Good news for river rats: Two of Burlington's strongest boating businesses have merged and are preparing for the 2018 season.
Archer Auto Marine is in the process of moving their entire inventory to Bluff Harbor Marina, where the staffs of the two businesses are combining into one. The move began early in January.
The business will continue to be called Bluff Harbor Marina and ownership remains with Tim Roberts.
Archer Marine owner/operator John Archer and Bluff Harbor manager Jon Billups took a short break to talk to The Hawk Eye about the venture.
"We're going to be stronger as one than individually," Archer said. "Being stronger as one, we can provide a better boating experience. We'll have all the knowledge in one store."
Archer has been in the boating business for decades and it would be hard to find someone as knowledgeable in the southeast Iowa tri-state area.
Archer has been on the river almost since he was born and Billups since age 13.
Billups is well-qualified to keep a marina running smoothly: Billups Tire & Muffler Center was in the automotive service business for decades. He knows people, their expensive machines and the frustrations they can experience when something mechanical interferes with their plans.
A car is just a boat that doesn't float. A boat is just a car that sinks if you poke a hole in it. Both are conveyances into which people invest large amounts of money, pay big bucks to keep maintained, and have to find storage and a mechanic to keep them running.
You also have to buy gas and oil.
Billups understands that and knows his way around the business of human conveyance.
Billups started as Bluff Harbor's manager last year and has already smoothed some of the bumps the marina hit under previous management. When he heard the Bluff was in between managers, he called Roberts to make sure somebody would pull his boat out for the winter. Things clicked, and Roberts and Billups decided to try it out.
"It worked out really well," Billups said. "I think we solved a lot of issues last year. We reached a fill rate that hasn't been attained in a long time. For the first time in years, we have a waiting list."
He said their main goal is to make sure people are on the river when they want to be on the river.
"So now we're going to combine those two forces, everything under one roof. Parts are going to be expanded, accessories expanded, services expanded. We'll be able to get boats back to people quicker and faster so they're not waiting for repairs," he said. "On Saturday, for instance, we had people call, looking for a part, and if I didn't have it, we'd call Jon, and if he didn't have it, he'd call Bluff."
Now their parts inventory will be in one place.
The merger benefits summertime boaters because Archer is right on the water now instead of up on Division Street, where boats can't go except during floods.
"I used to take my boat to John to have it worked on," Billups said. "I always had great service, and even though he was a block away from the water, he was on the water."
The merger has doubled staff and inventory at Bluff Harbor, another plus because of their combined years of experience.
Quimby's Cruising Guide is the bible of riverboating. Subtitled "The Complete Listing of Marinas and Locks on the Inland and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways," it details 9,436 river miles according to The Waterways Journal. Quimby's covers the rivers and navigable tributaries of the Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Arkansas, Appalachicola, Atchafalaya and other rivers, and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway from Brownsville, TX to St. Marks, FL.
"We just updated our listing in Quimby's — this merger taking place outdates the listing, unfortunately — but we have a good rating in Quimby's, as far as being a full-service marina," Billups said.
A hard-copy of Quimby's gives a person the big picture — Burlington to St. Louis, for example — and serious, long-distance boaters keep a copy on board. You can't see the big picture on your cellphone, and you can't always access the Internet when you're on the water.
"One of the frustrating things for us on Quimby's is, the river traffic basically goes until it starts to freeze up north," Billups said. "One of the things we've done is expand our hours."
Prior to that, Quimby's said Bluff Harbor was closed after Labor Day.
"We hadn't closed this year until almost Thanksgiving — on gas and amenities. So we're trying to be as year-round as we can be, as far as the marina part goes," Billups said.
Knowing where you can get gas — and everything else — is essential for distance boaters, and there are not a lot of services on the Mississippi south of the Quad Cities. Below Memphis, there are almost none. Bluff Harbor is the only true marina on Pool 18, the section of the Mississippi from north of Burlington to Keokuk.*
The Riverview Marina at Fort Madison is a dock,* more of a gas-and-snacks place with no real services.
There are plenty of locations to launch your trailered boat. Willow Patch Boat Launch Access, for example, located south of the former Iowa State Penitentiary at First Street and Avenue G in Fort Madison, offers four launch ramps.
If you're in the market for a different boat for this summer, Bluff Harbor's combined inventory can provide a good starting point.
"Inventory varies on both new and used due to the increased activity our combined operation is experiencing," Billups said. "We have been very busy already this year. On special order boats, typically the lead time is six to eight weeks, but with the activity we've had ... if you are ordering, order now."
The shop has three qualified mechanics. Storage includes three boathouses and a large back lot for ground storage. 150 dock slips, covered or uncovered, greatly increase time on the river by removing the need to drive the boat to the ramp, launch it, park the car and load it up before sailing.
Bluff Harbor does not plan to expand in the immediate future but plans to dredge the harbor mouth this spring.
All the necessary amenities are available in the marina's store: soft drinks. bottled waters, beer and snacks.
"Typical convenience store fare," Billups said. "Plus oil, parts, boat accessories , boats, you name it. We are your one-stop-shop for boating and your on-the-water convenience store."
And you can dock and gas up, too.
Billups said they're working on having fishing licenses for sale on the premises. He said they can hook folks up with an experienced fisherman if someone inquires about guide service.
"We did that last year for one of the Steamboat Days acts," he said.
The second floor above the office is staff living quarters.
"That's one reason why we can offer on-call service after hours in addition to providing increased security by having staff on the premises," Billups said.
The Shoquoquon Boat Club next door is not a part of Bluff Harbor; it's a private club for members and their guests.
But you can always join up.
Bluff Harbor Marina is located at 800 N. Front St. in Burlington and provides emergency and tow service; call (319) 753-2590; after normal business hours call (319) 759-1831. For more information email bluffharbor@gmail.com.