Scuttlebutt Magazine - January 2008 - (Page 14) Page 14 • January 2008 www.scuttlebutt.com YACHT SHOWCASE LA CROSSE.WISCONSIN business briefs Jerry Rockvam has been in the boating industry for over 50 years. His parents owned a resort operation with 50 rental fishing boats, and later they operated a fiberglass repair and manufacturing business. Rockvam says, “I grew up being exposed to customer service and the rental business first-hand.” After returning from his military service in the navy, Jerry and his bride, Joyce, opened their own boat repair shop. It was an old shop with a dirt floor and no water, electricity or insulation. That was the beginning of what would become the Rockvam Boat Yards. During the next 46 years, they kept building, expanding and adding service lines, including four warehouses, two docks, gasoline pumps, a head pumping station and a complete repair shop. Today Rockvam Boat Yards is a year-round fullservice boat yard and marina. It services and stores boats up to 32 feet; provides winter storage for over 400 boats; provides full-service repair; and rents fishing and pontoon boats. Their repair staff consists of factorytrained OMC Cobra, Volvo and Mercruiser technicians. One of Rockvam’s major accomplishments is introducing dry stack boat storage with in and out service to Minnesota. With his system, 23-foot and smaller boats are stored in a warehouse stacked three high. When customers want to take their boat out for a spin, they give the yard an hour’s notice. The yard staff then sends a forklift to retrieve the boat from the warehouse. They launch the boat and take it to the dock so the customer can merely get in and sail away. The process is reversed a the end of the day. A major advantage of this system is that it saves valuable shoreline. Rockvam is NCMA Hall of Fame inductee Throughout the years, boat owners have chosen larger and larger vessels, especially on Lake Minnetonka, so available slip space for boats under 23 feet was at the risk of becoming a thing of the past. Because the dry stack storage method is designed to accommodate boats in that size range, access to Minnesota’s water for the entire boating group was enhanced. The customer has the advantage of having indoor protection and doesn’t have to worry about starting with a weak battery. The boat is launched and ready. In addition to operating the boat yard, Rockvam has been active in community affairs. He has been the mayor of Spring Lake Park, a Lake Minnetonka community, for 36 years. Before that, he had been a justice of the peace and a city coun- See us at the Minneapolis Boat Show - Booth 903A Twin 320 hp MX 6.2 MPI Horizon Mercruisers, 7.3 kW Kohler–$184,900 2004 Carver 360 Mariner Twin 350 hp Caterpillar 3116 TA V-Drives, 13.5 kW Kohler Diesel, 48,000 BTU Cruisair–$499,900 1996 SkipperLiner Motoryacht 606 CYS Twin 420 hp Caterpillar 3126TA, Kohler with Hush Box, Full Electronics Package, Updated Features–$189,900 1995 Sea Ray 450 Sundancer 75 hp Mercury Outboard, 16,500 BTU Roof Air–$89,900 2004 Grandeur 40’ Houseboat Outboard Motor, Steering System, 55,000 BTU Furnace, 15,000 BTU Air Conditioner, Insulation Throughout $139,900 2007 Cottage Cruiser - Serenity Twin 220 hp 4.3L MPI Mercruiser I/O, 15.0 kW Westerbeke Safe-CO, 2.5 Ton Central Heat & Air–$299,900 2007 Sundance Houseboat 6816 WE TAKE TRADES - 608.784.5110 127 Marina Drive . La Crosse . WI . 54603 . 608.784.5110 . SKIPPERLINER.COM HALL OF FAME CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE Compared to competitive 496 Mercury powered boats, Pulsare is: • Faster • Much More Fuel Efficient • Quicker Hole Shot • Less Expensive WE PROVID E SERVICE EVEN AFTE R THE SALE! Pulsare 185 ZT 230BR PREMIER MERCURY DEALER Certified Mercury/Mercruiser Technicians. Mercruiser Sterndrive Specialists. Call about our same day sterndrive exchange program. ROBERTS MARINE 109 E Maple St, Roberts, WI 54023 800-268-2409 • 715-749-4133 CUSTOM GRAPHICS! http://www.scuttlebutt.com http://SKIPPERLINER.COM http://SKIPPERLINER.COM
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