ABOUT  STARBOARD  MARINE

Our passion for boats has become more of a lifestyle than just a job restoring boats. Starboard Marine's owner, Dick VanRaalte, literally works on, thinks about or dreams of boats and motors nearly non-stop. At least that's what his wife of over 30 years, Glenda, believes. Now that's passion and devotion wrapped up in one package!

Together, they have worked long and hard since Starboard Marine opened in June of 2000, using their different talents and skills to make the company successful. Dick restores the boats and Glenda does the marketing, office and books. She is also a national award winning fine artist with her watercolor batik paintings and a photographer who's work is available through this website.

Starboard Marine Restorations is a full service restoration shop that focuses on giving our customers high quality craftsmanship at a reasonable price and in a timely manner. We welcome boats of all sizes from rowboats to runabouts, canoes, racing sculls, and sailboats whether they are wood or fiberglass.

Many of the boats we restore are becoming smaller and newer due to the lower water levels around the Great Lakes and elsewhere and because they are less expensive to operate. Owners have also found they can get a classy looking older restored boat often for less than the price of a new one. In the process they are preserving the history of boating into the 21st Century. We can turn some of the worst looking boats you can imagine into showroom condition. We invite you to take a look at our restorations and see for yourself.

We began as a wood boat restoration shop and from there expanded into vintage  and antique outboard motor repair and restoration. Many of our customers would have a boat restored and would want a period motor to go with it that looked and ran good. We were happy to oblige. Dick has always puttered around with motors since he was a kid and is good at what he does.

Our latest venture is restoring vintage fiberglass boats. Classic fiberglass is becoming more and more popular with boats from the 1950's, '60's and 70's just becoming the latest hot item in classic boating. Any boat made before 1973 is now considered classic and if made before 1950 it is an antique. Two or three generations have now grown up with fiberglass boats and have grown to love them as much as the beautiful wooden ones.

What treasures do you have in your garage, barn or out in the woods? Dick, Glenda, and their crew of skilled craftsmen are ready to begin your project.

Dick VanRaalte
Owner, Starboard Marine Restorations

From the time he was a young boy Dick   has been playing around with small hydroplanes and exploring the Grand River and the bayous, streams and marshes around Grand Haven, MI. Boating is still his favorite pastime.

Opening his own restoration shop had been a dream of his for a long time. Finally, in June of 2000, the dream came true when Starboard Marine Restorations first opened its doors. With the help and support of his wife, Glenda, they have shared the tasks of running a business and have made Starboard Marine a successful, award winning enterprise.

Dick has worked for S2 Yachts and Grand Craft Corporation but gives much of the credit for his knowledge and skills to two people, Otto Fricke and Don Danenberg.

The late Mr. Fricke, then owner of Fricke Marine, Grand Haven, MI, and captain of the tug, Oscar, gave Dick his first lessons in the repair of wooden boats over 30 years ago.

Dick became acquainted with Don Danenberg when he had his boat shop just 3 miles down the road from where he lives. Don and Dick were both working at different places but got together in the evenings to work on Don's projects for his customers. They became longtime friends during those years. Don's business grew into Danenberg Boatworks and eventually he moved his business to Stronach, MI.

Dick has always admired Don's unwavering commitment to the perfection of his craft and his search for new and better ways of boat restoration. Dick followed Don but after a winter of commuting 100 miles each way, Dick decided to open his own shop and Starboard Marine began.

SPRING LAKE WOODEN BOAT SHOW

Although it is technically a wooden boat show, classic fiberglass is accepted for entry. We make this an open to the public family event with a boat building booth for the kids, a pond to float the boats in, live music, food, beautiful scenery and other festivities. Awards are presented in 17 different categories and a boat parade follows at the end of the day. The evening before the show all participants are invited to put their boats in the water and come to a rendezvous and cook out at the Spring Lake Yacht Club.

For entry or more information, contact Mark at marksattic@charter.net. We hope to see you there!

MEMBERSHIP