Marinas slip up on economy

Even the marinas on Lake Minnetonka appear to be feeling the effects of the recession.

Grays Bay Marina, operated by the city of Minnetonka, already has run through a 50-person waiting list it created in a lottery two years ago, a full year sooner than expected.

It currently has four vacancies among its 29 boat slips and has scheduled another lottery for Thursday to create a new wait list for the 2012 season, according to Mike Pavelka, Minnetonka's facilities manager.

Many slip-holders and those on the wait list jumped ship because they reached the eight-year maximum they are allowed to hold onto a slip before they must re-enter the lottery. Others had moved out of Minnetonka (an eligibility requirement), he said.

Still others pulled out for financial reasons -- the slips rent for $3,900 a season.

Pavelka said while the marina has had consistent demand since its opening, this year there is less expected.

Grays Bay is located at the eastern edge of Lake Minnetonka. The marina is situated just to the right of the Grays Bay connection to Wayzata Bay and looks over the expanse of Grays Bay. The scenery is gorgeous and the access to the rest of Lake Minnetonka is considered excellent.

The demand for the slips was so great that Minnetonka decided to hold a lottery instead of keeping an endless waiting list for Grays Bay. It wanted "to give multiple people opportunities to use the slips," Pavelka said.

About 60 to 100 people have applied in each lottery for the 29 slips. Ron Machtan is one who has not missed a summer in Grays Bay Marina since it opened in 2003.

When he reached the eight-year limit, he entered the 2010 lottery and, despite being No. 23 on the wait list, he again landed one of the slips.

"I got lucky," Machtan said.

He and his wife are some of the most frequent users of their slip, going out about five nights a week. He said Grays Bay Marina is particularly convenient and employs helpful and friendly staff.

Minnetonka is the ninth largest lake in Minnesota, covering about 14,000 acres, according to the DNR.

Machtan said the lake has ample fishing opportunities, and each of the bays that make up the lake offers a different experience.

"Lake Minnetonka is probably one of the nicest lakes I've ever had the pleasure of boating on," he said.

While most of the water's edge belongs to private residences, several marinas offer boating enthusiasts access to the lake.

Tonka Bay Marina manager Skipp LaJoy said many of his out-of-state and suburban customers are drawn to the lake's size as well as the handful of restaurants that boaters can access from the water.

The marina has received more renewals and new customers so far in 2012 than it had garnered by this time last year, he said.

Tonka Bay Marina offers seasonal rentals based on boat footage. LaJoy said rentals average $185 per foot, with most boats around 31 feet, putting the average seasonal rental around $5,700.