Marinas Cater to Boaters and Boats
at Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks

 Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. – Where there's a lake, there are boats – and marinas that sell, service and store them. Boating enthusiasts will find nearly 70 marinas – from small mom-and-pop operations with basic services like gas, boat rentals and bait, to deluxe full-service marinas with boat sales, rentals and repairs, convenience stores, slip rentals, storage, restaurants and much more.

If you have a boat, bring it along to the Lake.  No boat? No problem!  It's easy to rent one there.  Visitors find a great variety of rental craft available, including ski boats, fishing boats, sailboats, pontoons, personal water craft and even houseboats and paddleboats.  And, the Lake is a great place to try parasailing or to hire a fishing guide, also available through marinas.

Each Lake-area marina has its own personality and specialty.  Some focus on rentals, some on sales, some on service and repairs. And, some offer all of the above, like the marina at The Lodge of Four Seasons, one of the area's largest full-service marinas.  General Manager Dean Chininis says The Lodge marina was built shortly after the resort was established in 1964.  Today it has more than 150 covered rental slips.  “Most are leased on an annual basis but several are available for overnight guests of The Lodge who bring their boats down,” Chininis says.
 

The Lodge marina's Ship Store offers beverages and snacks as well as bait and tackle and a gas dock.  The Marina Shop offers “everything from bottom cleaning to exterior cleaning to overall cleaning and detailing,” Chininis says.  “We can repair any physical damages to any boat, including damaged fiberglass.  We work with all boats.”  There's also an on-site mechanical repair facility.

The Lodge marina also has six rental pontoon boats available.  In addition, “you can get a fishing license and hire a professional guide here,” Chininis says.  The Lodge marina also will make arrangements for guests who would like to go parasailing or rent a PWC.  In addition, it's home port for Tropic Island Cruises, a luxury 75-foot, 150-passenger yacht that offers daily excursions on the Lake.

Speaking of yachts, The Lodge marina is the home of Ozark Yacht Brokers, the Lake area's exclusive dealer for Tiara yachts.  “Tiaras are acknowledged as some of the best boats.  In fact they are ocean-going vessels.  It takes three to five months to build one and we always try to keep one or two in stock,” Chininis says.

At Tan-Tar-A Marina, the resort's General Manager Fred Dehner says the facility has evolved since the resort was established in 1961.  The Tan-Tar-A Marina offers 72 slips including ten each of 16'x30', 16'x40' and 10'x20' covered slips which are leased on an annual basis.  “The annual moorage membership also includes access to the resort amenities,” Dehner notes.  Overnight slips are available for hotel guests.  The Ozark Princess excursion boat docks at the Tan-Tar-A marina and offers leisurely scenic cruises of the Lake every day during the summer.  In addition, fuel, ice, snacks and beverages also are available.

But, boat rentals are the primary business at Tan-Tar-A Marina today.  “We have 20-foot ski boats, ten pontoon boats and four flat-bottom johnboats for fishing,” Dehner says.  The marina also rents eight personal water craft and four paddle boats and can make arrangements for parasailing.  “We keep a very high standard for the quality of our rental boats and maintain them very well,” Dehner says.  “We update our rental fleet every year.  Typically one of each type of rental craft is replaced annually.”  Inner-tubes, water skis and wakeboards also are available for rental for a different kind of fun on the water.

“We rent to a number of first-time boaters,” Dehner says. “We go through all the operating steps for the boat and of course safety procedures before we turn anyone loose on the Lake.”

Boat buyers also are impressed with Lake-area marinas, including Kelly's Port with three locations at the Lake of the Ozarks.  Owner Randy Kelly says it's the longest-running dealer of Regal boats in the United States.  Kelly's also offers Mercruiser and Volvo boats.  Kelly recalls his first inventory consisted of 17-foot and 19-foot boats.  “That just wouldn't do today,” he says.  “Today people are into the bigger boats, the 30-foot range and more.  In fact, this fall we'll have a new 52-footer from Regal.  They've been working on it for three years.”  Kelly says a few boat-lovers already have put down a deposit on this big beautiful boat.

Kelly's Port also offers about 60 covered slips at its Gravois Arm and Osage Beach locations.  Most of those are rented on a permanent yearly basis. Around 130 spaces are leased in Kelly's dry storage facility at Osage Beach.  And service and repairs including fiberglass repair and refinishing also are available, plus rental cabins at Osage Beach, gas docks with pump out service and hauling.  Kelly's sales facility will move to a new location in early March – a deluxe showroom on Highway 54 featuring 8,500 square feet of boats on display.

“There's always something new in boats and marinas,” Kelly says.  “Plus I'm a people person and boating is a very sociable business.”

With 54,000 acres of water, the Lake of the Ozarks truly is boat-friendly.  So bring your own boat, buy one or rent one and get out on the water at Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks.  For more information about boating, lodging, dining, shopping, attractions and more, contact the Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau at 800-FUN-LAKE or visit www.funlake.com .