Pontiac Cove Marina

I was working the St. Louis Boat Show in February of 1984. While on a break from our booth, I was wandering around looking at the boats and came upon this neat pontoon houseboat called a "Boatel." It was 12 feet wide by 40 feet long, slept six, had a full bath and a kitchen. I convinced Johnna we needed to get in the houseboat rental business, and thus began a new era in rental boats at Pontiac Boat Dock.

One of our first houseboat rentals on its way out for the weekend.

Around that time, Norman said to me: "This is more than a boat dock now... this is a marina." Being a former water patrol, I figured he should know what a marina was. We decided it was time to rename the business. My friend from college, Quentin Moore, was the one who came up with the name "Pontiac Cove Marina." He was also the guy who got me to move to Kansas City from Knoxville, Tenn., which was just another step toward moving back home. It's funny that most of the commercial docks on the lake are called "marinas," but the largest one back then and still today - Bull Shoals Boat Dock - is still a "boat dock." I've always admired the Eastwolds. They never got hung up on their name... they just take care of business.

No longer a boat dock.....we were a marina :)  

We put a 90 HP Mercury outboard on our new houseboat. It was the biggest motor I had ever bought from Mercury, but that was about to change. Ted Gutweiler stopped by the dock one day and said he was ordering a new Champion bass boat with a 150 HP Mercury. I asked Ted if he would let me give him a price on the motor. He agreed. I didn't want to make a lot on the sale, I just wanted a chance to sell a big outboard. Well, since I had known John Storie, the owner of Champion Boats, for many years, I thought he might let me sell Ted the whole rig. John agreed but told me to not tell anyone, as the dealer Ted was talking to, Kinsey Prop and Marine, would not like him doing a "back door deal."  I made the deal with Ted but told him to keep it quiet. A couple days after the deal closed, John Storie called me all put out. Pat Duncan from Kinsey Prop and Marine had called him and was mad because I had cut in on his deal. I asked Ted about it, and he said, "I got such a good deal I just had to tell some people!"

Ted Gutweiler, my first Champion customer. (I could not find a picture of his boat.)

Written by Cap'n T Morgan