection solutions are engineered to meet NFPA 22 requirements and can be designed for seismic, cyclonic and other project-specific loading conditions.
Manufactured using corrosion-resistant Galvalume® steel and purpose-designed liner systems, SBS Tanks combine durability, rapid modular installation and long-term value. Supported by global manufacturing experience and local engineering expertise, SBS Tanks delivers water storage solutions designed around the needs of each project.
© SBS Holdings 2026
