Yacht club looking for new members

GREEN BAY - With the boating season fast approaching, the Green Bay Yachting Club has an unusual problem.

"We have some slips available," said club secretary Tom Bentzler. He said 15 to 20 of the 84 boat slips are available for the upcoming season. The club is located near the mouth of the Fox River in Green Bay. Usually, the club has a waiting list.

"When I joined 10 years ago, I had to wait three years to get into a slip," Bentzler said. "Prior to that, there were times you had to wait five or six years because we were full. We had a waiting list to get into the club and to get a slip to put your boat into."

Bentzler cited several reasons for the openings. He said some members have retired from boating while others are keeping their boats at a new marina in Door County. But the biggest factor affecting boating is the economy.

"It has been tough. You can always use more business," said Lee Johnson, harbor master at the South Bay Marina in Green Bay. He said despite the bad economy, South Bay is still thriving.

"We're ahead of where we were last year at this time," Johnson said. "No doubt we're going to fill out again this year."

South Bay added 10 new docks this year, bringing the total to 144. While the marina is weathering the economic storm, the Harborside Yacht Center nearby has seen better days. The president of the company said sales are on track with last year, but that is still down from the last few years.

"Our business is weather dependent, of course, and certainly dependent on the economy," said company president Craig Duchow. "I think as the economy ticks up a little bit and we get into a little better weather this spring that sales will start to pick up a little more."

Duchow said if you're looking for a boat, now is a good time to buy. And if you're looking for a place to keep that boat, the Green Bay Yachting Club may have just the spot.

The cost of a slip depends on where you go and how big your boat is. This season, you can expect to pay more than $1,000 for a slip.