Mark Wenzlaff figures there are two types of boat owners -- the ones for whom the upkeep of the vessel is part of what they love, and the ones who just want to get out on the water and let someone else do the maintenance.
He’s happy to help both types. For the hands-on owners, “that’s the therapy, doing the work,” he says. Wenzlaff considers it a pleasure to work with owners in either category, and doesn’t mind at all when owners want to watch their boats being worked on so they can learn more about them. He’s always been fascinated by how boats work, and even after decades in the business is continually amazed by advances in boating technology.
Wenzlaff’s office at Advanced Marina, 66th Street bayside, is crammed with boating manuals. He has accumulated quite a bit of hands-experience since he started the business in 1982, and continues to learn new technology as it comes along.
A native of Timonium, Md., Wenzlaff is one of many folks who vacationed in Ocean City as a kid and always wanted to come back to stay. His career path began with first mate jobs on local sport fishing boats, which led to work as a boat captain -- including securing his captain’s license from the U.S. Coast Guard -- when he was in his early 20s.
Advanced Marina is a full-service marina, offering everything from gasoline to dry rack storage to repairs. Wenzlaff also offers rental service for Yamaha Waverunners, pontoon boats and open-bow ski boats. An on-site store provides water sports accessories such as ski tubes and other boating necessities.
Mark Wenzlaff is proud to have son Dan on board with him at Advanced Marina -- particularly now that Dan has completed his studies at the Maine Marine Academy. The proud dad adds that Dan has taken his boating skills to the highest level and is now qualified to captain ocean liners. Daughter Sara also lends a hand when she’s not pursuing her goal of being a pastry chef, and wife Suzi lends a hand as well. Even Cocoa, the family’s Chesapeake Bay Retriever, is a familiar presence at the marina.
Advanced Marina is open all year, offering dry rack storage and boat rentals and sales in addition to repair services, fuel and accessories. Advanced features Chapparal boats for sale – ranging from 18 to 40 feet in length. Yamaha Waverunners are available for rental, as well as pontoon boats and open-bow ski boats. For more information, call Advanced Marina at 410-723-2124 or visit www.advanced-marina.com. |
