Springfield, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/16/2012 -- At the Lake Springfield Marina, in Springfield, IL. sales manager Scott Tucker has been full of smiles as the unusually warm weather has meant lots of boating enthusiasts have been getting out on the water much earlier than anyone expected. With the boats coming out of storage so much earlier this year many more people are coming to the marina which means business is booming at the marina. When asked about boaters taking to the water so much earlier this year Tucker recently told the Springfield based State Journal-Register that "You might as well get out and use your boat while the weather is nice. And people have definitely taken advantage of it."

Even though gas prices continue to rise it doesn't seem to have put boaters off taking to the water to soak up the early springtime sun, and with unleaded boating gas at $4.49 a gallon Scott Tucker is doing all he can to keep gas prices low for boaters at the marina, he recently told the State Journal-Register that "We just got a new shipment in, it's not in our interests to scare people off the water, so we are trying to keep the price down as much as we can."

Most recreational boaters traditionally kick of the boating season on Memorial Day weekend, so the recent warm weather in central Illinois means that it's not just the recreational boaters who have enjoyed an early start this year, fishermen have barely had an off season this winter which is more good news for the marina. Tucker told the State Journal-Register that "We definitely had an early start to the year. Our slips did not officially open until the first (of April) but we started pulling boats out of storage about four weeks ago".

All the activity at the marina and on Lake Springfield means that there have been many smiling faces with boats coming out of storage, receiving tune ups and being prepared for the water, and Tucker is hoping the weather stays good for the rest of the season, telling the State Journal-Register that "There's plenty of room to run around on Lake Springfield.'