Chicago, Illinois • Boat Brokerage
Browse pre-owned boats for sale in Chicago, Illinois through Mark Ellefsen — Licensed USCG Master Captain, NRVIA Certified RV Inspector, and independent broker affiliated with Pop Sells, LLC. Zero upfront fees. National inventory.
Chicago, Illinois Market
Chicago boaters share Lake Michigan through the Chicago Park District's harbor system, the largest municipal harbor network in the country. Burnham Harbor, the largest of the ten, sits near the Museum Campus, Adler Planetarium, and Soldier Field, while Monroe Harbor and DuSable Harbor serve downtown. Diversey Harbor, limited to power boats by low bridges, and Belmont and Montrose Harbors to the north round out a lakefront running May through October.
Pop Yachts and RVs lists Chicago area boats for sale with zero upfront cost, meaning sellers pay nothing out of pocket to get listed. Mark Ellefsen, a USCG Master Captain and Master Consultant Broker with Pop Sells LLC, markets each boat nationally to reach buyers well beyond the Lake Michigan shoreline. Whether the boat sits in a Chicago Park District slip or a suburban driveway, the same national marketing plan applies from listing to closing.
Chicago's ten harbors, operated by the Chicago Park District, stretch across fourteen miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and hold space for thousands of boats each season, from late spring through fall. Burnham Harbor, the system's largest, sits within walking distance of downtown and the Museum Campus, home to the Adler Planetarium, Field Museum, and Shedd Aquarium. Monroe Harbor and DuSable Harbor anchor the downtown lakefront, giving boaters a view of the skyline most cities cannot match.
North of downtown, Belmont Harbor and Montrose Harbor serve the Lakeview and Uptown neighborhoods, while Diversey Harbor, limited to power boats because of low bridge clearance, sits between them. Farther south, 31st Street Harbor, 59th Street Harbor, and the Jackson Park Inner and Outer Harbors extend the system toward the South Side. Reservations for many slips run through the Dockwa platform, and the mix of protected harbors and open lake water supports everything from day cruising to distance sailing.
Lake Michigan's open water and Chicago's harbor infrastructure support a wide range of boats. Cruisers and express boats are common in harbors like Burnham and Monroe, where slip sizes accommodate vessels well over twenty-eight feet. Diversey Harbor's power-boat-only rule reflects the popularity of runabouts and bowriders among boaters based there, while sailboats remain a fixture at harbors with fewer bridge restrictions. Fishing boats also work the harbor system, taking advantage of Lake Michigan's salmon and trout fisheries.
Selling a boat in Chicago means reaching buyers who already understand harbor life on Lake Michigan, from downtown liveaboards to weekend cruisers. Pop Yachts and RVs markets Chicago listings nationally rather than relying only on local harbor traffic, giving sellers exposure beyond the Park District's slip holders. Call 417-664-5945 or visit popsells.com to list a boat with no upfront cost.
Chicago's lakefront includes ten harbors operated by the Chicago Park District, including Burnham Harbor, Monroe Harbor, DuSable Harbor, Diversey Harbor, Belmont Harbor, and Montrose Harbor. Together they form the largest municipal harbor system in the country, with the season generally running from May through October.
Yes. Pop Yachts and RVs lists sailboats and power boats from Chicago Park District harbors and from private docks throughout the area. There is zero upfront cost to list, and Mark Ellefsen's team markets each boat nationally. Call 417-664-5945 to get started.
Diversey Harbor accommodates power boats only because of low bridge clearance leading into the harbor, so sailboats based there typically need a mast height that clears the bridges. When listing a boat from Diversey or any Chicago harbor, that detail helps buyers understand what they are purchasing. Visit popsells.com for more on the listing process.
Pop Yachts and RVs pairs local knowledge of Lake Michigan's harbor system with national marketing reach, so a boat listed from Burnham Harbor or a suburban driveway gets seen by buyers outside the immediate area. Mark Ellefsen, a USCG Master Captain, oversees each listing from photos through closing. There is no upfront cost to sellers; call 417-664-5945 for details.
Why POP Yachts & RVs
Pop Sells operates on a performance model — you pay nothing until your boat sells. No listing fees, no upfront charges, no risk. Mark only earns a commission when the deal closes.
Your listing reaches serious buyers across all 50 states through the Pop Sells platform, backed by partnerships with RVtrader.com and Boatmart.com (both owned by CAR Group). More exposure means faster sales at better prices.
Mark Ellefsen is a Licensed USCG Master Captain and NRVIA Certified RV Inspector with over a decade of brokerage experience. He handles pricing, paperwork, negotiations, and closing — so you don't have to.
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Call Mark directly at 417-664-5945 or browse current inventory now.