TOWER- Your Boat Club’s second summer on Lake Vermilion was a busy one. With families eager to try out COVID-safe activities, both boat club memberships and daily rentals almost doubled from the previous year, according to Your Boat Club owner Luke Kujawa.
“We are getting families outside,” he said. “There has been a lot of demand. It’s been a crazy year.”
Lakewide, Vermilion saw an increase in both boating and boat sales, according to other marina owners who also had record summers.
While the summer season has wound down, Your Boat Club is making plans for an active winter season with their partnership with Polaris Adventures, a nationwide rental program that focuses on offering safe, memorable, and year-round adventures using state-of-the art Polaris vehicles.
“We were looking to expand,” said Kujawa, “and this is a great opportunity to add new products to that mix.” With this expansion, the Lake Vermilion location, which has about nine employees in the summer, will also add more year-round employees.
The opening of the new Prospector Loop Trail System, only a few blocks away from the marina, made the decision to expand an easy one. The new system of trails links Tower, Ely, and Babbitt, as well as providing links to other ATV trail systems. The area also boasts hundreds of miles of snowmobile trails, with several trail systems running through Tower.
“This is really an exciting new way to enjoy the Prospector Loop Trail System,” says Kujawa. “The ability to rent a Polaris vehicle to experience this new trail system really expands the already appealing outdoor recreational opportunities available. Now especially, families are looking for ways to get out of the house, beyond the boating season. For us the partnership with Polaris is a no-brainer.”
The location will start with 10 snowmobiles, but that number is expected to grow, said Kujawa. In the spring they will be adding a dozen Polaris side-by-side ATVs. Rental rates will be at “market rates,” which will vary based on the time of year and day of the week. Your Boat Club members will qualify for discounts on the rental rates, but rentals are open to the general public, and reservations can be made in advance. Reservations will be made online at www.yourboatclub.com.
Your Boat Club is working with DNR Trails and the local ATV club to create a new spur to connect the marina with the nearby Prospectors Trailhead on Highway 135, located adjacent to the new Lamppa Manufacturing building.
The Your Boat Club location at Lake Vermilion will offer snowmobiles as early as Dec. 15, depending on trail conditions, and will expand to include side-by-side vehicles next May.