The Reviews are in... The boaters have spoken and Eldean Shipyard is the right marina for your slip, storage, and maintenance needs. A little positive feedback appears below.

We love positive feedback! However, we also appreciate constructive criticism; it helps us improve and has made Eldean Shipyard what it is today.

Slip Customers- A few nice notes that we've received...
  • "You know... You guys really do a great job.  I really enjoy being at Eldeans.  It's worth everything.  The harbor and the environment remind me so much about the Chesapeake where I first learned to sail. Thanks so much again!" (John E-18)
  • "Just a quick note to thank you all (Herb, Matt, Wade, Angela, Dick, Rob, etc) for a wonderful time my family and I had spending the first summer on our boat at Eldean Shipyard. My Family looks forward to spending many more summers together with your family. You truly make it a very warm and pleasurable place to be dwith friends and family. Too often, all we tend to hear about is the negative. Well, from my experience, the manner and care with which you run your family owned operation is exactly how it's suppose to be done. Keep it up and don't change a thing." (Bob, D-28)
  • "What a beautiful marina to slip our boat!! We've been slip holders for the last twelve summers--each year is better than the previous! Thanks for providing such a spectacular place of beauty, and amazing destination for boaters on the lakeshore! Another great summer at the marina comes to a close....Oh how I hate to see it end!! Thanks for having the most beautiful place on Lake Michigan- with the nicest crew on the planet, awesome facilities, magnificent landscaping, ...and the best restaurant to dine at - with the greatest chef & wait staff, all for our enjoyment!! Absolutely fabulous!!! You sure do it up right!!!! Thank you!!!" (C-51)
  • Eldean's in Holland on Lake Macatawa is one of the nicest marinas anywhere on the Great Lakes. Believe me, that is not an exaggeration or an understatement. Beautiful Flower Gardens and landscaped grounds, Pool, Hot Tubs, Club House, Extremely Clean Showers (the showers and facilities in our bath house are floor to ceiling ceramic tiled; nicer than most homes) and Laundry. All of this in a Full Service Marina with Travel Lift and Yard services. Beautiful docks (fixed) all a short distance form the main channel and within easy access to the big lake. Fuel and pump out docks. Well staffed with friendly and experienced crew. Many of our dock neighbors are from Grand Rapids. Take a look at their website by following the below link....You will not find anything nicer anywhere in Western Michigan... (Z-46)
  • We're on Lake Erie but went to Eldean's when we were boat shopping. It's top notch, and the setting is idyllic. I don't recall seeing a nicer marina (that wasn't a private club) on the Great Lakes, and we went all over while boat shopping, including Chicago and Toronto. (Posted on Sailnet.com by garymcg)
  • "Wade, Thanks again for checking out the strange alarm that was going off on our boat. It is reassuring to know that you are looking out for us. Eldean’s once again earns our loyalty!" (Bob and Anne, D-16)
  • "Again, thanks for another awesome season! The party last night was a blast! The food was amazing--as usual!! Totally enjoyed the boating season at the marina!! Thanks for everything you do to create a little piece of paradise here on earth for us boaters!! Looking forward to 2010!!! Blessings to you all!! :)" (C-51)
  • "Thanks Everyone!! You Made our first year at your Marina - UNFORGETABLE! Matt, Wade and all your Dock & Store Staff, Thank You!" (C-46)
  • "This first class shipyard offers a complete shipstore and a full service marina. This is one of the finest facilities you will ever visit." (International Mumm 30 Organization)
  • "Eldean's Staff, Please accept our little gift of home made Egg Rolls. Just a simple gesture for making last summer one of our BEST summers we've had. Thanks for the memories! Len, Christie and Kids" (B-19)
  • "My wife and I so enjoyed our stay at Eldean Shipyard last summer, that we recommended that the Cruising Fleet of the Milwaukee Yacht Club make your place our destination this coming summer." -Dean
  • "This entire summer has been a terrific boating experience. We have been continually impressed with your staff, facility and the community of boaters. Your entire family should be very proud of the reputation and facility you have developed. We will leave the boat here this winter and be back next summer!" (C-39)
  • "The marina is top notch in terms of service, cleanliness and esthetics. You have great taste in architecture, and the flowers and other landscaping are beautiful! ...Sunday's picnic/party was a lot of fun. We appreciate all the hard work that you and your staff put into this event. It helps give the marina a stronger sense of community. ...Brandon (The Shipstore Manager) has been especially helpful to us as we rigged a spinnaker for our boat. All of your Shipstore staff have been very pleasant to work with." (D-38)
  • "July 10 we leave for Holland, with flat seas and no wind since we arrived in Michigan. Holland is on Lake Macatawa and we stayed at Eldean Shipyard Marina. It has excellent restaurant, pool, hot tub, the cleanest showers/rest rooms on the lake and a nice ships store. The best marina on the lake!!!" (Verbraken -web blog)
  • "Last week my wife and I had occasion to vacation with friends aboard their sailboat at your facility. While I have bee too many Boat Clubs, Marinas, Private & Public moorings I must tell you that I was very impressed with yours. The scale and caliber of your facilities, the cleanliness and beauty of the grounds was very impressive. We also had a number of meals in your Piper Restaurant and these also were exceptional. We were impressed enough that we changed our plan choosing to day sail returning to your dock each night, as we were sure no other harbor would offer better accommodations. Thank you and your staff for adding to what was a very special time." (Friends of A-16)
  • Part of its (Macatawa's) charm comes from its history as a port of prominence for upper-class summer resorts. Then recently the port was a commercial fishing area but not anymore. Today’s focus is on waterskiing, jetskiiing, sailing and sport fishing.Very friendly staff at the Eldean shipyard marina plus ultra-modern, very, very, clean facilities. We had the best pizza ever at the Piper restaurant-special crust, wood-roasted tomato sauce, and five cheese blend and then we added bacon, pepperoni, green olives and mushrooms. We rode our bikes a good eight miles along South Shore Drive past beautiful homes on Lake Macatawa. We then walked to the lighthouse at the entrance to the harbor. (Smokin' Fish Lures - web blog)
  • "Dear Eldeans Family, I just wanted to let you all know what a wonderful time we always have in Holland at your marina. We have traveled through many ports but we always come back to Holland. Thank you for making us feel welcome!" -The Phillips
  • "It was a pleasure spending the summer at Eldean Shipyard. Our family continues to enjoy all of the facilities and your staff has been courteous, supportive, and friendly. We will most certainly return again next year. As work becomes demanding and family times a premium, mooring at the Shipyard has a great deal of meaning for us. We appreciate your efforts and the efforts of your staff to make our stay the positive experience it is. Warmest regards, Jack and Cindy B."
  • "Dear Wade and Matt: On behalf of Judy and myself I want to say that we have thoroughly enjoyed our years at the Shipyard and are grateful to the entire Eldean crew for the courtesy and competence that has been a part of our experience there. We wish you and Herb and Roger the very best , and perhaps when my wife's hankering to see the world has run its course, We will be back begging for another slip and resuming the lifestyle we have liked so well." Fred (Formerly E-20)
 Our Service Department - We get it done right, Guaranteed!
  • RE: Better than past boatyards: As I mentioned the varnishing and the hull look great. I have to tell you when my wife called me while on the boat and I told her about the job well done and hre exat words were: 'I'm so happy to hear that! This is the first time I have heard you say nice things about work done by a boatyard.' I had shuch a bad experience at the other place! Just had to pass that along." -Eric
  • RE: Second to None: Thanks Matt, As usual, the staff and service department at Eldean's is second to none. You guys have been great this year and your efforts have not gone unnoticed. I tell everybody I know that Eldeans' is the "Best on the Great Lakes". -Tim Z-46
  • RE: Top of the line Staff: "Matt, I wasn’t able to see you before I left. You really have a great boatyard, I travel all over the world and I have to say that the facility and people at Eldean’s are top of the line. Great work." - Peter
  • RE: Confidence in Our Team: "As I told John I go to a lot of yards and no BS , it is the rare yard that I get the feeling that the personnel have a similar “Give a Shit” factor as I share. I have the utmost confidence in you and your people and look forward to many years of working together on his new 64" - Bob (Bob is a respected boat dealer and has been around the block a time or two)
  • RE: Rigging & other work: "This is a bit late, but I just wanted to let you know what a great experience it was staying at your facility in late May/early June. All the folks we came in contact with (Randy in maintenance, Dennis and James in rigging, etc) were all true professionals and very accomodating when it came to answering my questions. As a matter of fact, the experience was a little TOO good. Eldean Shipyard has become the yardstick by which Brenda and I measure our experiences with other marinas. So far not one has come close. Please express my thanks and gratitude to everyone there for a job and customer service well done." -Bob (Bob purchased a boat through Holland Yacht Sales and sailed the boat out of Macatawa for a few weeks before shipping it to the East Coast).
  • RE: New Boat Delivery by Regal Yachts: "And let me just say (and not because I know they are reading this post) what a pleasure it was working with the great staff at Eldean. I was asked by Matt Eldean how their yard stacked up against the other yards that I have delivered these yachts to. I told Matt that they were definitely in the top two and then I revised that to the number one slot. You may be wondering why I did that. First let me say that I was not paid off in any form or fashion especially in the form of some of those great Eldean Shipyard shirts they have for sale in their ships store (size XL by the way) ahem…
    It simply comes down to this: We have never worked with their staff before and of course their staff had never worked with us on a project like this. It was a testament to their focus on customer service even when their customer, namely me, kept changing the delivery date of this yacht. Another and much clearer example would be that two hours after we started to unwrap the yacht it was in the water and I was moving it into its slip. TWO HOURS! That’s about as well as we do with the yard we frequently work with at Cape Canaveral, that being Cape Marina.
    If you, the readers of this post, ever find yourselves in Holland, Michigan I would strongly recommend that you stop by the Eldean Shipyard because it is, of course, much more than the name implies. From the people and staff to the surrounding area with the scenic waters of Macatawa Bay and Lake Michigan it is a beautiful place to spend a few hours, days, or months. At least until it starts snowing." -Capt. Patrick from Regal *Click here for the full post
  • RE: Rigging and Haulout - - - "...I would not be complete without citing the skill, knowledge and care that Dennis and James have exhibited at the rigging dock. What a great pair of professionals to put my rig together annually. Dick, of course, made my life so easy when it came to launch and haul. The three of them made these transitions of season easy and fun. You understandably take pride in all of this, I'm sure. I will miss them. Eldean Shipyard is the best on the lake. I thank you personally for bringing it all together" -Ivan
  • RE: A Manufacturer's Visit: "You really have a great boatyard, I travel all over the world and I have to say that the facility and people at Eldean’s are top of the line." -Peter from Hall Spars & Rigging
  • RE: Boat Assembly, Preparation, Loading &Transport - - - "Again, thank you for you and your staff's hard work and efforts on our behalf. It was a pleasure dealing with Eldean Shipyard. One last compliment, Eldean Shipyard maybe the first and only yard we have been to that was spotlessly clean. We try to maintain our own facilities in that condition and appreciate how difficult it can be." -Jim
  • RE: Refinishing (Varnish) and Boat Storage - - - "This is probably the most positive boat-storing and refinishing experience I have had since I started boating and getting involved in the maintenance. Thanks for the great service; I am sure you'll see us back next year." -Mike
  • RE: Mast Rigging - - - "Excellent job on the rig as usual Dennis!" -Debbie M.
  • RE: Rigging, Launch, Storage, & Service - - - "Based on my observations this week [while taking delivery of my new boat], I'll be staying at Eldean's. The boat's launching & rigging were handled impressively. You have cared for this boat very well. The Shipstore staff were uniformly helpful. My wife & I will look forward to seeing you each spring & fall & during occasional summer visits." -George M.
  • RE: Post Mac Race: Haulout, Loading, & Service - - - "Thanks for Everything. Angela and all of Eldean's staff ROCK! Everyone here is very friendly, courteous and highly professional. An impressive boatyard and enjoyable experience during our short (sleep-deprived) Stay. Thanks! : ) " -Kurt F.

 Winter Storage - Peace of Mind
  • "Your crew did a fantastic job with haul-out, putting my boat on her cradle, and in shrink-wrapping her. I really appreciate that they took time to pay attention to the details. The bottom looked like it had been scrubbed nice and clean; even the boot stripe looked nice. In the past, other yards have given her a once-over with a power sprayer, but none did as thorough a job as your crew. In the past I've had to spend a weekend scraping baby zebra mussels off the rudder and out of the thru-hulls, and scrubbing the slime off the boot stripe, but last Saturday I found her clean and well cared-for. The boat looks to be very securely blocked up in her cradle, eliminating any gaps between hull and bunk boards (no yard has ever done that for this boat before). Attention was given to rigging and lines going through the shrink-wrap, the styrofoam blocks placed under the shrink-wrap knots to protect the hull paint from marks, the little air vents, and care was taken to securely tie the wrap to the cradle. No one has ever done this good of a job on shrink wrap for this boat since I've owned her. I sincerely appreciate that the same care and attention to detail was given to my boat as was given to the bigger, more valuable boats. Thanks much! Ken" (Z-20)
  • "I sincerely wish to thank you and your staff for the excellent care provided for our boat, your attitude, the spirit of cooperation and accommodation. In my opinion, I think your facility is one of the nicest on Lake Michigan and I commend you for your attention to detail, cleanliness and overall appearance of the marina. With Kindest Regards," -Carl
  • "I just wanted to convey how much I enjoy the launch cam. I spend way too much time following the boat launches and goings-on at the marina. We are looking forward to another year at Eldeans and are looking forward to being in the water. Sincerely, Bob" (D-37)
  • Thanks Matt, As usual, the staff and service department at Eldean's is second to none. You guys have been great this year and your efforts have not gone unnoticed. I tell everybody I know that Eldeans' is the "Best on the Great Lakes". -Tim K.
  • "I just wanted to pass along my thanks for the great job your men did in putting me in the water last week. I am aware that it is no fun to have the owner there watching everything so I try my best to stay out of everyone's way. Never the less, they were very courteous. It went smooth as always and we are looking forward to a great summer with you. Thanks again, Bob"
Piper Restaurant
  • "The purpose of this note is to offer my sincere appreciation for one of the most amazing, all-around dining experiences that I have had a chance to enjoy. My daughter and I ate at the Piper Restaurant on Saturday evening. It was truly a top-10 dining experience for us. Our server was Cali. She and the supporting service staff in the loft were all very personable, knowledgeable, and on top of their game. Our meal was phenomenal....I never would have imagined that a fish as ugly as the Anglerfish could produce such an amazing taste. My daugher had the Pallea and loved it....pretty remarkable feat for an 11 year old. Please pass my thanks to Pat and her staff for providing such a great experience for a father and his daughter on Father's day weekend. Best Regards, John" (E-18)

 
   

     Eldean Shipyard    2223 South Shore Drive    Macatawa, Michigan 49434    Phone 616 335-5843    FAX 616 335-5848    Email info@eldean.com