On the eastern edge of Lake Winnipesaukee, in the town of Wolfeboro, N.H., the work of building and maintaining shoreline property is an everyday challenge.
With more than 300 islands, rising property values and complex state regulations governing docks, boathouses and breakwaters, there are only a handful of contractors who can handle the specialized work required on the state's largest and most iconic lake.
Among them is John Murray, owner of Murray Specialty Services, a marine contracting firm that has quickly built a reputation for taking on some of the lake's most demanding projects. From stabilizing homes sliding down embankments to constructing multi-slip dock systems and transporting concrete trucks across the ice in winter, Murray has developed a business that combines engineering know-how with hands-on fabrication skills.
Growing Up On the Water
Murray was raised in Wolfeboro, where his family still keeps a home his great-grandfather built in the 1920s on Lake Wentworth, a smaller lake near Winnipesaukee. He attended Brewster Academy, which sits right on the shoreline, and grew up around water — though not around heavy equipment.
In fact, his early plans were far from construction.
"I was going to go to school for biochemistry," he said. "I took AP calculus, AP physics, biology. But it would have ended up being too boring."
Instead, Murray discovered a talent for mechanical work. He trained in automotive repair in Pennsylvania and returned home to run his own shop in Ossipee for nearly a decade. There, he specialized in repair, restoration and fabrication.
"I liked working with my hands and solving problems," he said.
That background eventually brought him to Beckwith Builders, where he was introduced to marine contracting. The company performed shoreline and barge work similar to what he does now.
"I ran the marine operations, ran the barges," Murray said.
When the company began to scale back, he saw his opening.
"They were semi-retiring, and that's when I started doing it on my own."
Murray Specialty Services' scope of work is broad.
"Basically, anything to do with marine construction," Murray said.
That includes docks, breakwaters, shoreline stabilization, boathouses, material shuttling and even house stabilization on steep slopes.
Some projects are straightforward dock jobs. Others are massive undertakings. One client purchased an entire island, and Murray was hired to handle the shoreline grading, dock construction and site preparation for a new home, kitchen building and pickleball court. On another job, he stabilized a hillside home with ground screws while simultaneously repairing woodwork.
In winter, when the lake freezes, the work doesn't stop. Murray uses barges to break ice and move equipment.
"Sometimes when we're framing a dock, we'll walk across the ice," he said.
It's demanding work that requires equipment built to handle both summer waves and winter ice.
Navigating Regulations
Regulations on Winnipesaukee are strict. Breakwaters, for example, are only permitted where there is at least two miles of prevailing wind fetch to justify the need. Sometimes, contractors must conduct wave studies, measuring and photographing wave heights to prove the case.
Boathouse rules have shifted over time, as well. For years, state requirements forced builders to dig boathouses into the shoreline, a practice Murray opposed because of the disruption it caused. Starting next year, regulations will once again allow over-the-water boathouses, built on cribs or pilings.
"It makes much more sense," Murray said. "We'll be doing more of them in the future."
Breakwaters also require a gap to shore to prevent sediment build-up.
"If you don't leave that gap, it creates a low-pressure area and everything drops out — sand, particulates — and you end up having to dredge more often," Murray said.
Despite the size of his projects, Murray Specialty Services is a lean operation.
"There's only two of us that are actually employees," Murray said.
He supplements with subcontractors, including a carpenter crew and a landscape crew, as needed.
The company's fleet includes six barges of varying thickness and buoyancy, all steel sectional platforms that Murray has modified extensively. His fabrication background comes through in custom ramps, adjustable engine mounts and other adaptations that allow his barges to carry everything from mini-excavators to tri-axle dump trucks and even concrete trucks.
That fleet gives Murray flexibility.
"Every barge is different," he said. "We don't run them all at once, but it means I always have the right setup for the job."
At the center of all this work is a trio of DEVELON excavators — a DX55, DX89 and DX140 — all purchased from Equipment East LLC with the guidance of Territory Manager Scott Beaulac.
For Murray, selecting the right excavators wasn't just about brand preference; it was about finding machines that could do heavy work while still fitting within the unique limitations of marine construction.
"You can't just drop a 30-ton machine on a barge and hope for the best," he said. "You need the right size classes."
• The DX55 runs on his 3-ft.-thick barge and is used for tight dock framing and smaller projects.
• The DX89 is the mid-size workhorse, versatile enough for shoreline grading or shuttle-barge projects.
• The DX140 is the heavy hitter, run on his 5-ft. barge, capable of carrying multiple dump trucks and handling major riprap placement.
"The different sizes mean I've always got the right tool," Murray said. "That's why I went with the DEVELON lineup."
Murray credits Beaulac as a major factor in his equipment decisions.
"Scott's been with me from the start," he said. "He didn't just sell me machines — he helped me figure out what would work on the barges, how to balance weight and buoyancy and how to make it all practical."
Beaulac coordinated delivery and transport logistics, making sure the machines reached lake access points and could be loaded onto barges without incident. Since then, he's been the first call whenever questions or service needs come up.
"Every time I call, Scott picks up," Murray said. "It doesn't matter if it's a part, a service call or just something I need to ask about settings on a machine. He's there."
Marine construction doesn't leave much room for downtime. If a machine breaks down on an island job in the middle of winter, work can grind to a halt. That's where Equipment East's service has proven invaluable.
"We run these machines hard," Murray said. "If something breaks in February, I can't afford to wait weeks. Equipment East gets me what I need fast. Scott makes sure it happens."
Technicians have been dispatched lakeside for onsite repairs, and preventive maintenance schedules have been adjusted to account for the unusual stresses of barge work. For Murray, the support after the sale is as important as the machines themselves.
"The difference is really in the backing," he said.
Machines as the Centerpiece
For all the engineering, fabrication and regulatory hurdles, Murray is clear about what makes his company run.
"The machines are the centerpiece of what we do," he said. "We can have the barges, we can have the crew, but without the excavators, we can't move material, we can't place stone, we can't build docks. Everything depends on having the right machines."
And for him, the right machines are DEVELON.
"They've got the hydraulic power I need, but they're efficient. The fuel burn is lower than other brands I've used. And with Equipment East behind them, I know I've got the support to keep going."
Looking Ahead
As Winnipesaukee continues to grow and regulations evolve, Murray Specialty Services is poised to stay busy. Rising property values mean more redevelopment, more shoreline work and more demand for contractors who can navigate both the water and the permitting process.
For Murray, that means more long days on barges, more winters breaking ice and more reliance on the machines that have become the backbone of his business.
"We build on water, with waves, with ice, with barges moving under us," he said. "It's not easy work. But with the right machines and the right support, it's possible." CEG
