How to Pick a Boatyard
Published: Tuesday, August 17, 2021
By: Rich Larsen, President of Manitowoc Marina LLC
I’ve been fortunate enough to work in the marine industry my entire career. From my early years as a sailing instructor to my current role leading the Manitowoc Marina LLC family of marinas, it has been an incredible experience working with thousands of individuals to make their boating goals come true.
Throughout countless conversations with new and seasoned boaters alike, one common question continually surfaces: “Rich, how do I pick a boatyard?” I personally think it is best to break the question into a few sub-questions, so here are the questions I would suggest you ask when evaluating a boatyard:
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Does the yard have the capability to care for my boat?
Find out how the capacity of their lift, and how many other boats they have like yours. Find out what part suppliers they have access to, and on what timeline.
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Does the yard have the skillset to care for my boat?
A critical part beyond capability is the yard skillset. Who are their technicians? What are their backgrounds? How long have they been with the yard? What certifications do they have? -
Are they reliable?
The Great Lakes season is short, so an understandably big priority is having your boat when you want it. Does the yard complete work on time? Do they answer the phone when you call? These questions are at the heart of a good relationship with your yard, so make sure the answers are satisfactory. -
Do they have capacity?
Boating is surging on the Great Lakes and yards are increasingly full (particularly for indoor heated storage). Make sure to find out early whether you can secure space for the offseason.
By using these questions, I hope you’ll be able to find the right place for your boat this approaching offseason. Of course, I would be remiss to highlight my biased perspective! Manitowoc Marina is one of the best-equipped yards on the Great Lakes to handle nearly any boat presented to us.
If we can help you understand whether you would be better served by our team, please reach out to me at [email protected] and I would be delighted to put our team to work for you!
A version of this article appeared in the Summer Issue (July/August) 2021 of Great Lakes Scuttlebutt magazine.
tags: Boating 101, Lake Michigan, Marina
