New & Used Boat Dealership and Sales near South Haven, IN
Family-owned on Trail Creek since 1953 — the full-service Lake Michigan dealership roughly 40 minutes east of South Haven.
South Haven and Porter County boaters have driven east to Michigan City for three generations, and the reason hasn’t changed: a real showroom, a real service department, and a slip at the end of it. We stock bowriders and deck boats, jet boats, center consoles, pontoons, cruisers and yachts — then keep them running season after season.
- 73+ Years in Business
- Family-Owned & Operated
- Top 100 Marine Dealer
- NMMA 5-Star Certified
- Brunswick Ambassador Dealer
Why South Haven boaters buy their boat in Michigan City
Short answer: B&E Marine is the closest full-service new and used boat dealership to South Haven, Indiana that sits directly on navigable water — 31 Lake Shore Drive, Michigan City, about 30 miles and roughly 40 minutes east via US-20 or I-94. Shop Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, Yamaha Boats and Navan new, browse pre-owned and brokerage boats, finance the purchase, trade in your current boat, keep it in a slip on Trail Creek, and have it serviced and winter-stored in one place.
Boating out of South Haven usually means one of three things: you launch at Portage or Burns Waterway for a few hours on the lake, you trailer south to Flint, Long or Lake George on a Saturday, or you keep a bigger boat slipped and treat Lake Michigan as the point. Each pulls you toward a different boat, and that conversation should happen before anyone talks about price — which is easier somewhere the boats are in the water. Our showroom and marina sit together on Trail Creek, so a 23-foot bowrider isn’t a photograph; it’s a hull you can step into and decide whether the seating works for the six people aboard most weekends.
The dealership has been here since 1953. Ron and Jean Bensz started it on Trail Creek, and the same family runs it three generations later — the story is on our About Us page, with the property in the fifties in our photo archive. We’ve been named a Top 100 marine dealer, a Brunswick Ambassador Dealer and an NMMA Marine Industry 5-Star Certified Dealer. The full list is on our certifications and awards page.
For a Porter County buyer that means the technicians who commission your boat are factory-trained on the brands we sell, and the sales team is small enough that you deal with one person rather than a rotating desk.
Shop new and used boats by category
Most buyers start with a length in mind and end up somewhere else once they describe how they spend a Saturday. Here’s how the inventory breaks down.
Bowriders & Deck Boats
The default family choice. Open bow seating, a walk-through forward, and enough cockpit for watersports. Deck boats trade top-end sharpness for floor space.
Compare Sea Ray SPX bowriders, Sea Ray SDX deck boats and Boston Whaler Vantage dual consoles.
View all bowriders & deck boatsJet Boats
No exposed prop, shallow draft, quick acceleration. Popular with families boating around swimmers and anyone launching in the shallower water off the Dunes.
Shop Yamaha SX and AR jet boats or new Yamaha Boats in stock.
View all jet boatsCenter Consoles
Built for fishing and open water — walkaround access and a deeper V for Lake Michigan chop.
Browse Boston Whaler Dauntless, Montauk and Outrage center consoles, plus Robalo and Scout models.
View all center consolesPontoons
Maximum seating per dollar — the right answer for inland lakes around Valparaiso, Hobart and LaPorte.
See what’s available in used pontoon inventory.
View all pontoonsCruisers
Cabin, head and berths for overnights across to New Buffalo, St. Joseph or Chicago. Here a slip stops being optional.
Look at Sea Ray Sundancer cruisers, Navan C-series cruisers and Boston Whaler Conquest models.
View all cruisersYachts
Full accommodations, premium systems and the service relationship to match. We slip boats up to 60 feet.
Browse pre-owned yacht listings or Formula models.
View all yachtsShopping a size bracket? See our guide to 24- to 30-foot boats.
Shop by brand and model line
Build quality varies far more than the brochures suggest, and a bargain hull usually announces itself around year three. We’re factory-authorized for four manufacturers whose boats hold their value in the Great Lakes, plus a rotating pre-owned pool from a dozen more.
Sea Ray boats for sale
The benchmark for sport boat ride quality here. SPX is the entry point, SDX widens the bow, Sundancer adds a cabin.
- Sea Ray SPX bowriders (SPX 190, 210, 230)
- Sea Ray SDX deck boats (SDX 230, 250, 270, 290)
- Sea Ray Sundancer cruisers
- New Sea Ray models in stock
- Used Sea Ray boats
Cross-shopping? Read Sea Ray vs. Chaparral, Sea Ray vs. Cobalt and Sea Ray vs. Regal, or our page on Sea Ray boats near Chicago.
Boston Whaler boats for sale
The unsinkable Unibond hull, and the brand Porter County anglers name first for salmon out of Michigan City. Dauntless and Montauk cover inshore, Outrage offshore, Vantage is the family dual console.
- Boston Whaler center consoles (Dauntless, Montauk, Outrage, Super Sport)
- Boston Whaler Vantage dual consoles
- Boston Whaler Conquest cruisers
- New Boston Whaler inventory
- Used Boston Whaler boats
See how the brand stacks up in Boston Whaler vs. Grady-White and Boston Whaler vs. Scout, or visit our Boston Whaler dealer page.
Yamaha Boats for sale
Strong value through the 19- to 27-foot range and the easiest boats we sell to beach or run shallow. SX and AR are the sport models; SD and XD add deck boat space.
- Yamaha jet boats (SX190, SX220, AR195, AR220)
- Yamaha deck boats (252SD, 255XD, 275SD)
- New Yamaha Boats in stock
- Used Yamaha jet boats
Deciding between jet platforms? Start with Yamaha vs. Scarab jet boats.
Navan boats for sale
Scandinavian-designed day boats and the newest name in our showroom. S-series is the open sport layout, C-series adds a cabin, T-series is the crossover.
New boats leave our rigging bay with Mercury power and Trailmaster, Venture or Phoenix trailers — relevant if you’re keeping the boat in South Haven and towing rather than slipping it here.
Used and brokerage brands we regularly stock
Trade-ins and brokerage bring a wider range of makes through the yard. Each link filters live inventory for that brand.
| Brand | Typically stocked as | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Cobalt Boats | Pre-owned bowriders | Fit and finish, strong resale |
| Scout Boats | Center consoles, brokerage | Offshore fishing layouts |
| Robalo | Center consoles | Value-priced saltwater hulls |
| Crownline | Pre-owned runabouts | Sport boat styling |
| Monterey | Bowriders, cuddy cabins | Comfortable family layouts |
| Formula | Cruisers, larger sport boats | Performance and build quality |
| Bayliner | Entry-level pre-owned | Affordable first boats |
| Trophy | Fishing boats | Practical angler packages |
| Quicksilver | Compact sport boats | Easy trailering |
We’ve also compared regional dealers and brands side by side if you’re still narrowing the field.
New, used, or brokerage — which fits your budget?
Well-maintained boats hold their value here, which makes the used side worth considering rather than a consolation prize.
Buying new
Full factory warranty, current hull design and helm electronics, and the ability to spec the layout and power package you actually want. Incentives on in-stock models often close the gap with used pricing by more than buyers expect. Browse all new boat inventory, or narrow to new Sea Ray, new Boston Whaler, new Yamaha and new Navan stock.
Buying used or brokerage
A three- to six-year-old boat stored indoors each winter gives you most of a new boat’s experience at a real discount. The catch is knowing what you’re buying — engine hours, documented service, stringer and transom condition. Start with all pre-owned inventory, our brokerage program, or the used and brokerage listings page.
Already own a boat? Our trade-in program applies its value to your next purchase, and We Want Your Boat gives you a number even if you’re not buying this season. To list rather than trade, use the brokerage listing form.
What we tell Northwest Indiana buyers to check before they sign
After seven decades of selling and then servicing the same boats, a handful of details separate the ones owners still love from the ones they list two seasons later.
Hull deadrise
A deeper V (roughly 19–21 degrees at the transom) rides far better in Lake Michigan chop — the single biggest factor in whether your family enjoys a breezy afternoon or asks to head in early.
Power package
The base engine is usually adequate; the upgrade is usually worth it. Loaded with eight people and gear, an underpowered boat struggles to plane and burns more fuel doing it.
Seating & storage
Count usable seats with the bow filler cushion removed, and open every locker. Ski storage and cooler space matter more on day three than any brochure feature.
Trailer & tow vehicle
If the boat lives in South Haven rather than a slip here, confirm your vehicle handles the loaded weight on US-20 and I-94 — not just the dry hull number.
Service history
On any pre-owned boat, ask for engine hours and documented maintenance. We would rather sell you a well-kept older boat than a neglected newer one.
Where it will live
Trailering, a marina slip and indoor winter storage carry very different annual costs. Plan it before you buy — we’ll walk you through slip options and indoor storage.
Everything that happens after the sale
A boat is a seasonal commitment, and that matters more when you live 40 miles from the water. We handle financing, service, storage and gear in one place.
Boat financing
Multiple marine lenders and terms structured around your budget.
Explore financing optionsPayment calculator
Run the numbers on a boat and term before committing, then apply when you’re ready.
Use the loan calculatorBoat insurance
Marine-specific coverage through partners who understand what they’re insuring.
Request an insurance quoteService & repairs
Spring commissioning, oil changes, sterndrive work and jet pump service.
Schedule service onlineSlips & winter storage
Slips on Trail Creek up to 60 feet, plus heated indoor winter storage.
See storage optionsSeasonal paperwork is online too: service and storage forms, spring launch confirmation and transient slip requests.
Serving South Haven, Valparaiso, Portage and Porter County
Our showroom sits on Trail Creek in Michigan City, one county east of South Haven. A large share of our customers come from Porter and Lake counties, and most make the drive two or three times during a purchase, then rarely once the boat is slipped.
| Coming from | Approx. drive | Typical route |
|---|---|---|
| South Haven, IN | ~40 minutes | US-6 to US-20 east, or I-94 east |
| Valparaiso, IN | ~35 minutes | US-20 east |
| Portage, IN | ~35 minutes | I-94 east |
| Chesterton, IN | ~25 minutes | I-94 or US-20 east |
| Hobart, IN | ~45 minutes | I-94 east |
| LaPorte, IN | ~25 minutes | IN-39 north |
South Haven boaters fall into two camps, and we sell to both. One keeps a trailerable boat at home and runs the ramps at Portage or the inland lakes — Flint and Long near Valparaiso, Lake George in Hobart, Pine and Stone in LaPorte; there, hull weight, trailer quality and rig-and-launch time matter most, which is why Yamaha jet boats and smaller Sea Ray SPX bowriders sell well to this group. The other has decided Lake Michigan is worth a slip, and the calculation shifts to freeboard, deadrise, cabin space and storage cost — territory for Boston Whaler center consoles and cruisers.
South Haven sits just north of Valparaiso, so our Valparaiso dealership page and Valparaiso boats for sale listings cover much of the same ground. We also publish pages for Gary, Hammond and East Chicago, plus regional guides to Northern Indiana, Southwest Michigan and boats near Chicago.
Plan the drive over from South Haven
Spec sheets only tell you so much — the difference between a 21-foot bowrider and a 23-foot deck boat is obvious the moment you step aboard both. Our showroom lets you compare models back to back.
We’re minutes from the Lake Michigan channel and roughly 38 miles from downtown Chicago by water, which is why many customers keep the boat here: private slips, a seasonal fuel dock, pool, bathhouse and laundry. Stock is split across two locations, so you can filter for boats at our Michigan City showroom or across the state line in New Buffalo, Michigan.
Before you set out, use our quickest route tool, check fuel prices, watch the live harbor webcam, or contact our team so we can have specific models ready for you to walk.
What owners say about working with us
The clearest measure of a dealership is whether people come back for their second and third boat. Three themes recur in our reviews.
Owners single out the service department: timely updates, and technicians who treat a sentimental twenty-five-year-old hull like a new one.Recurring theme in our reviews
Visitors mention being greeted the moment they walk in — and captains bringing clients here from Chicago after their own first visit.Recurring theme in our reviews
Repeat buyers point to the same faces across multiple purchases, and straightforward communication on trade values.Recurring theme in our reviews
Read customer testimonials or see our Customer Service Intelligence award history.
Frequently asked questions
Questions we hear most often from South Haven and Porter County buyers.
Where is the closest boat dealership to South Haven, Indiana?
B&E Marine in Michigan City is the nearest full-service dealership to South Haven that sits directly on navigable water with Lake Michigan access. We’re at 31 Lake Shore Drive, Michigan City, IN 46361 — roughly 30 miles and about 40 minutes east via US-20 or I-94. Unlike a sales lot, we also run a marina, service department and indoor winter storage on the same property.
Which boat brands does B&E Marine carry?
Does B&E Marine sell used boats as well as new?
Yes. Alongside new inventory we carry a rotating selection of pre-owned boats and brokerage listings. Because many brokerage boats were serviced and stored here, we often know their maintenance history firsthand. See the brokerage program for details.
How much does a new boat cost at B&E Marine?
Sport and jet boats in the 19- to 22-foot range typically start in the mid-to-high five figures; bowriders and deck boats from 23 to 27 feet commonly run roughly $100,000 to $190,000; cruisers and yachts move well beyond. Every unit in our online inventory carries current pricing, and the loan calculator converts it to a monthly figure.
What size boat is best for Lake Michigan?
For open-water Lake Michigan use, most families are comfortable at 23 feet and above with roughly 19 to 21 degrees of deadrise. Boats around 21 feet are capable on calm mornings but get bounced when the wind builds. To fish offshore or cross to Michigan regularly, 25 feet and up is safer — look at Boston Whaler center consoles or larger Sea Ray SDX models. For the Porter County inland lakes, a smaller trailerable boat makes more sense.
What’s the difference between a bowrider and a deck boat?
A bowrider has a pointed bow with open seating forward of the windshield and a V-hull that cuts chop cleanly. A deck boat widens and squares off that bow, trading rough-water sharpness for more floor space and seating in the same length. Carrying more than six people regularly? The deck boat usually wins — compare Sea Ray SPX bowriders against Sea Ray SDX deck boats in the same inventory.
Can I finance a boat if I live in South Haven?
Yes. Financing is handled in-house through multiple marine lenders, and living in another county changes nothing. Marine loan terms run longer than auto loans, which keeps payments lower than buyers expect. Estimate one with our calculator, review the financial services page, then apply online.
Can I trade in my current boat toward a new one?
Yes, and you don’t need to be buying today to find out what it’s worth. Our trade-in program applies your boat’s value against your next purchase, and We Want Your Boat will give you a straight number either way. We also buy outright and accept brokerage listings.
Can B&E Marine service my boat if I bought it somewhere else?
Yes. We service boats regardless of where they were purchased — commissioning, winterization, engine and sterndrive work, jet pump service, electronics and general repair. Our technicians are factory-trained on the brands we sell and experienced across most sterndrive and outboard platforms. Submit a request through service check-in.
Do you offer slips and winter storage?
We do, and for South Haven owners it’s often the deciding factor. Seasonal slips on Trail Creek take boats up to 60 feet, and heated indoor storage protects gelcoat, upholstery and systems through an Indiana winter — and service and commissioning then happen without you towing anything. See dock and slip details and indoor storage.
How long has B&E Marine been in business?
Since 1953 — over 73 years on the same Trail Creek property, still run by the founding family into its third generation. We’ve been recognized as a Top 100 marine dealer, a Brunswick Ambassador Dealer and an NMMA Marine Industry 5-Star Certified Dealer. More on our About Us and certifications pages.
What are your showroom hours?
Fall hours for the showroom and Ship’s Store are Monday–Friday 9 AM to 5 PM and Saturday 9 AM to 2 PM, closed Sunday. The service department opens at 8 AM. Hours shift seasonally, so check the contact page or call (219) 879-8301 before making the drive.
