Boat dealership breaks frozen ground

By James Card

Amherst Marine is building a new complex just off State Highway 10 near the County Trunk Highway Q intersection.

Work is already underway at the 10-acre site and the plan is to be open by midsummer if the construction process stays on track. The empty lot is mix of meadow and stands of pine trees.

“We’ve outgrown our current location here in Amherst,” said owner Max Verhagen. “I’ve driven past there thousands of times,” he said of the new location. “It’s kind of humbling to think about how many times you’ve driven past it and you never think about how something you drive past every day can become so involved in your life at some point in the future.”

The construction process is divided into multiple phases. The first phase it to get the main building up that will be a showroom, office space, restrooms, a parts room and a service center.
Strongwood is the contractor and Verhagen says it will look like a commercial building with a northwoods feel to it.

The second phase is to build a “flex-space” facility that will be used for boat storage and as an overflow showroom. The third phase is to put up additional boat storage on site.

Everything will be moved from the Amherst location over the course of the summer and fall and should be finalized by Christmas.

Summer is their biggest season and Verhagen admits this will be a hectic transition.

The Amherst property will eventually be sold but he will hang onto it for logistical purposes until the relocation is complete.

Amherst Marine focuses on sales, service and storage. They sell Crestliner, Harris and Mercury boats and have a service center for boat and motor repairs.

They lease the fairgrounds in Amherst and five other local buildings to store approximately 300 boats for the winter.

Once phase three is completed, they will be able to store the boats currently at those satellite locations at their new Waupaca headquarters.