A Day With Captain Grandpa

It's a beautiful carefree summer day in central Indiana, yet the Espey children and grandchildren seem overly anxious. They're gathered around the rental pontoon ready to explore Geist Lake, but they're temporarily stranded at the dock as they wait for Grandma and Grandpa to arrive. The Starcraft EX 24 Big Water Edition with a 60hp Mercury four-stroke is all gassed up, wiped down and ready for its next rental adventure. The hard-working staff at Geist Lake Marina have been busy all morning prepping their full lineup of Starcraft pontoons and this one is just missing its captain.

For those in central Indiana, enjoying gorgeous days on the water such as this one are possible thanks to this full-service marina that rents and sells boats and is located just 20 minutes northeast of Indianapolis.




“For those in this region, if you don't own a boat we're just a short drive away,” says Nicole Buell, director of operations at Geist Lake Marina. “You can literally drive a short distance and feel like you're on vacation for the day. If you don't own a boat but have ever thought about getting into boating, a rental is a great option.

For Eddie and Cathy Espey, who have a home just half an hour away, a one day rental is exactly what their extended family craves. They've been renting from Geist Lake Marina for nearly 10 years and always look forward to these outings with family as part of their summer routine.

After a short wait, the Espeys casually pull up to the marina with big smiles on their faces. It's mid-morning and they already have the laid back boating vibe going for them and soon their children and grandchildren will catch on to their relaxing pace as well after patiently waiting for them to arrive. The agenda for today includes cruising the shoreline to look at the lakefront homes, finding a cove to do a little swimming, and then at some point in the day stopping by Wolfies for a bite. The popular restaurant is at the marina and is accessible by boat or by water.

Why Starcraft
Geist Lake Marina has a rental fleet of 16 pontoons and is quick to credit Starcraft for being a large part of its success.

“Starcraft boats hold up very well, especially since rentals tend to take a lot of abuse,” says Marina Manager Rick Rogers. “The phrase, 'drive it like a rental' applies here as people tend to do that with our boats but they hold up well to the task. Renting Starcraft pontoons has really worked well for us.”

Adds Nicole, “We order our boats with the Big Water Edition package and it makes each Starcraft even sturdier than what you would need for your own personal boat because we know everyone does drive them like rentals.”

Geist Lake Marina not only rents Starcraft boats, the marina is also a dealer for the Indiana-based manufacturer. The marina offers a variety of Starcraft pontoons and deck boats for sale that range from fishing layouts to pontoons with rear-facing loungers or bar setups in the stern.

Having well-built and durable pontoons is only part of the reason the marina continues to work with Starcraft.

“It has been several years now and the best part about working with Starcraft is it's like working with family,” says Nicole. “We know everybody who works there and we've been able to see different generations continuing the legacy of their parents before them. We let our customers know we're not dealing with a company that in a handful of years might not be around and they won’t know who to go to if they need help. We know who they are and we know them and consider them to be like friends and family.”

Typical Customers
The Espeys are regulars on Geist Lake and on this day their crew includes their adult children Tyler and Ashley and their own families.

“We get a good mix of repeat customers such as the Espeys who are local who don't own a boat but like to get out on the water occasionally,” says Rick. “But we also get tourists on vacation who want to spend time on our lake with their families.”

The Espey crew all live nearby and have been looking forward to this day for a long time.

“We love it; it's our family's favorite summer activity,” says Ashley Sanders who is here with her husband Brant and their young children Kinzley and Mathew. “Pontoons are safe and great family boats for those with little kids.”

Adds her father Eddie, “We've been doing this for 10 or so years and we like to get out as a family on the water. We used to rent a cabin on the water every summer, but we enjoy doing this a lot more. The Geist Lake Marina staff are just extra friendly and they really try to accommodate their customers.”

Eddie's son Tyler is here with his daughter Lilly who brought along her friend Ava Varla to enjoy the day as well.

“Being out here with my parents, my sister and her family, along with my own daughter is what it's all about,” says Tyler. “This is how we stay close as a family.”

Full Service Marina
Besides boat sales and rentals, Geist Lake Marina is also a Mercury dealer and they do all of their  maintenance in-house.

“We trust Mercury, we know the product, and all of our service technicians go through the Mercury school,” says Nicole when asked why she chooses to power her boats with Mercury outboards. “Our guys are all Merc certified and we very much believe in going with what we know. Teaming up our Starcraft boats with Mercury engines has been absolutely fantastic.”

Adds Rick who began his career at the marina in the service department, “The Mercury product has been really good for us too. We're a one stop shop where we can offer anything you need. We can service your boat and if you don't own a boat you can rent one.”

The Starcraft rental fleet season runs from mid May to the end of September on average. With weekends and holiday rentals Rick strongly encourages booking in advance, but says it is possible on some days to book the day of the rental.

Let The Fun Begin
Surrounded by his wife of nearly 50 years and their extended family all on board puts a big smile on Eddie's face despite the pontoon being close to the maximum passenger capacity. When asked if he ever just comes out on the rental by himself he just smiles and says, “I wouldn't want to be out here without all of them. Being together is what it's all about.”