BENEATH THE SURFACE B Y H E AT H E R S T E I N B E R G E R
Marina Dreams
One family’s vision for their new marina complex reflects evolving desires in the larger boating community.
W
Marinas are evolving, responding to the changing needs of boaters who have little free time but an expansive desire for new experiences and community. One Illinois-based family is looking squarely at that evolution as they develop a new marina in the heart of McHenry, right on the upper Fox River. From landlocked to waterfront Three generations of the Munson family have owned and operated Munson Ski & Marine since its founding in an Illinois farm field in 1958. The business currently has sales, service and storage locations in the northern Illinois Chain O’Lakes and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, areas — and it’s about to get bigger. Last October, the family purchased the Watertower Marina in McHenry. After six landlocked decades, they are ready to be on the water, particularly in a desirable spot that serves as a gateway to the Chain. “We’ve been selling boats for a long time, and we managed two marinas in Fox Lake and McHenry for about 15 years,” says Mary Jo Munson, who co-owns the business with her husband, Mark. “We’re very excited. Being on the
RENDERINGS COURTESY OF MUNSON MARINE
ith spring at our doorstep and the 2021 boating season just around the corner, Midwestern boaters are aching to get out on the water. We’re not quite there yet, so many of us are distracting ourselves with commissioning checklists — or, if you’re like me, spending too much time on the internet looking for places to visit this summer. Trailer boaters also may be considering a timehonored question: Do we keep the boat at home and tow to destinations far and wide, or do we build a relationship with a marina? Behind door No. 1, we can save some money. But what are we missing behind door No. 2? Putting your trailerable boat into a marina is a no-brainer if you don’t have much (or any) room to keep it at home. It also makes sense if you know you’re likely to use that boat more often if you don’t have to launch and haul-out every single time. These days, however, there is even more to consider.
20
A P R I L 2021
|
LAKELANDBOATING.COM
