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“Visit once … hooked for life!” is Madeline Island Yacht Club’s (MIYC) slogan. This marina is located on Madeline Island, the largest in the chain of opulently green Apostle Islands on the famously clear water of Lake Superior.
Although the water temperature of Lake Superior averages only 36 degrees Fahrenheit in April, MIYC has a warm history to dive into. The yacht club was organized in 1977 when a group of boat owners and Apostle Island-lovers wanted to build a marina for their yachting needs in a tranquil and visibly-stunning area.
“The marina is built into the island,” stated Stan Cory, commodore of MIYC. “So it’s surrounded by land on all sides, where most marinas have a breakwater that designates them as marinas. Ours is really all-weather protection, which is a big, big thing on Lake Superior.”
And that’s just one of the unique benefits that MIYC has to offer its Great Lakes boaters.
Abundant Amenities
A full-service marina, MIYC is said to be one of the finest, best-equipped facilities in the Apostle Islands. MIYC has 140 member slips and 13 transient slips that range in length from 25 to 80 feet. There is also a 35-ton travelift, and electricity and water are accessible at the docks. A launch ramp is available, and for those with boats 20 feet or less, there is a space for small boat mooring.
The marina’s ship store is the area’s largest and offers fuel and pump-out, as well as a full line of boating products, supplies and equipment. Specifically, the ship store carries boat care products, boat hardware, navigation tools, line and anchors, camping and fishing supplies and, of course, souvenirs. The appeal of the yacht club is especially great for its members.
“We are a non-profit yacht club. So we operate as a non-profit. Our fees are lower than any other marina around, probably half the price of the mainland for dockage,” said Cory. “We have 140 members, and they each have their own slip.”
Along with the assurance of a slip space, membership brings lower rates at the marina and keyed access to a private member’s lounge as well as participation in the yacht club’s social events and races. Free Wi-Fi and access to the restroom and shower facilities comes with slip rental or membership.
Stellar Service
With over 125 years of combined experience in the marine repair industry, MIYC has a professional service staff made up of certified technicians who work year-round servicing boaters.
The technicians are renowned in the area for their exceptional restoration and carpentry work according to MIYC. Cory adds that many of their staff have been there for years and years, some going back to the 70s, and are well-known in the area.
The service shop is a MerCruiser and Raymarine dealer with certified Raymarine installations with 25 years of certified experience on western Lake Superior. Its services include those for gas and diesel engines, water systems, heating and cooling systems, rigging and mast stepping.
More widely, the shop provides custom electronic design and installations, restorations and repairs, structural installations, woodworking, fiberglass repair, bright work, and teak decking installation as some of its many services. The marina has the means for launch, haul-out, shrink-wrap and winter storage.
Luxurious Location
Madeline Island is a serene boating spot just a short ferry ride away from the mainland. Most of the yacht club’s members are from the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, but they also have members from Illinois, Colorado, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
The island also has a lot to offer outside of boating.
“Madeline Island has two parks with beautiful scenery and beaches. The island has a number of restaurants, shops, a museum, some hiking trails and bicycles, mopeds and kayaks for rent,” Cory explained. “Most people who come in have a few cocktails then go out to dinner. There’s a restaurant next door, then one in town a mile away. Across from the marina is the Robert Jones golf course, which was built at the same time as the marina. There’s a swimming pool next door to the marina run by the local restaurant. And fishing is very big around the Apostle Islands.”
To truly discover everything this unique marina in the beautiful Apostle Islands has to offer, visit them this boating season; you may just be hooked for life.
For More Information:
Madeline Island Yacht Club
715-747-2655
www.miyc.net
