Serving You Since 1933!

Since 1933, three generations of the Larsen family have worked hard to provide the Lake Michigan boater with all of their boating needs, including quality service, excellent storage facilities and a professional sales staff. Satisfied customers and dedicated employees have helped us grow into a modern 16 acre boatyard and full-service marine facility, one of the THREE LARGEST ON THE WESTERN SHORE OF LAKE MICHIGAN. Today, Larsen Marine is one of the largest and best-equipped service facilities in the Great Lakes and fully prepared to work with skippers of both sail and power boats.

WE HAVE 3 FULL TIME PARTS AND ACCESSORIES PROFESSIONALS who can locate that hard-to-find part. In addition, we have the LARGEST INVENTORY OF BOATING HARDWARE AND ENGINE PARTS on Lake Michigan.

We are dealers for many of the worlds top production sailboat manufacturers. Our sales agents have years of experience in finding the right boat to fit your needs. Our brokerage staff has over 100 years collectively in the business and can assist you in finding a buyer for your current boat through our aggressive marketing program. We have over 100 pre-owned vessels for sale on Site!  If we don’t have the exact boat you are looking for, we’ll search the world and find it for you!!!

Located on Waukegan Harbor, midway between Chicago and Milwaukee, we provide secure off-season storage for 750 boats. We offer state-of-the art heated mast storage, shrink wrapping, outdoor, indoor, and indoor heated storage . . . all available for both power and sailboats up to 60′, as well as dry-stack storage for powerboats up to 26′. Our modern boating store and parts department are completely stocked and expertly staffed to fill the needs of both power and sail boat owners for every season.

Larsen Marine employs a large family of passionate, quality-minded and experienced marine associates that are carrying Larsen’s legacy forward with pride and dedication. Let us know how we may serve you!

Mission Statement

We are committed to providing Boat Owners and their Families with exceptional and memorable boating experiences. Through mutual respect and investing in development and support, we empower our team to provide expert knowledge, courtesy and appreciation for our customers. This results in delivering on our mission to provide products and services that meet or exceed customer expectations

Unique Selling Proposition

• Hassle-free boating
• Providing a wonderful “experience” for the entire family
• Fast and responsive service and a fair price
• Sharing our knowledge of safety
• Providing easy access to boating
• Always looking for ways to say “Yes”
• The “People” at Larsen Marine

These goals are the driving force behind everything we do.

Our History

Timeline

1933

Our Beginnings: Milt Larsen began Larsen Marine in the early 1930’sMilt started his own business on north side of Waukegan Harbor.

1935

Shows the installation of a new Marine Railway which Milton Larsen borrowed $800 to construct. This was the first piece of equipment Larsen’s had for hauling and launching.

1941

Shows the installation of wood sea walls, piers and the addition of 2 storage buildings. The marine railway was used to haul out these boats which were then side tracked on large timbers called ‘ways’. Stored boats totaled about 40.

1943

A stiff leg crane installed by Milton Larsen could lift boats up to 45 feet in length. Purchased used from a lumber mill and powered by a converted truck engine, this was a major improvement to the yard because it required fewer man hours to haul a boat than the marine railway.

1953

Photo showing the building expansion and summer moorings and slips.

1975

Larsen Marine Yard with a newly constructed dry stack building at the top of photo. Total yard storage inside and outside was about 300 boats.

1991

Larsen’s main service yard showing the new larger boat slip under construction. This added 40 boat docks plus a 30 Ton Travelift slip. Later a 55 Ton Travelift slip was added to accomodate boats up to 70 feet.

1998

The new 55 Ton Travelift is lifting a 70 ft. Hatteras Motor Yacht and Larsen’s other two other travelifts also lifting boats on a busy day.

2007

Outboard Marine Corporation buildings across the street from us to the north were torn down.

2011

In 2011 we built our largest Inside Heated Storage Building.  We held a contest to name the building and that is how it became named XLT.

2013

We closed the Racine sales office and relocated to Milwaukee.  Ed Jirsa works out of the Milwaukee office.