Northwest Boat Center, a Portland-based pleasure-boat dealer, has opened a high-end boat dealership along U.S. 95 in Hayden, Idaho.


The new dealership is located on a 1.5-acre lot at the southeast corner of Hayden Avenue and U.S. 95, in the former location of North Idaho Motorsports, and includes a building with about 4,500 square feet of showroom space and a 1,500-square-foot service area.


The Hayden location is the second outlet for Northwest Boat Center, which was founded in 1987 by owner Buzz Nielsen.


Jason Sanford, manager of the Hayden dealership, says the new outlet will carry the Formula Boats and the Monterey Boats brands of powerboats.


The Formula brand, which is manufactured in Decatur Ind., includes what are called power cruisers that run 24 feet to 40 feet in length and are priced from about $100,000 to more than $1 million, Sanford says.


The closest other outlet for the Formula line of boats is the Portland dealership.


Monterey Boats, of Williston, Fla., offers a smaller line of craft that are available at the Hayden dealership in lengths of 18 feet to 21 feet, and start in price at $23,000, he says. North Idaho Motorsports carried that brand.


Sanford, who says he has 10 years of experience in the marina industry in Seattle, currently is the sole employee at the new Hayden dealership.


When we get rolling in the spring, we will have a full-time mechanic and possibly two other employees, he says.


The power boats generally are sold with trailers, and the dealership will offer setup and maintenance services, Sanford says.


Contact Mike McLean at (509) 344-1266 or via e-mail at mikem@spokanejournal.com.