Tonka Built and RGC Dealer Network Across Minnesota Lakes: Where You Can Buy
Tonka Built and RGC lifts are not only available on Lake Minnetonka. If you own lake property anywhere from White Bear Lake to Alexandria and Detroit Lakes, you can still buy a Tonka Built dock or an RGC boat lift through our dealer network, and have it installed and serviced close to home.
Homeowners often assume a dock or lift purchase is tied to whichever installer happens to be local. It is not, at least not for Tonka Built and RGC. The manufacturing and warranty stay the same no matter which dealer sells and installs the product, which is why a buyer on Lake Waconia or Lake Independence ends up with the identical Titan dock or HVL lift a Wayzata homeowner would order directly from us.
How far does the dealer network reach?
Our own crews cover Lake Minnetonka directly: Wayzata, Excelsior, Orono, Mound, Shorewood, Deephaven, Minnetrista, Tonka Bay, Greenwood, Spring Park and every bay in between. Beyond that, independent dock and lift dealers carry Tonka Built and RGC products under the same manufacturer warranties, covering as far east as White Bear Lake, as far south as Prior Lake, and as far west as Alexandria and Detroit Lakes. Additional dealers serve Lake Waconia, Independence, Medicine Lake, Zumbra, Minnewashta and Long Lake. Practically speaking, if you are within about 30 minutes of Lake Minnetonka, a dealer or one of our own crews is already close by, and the reach extends well past the west metro from there.
What buying through a dealer looks like
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Talk product | You choose a Titan or Cedar stationary dock, a floating dock system, or an RGC lift (Vertical Hydraulic, Flex Hydraulic, or PWC) sized to your shoreline and boat. |
| 2. Confirm the site | Water depth, bottom type and shoreline access get checked before anything ships, whether the job is on Minnetonka or a lake in the wider dealer network. |
| 3. Order and lead time | Dock frames and RGC lifts are built to order, not pulled off a shelf. Ordering ahead of the spring rush is the single biggest lever a buyer has over install timing, and that holds true whether you are buying from us or from a dealer. |
| 4. Install and service | Your local dealer or a Tonka Built crew installs the dock or lift and handles warranty service afterward, so support stays local even outside our direct Minnetonka service area. |
Why buy through a dealer instead of shipping a dock or lift yourself?
A dock or an RGC lift is a large, heavy structure that has to be matched to a specific shoreline. A dealer who already knows the lake bottom, the water level swings and the local permitting rules gets it sized and installed right the first time, instead of a buyer guessing at specs from a catalog page. Individual lake homeowners, who make up the large majority of our buyers, are usually replacing an aging lift or adding a first dock and want one point of contact from order to install. A dealer relationship is what makes that single point of contact possible outside our direct service area, so a homeowner on Lake Waconia gets the same level of hand holding as a homeowner in Wayzata.
Direct service versus dealer service: what stays the same
| Direct from Tonka Built (Lake Minnetonka) | Through a dealer (wider network) | |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Same Titan, Cedar, floating and RGC lift lineup | Identical lineup, same specifications |
| Who builds it | RGC builds its lifts in its own shop; Tonka Built builds its docks in Minnetrista | Same two builders, no substitutions |
| Warranty | Full manufacturer warranty | Full manufacturer warranty, honored by the dealer or by us |
| Install and site visit | Our own crew | Local dealer crew who knows that lake |
| Ordering lead time | Set by our production schedule | Set by the dealer’s order with the same manufacturers |
Does the manufacturer warranty travel with the dealer network?
Yes. RGC manufactures the Vertical Hydraulic, Flex Hydraulic and PWC lift lines in its own shop, and Tonka Built and its dealer partners sell, assemble, install and service them under RGC’s manufacturer warranty. Tonka Built manufactures its own stationary steel and aluminum and steel floating dock systems, and those carry Tonka Built’s warranty regardless of which dealer sold it. Nothing about buying through a dealer changes what is covered or for how long.
What to ask a dealer before you order
Confirm three things before placing an order through any dealer: that the product is genuinely Tonka Built or RGC (not a similar-looking substitute), that the dealer will register the warranty in your name at install, and that the lead time quoted matches the season you are ordering in. Spring orders placed in late winter get ahead of the installation backlog every dealer sees once the ice is off the lake.
Why the dealer network exists in the first place
Tonka Built is owned and run by Ben Bjorklund and Jake Youngren, who have been in the dock and lift industry since 2002 and built the dealer network specifically so a homeowner two hours from Minnetonka gets the same Titan, Cedar or RGC lift order and the same warranty as someone ordering directly from us.
A single company cannot run install crews on every lake in Minnesota, and a homeowner two hours from Minnetonka should not have to wait for a crew to drive out for a routine spring install. The dealer network solves that without changing what is being sold: Tonka Built and RGC still build the product, set the specification and stand behind the warranty. The dealer supplies the local knowledge and the install labor. It is the same model boat and lift manufacturers use nationally, applied here to a specific list of Minnesota lakes rather than a vague “we ship anywhere” claim.
A buying checklist for homeowners outside Minnetonka
- Confirm your lake is inside the dealer footprint (White Bear Lake to the east, Prior Lake to the south, Alexandria and Detroit Lakes to the west, plus Waconia, Independence, Medicine Lake, Zumbra and Long Lake).
- Decide between a stationary Titan or Cedar dock, a floating system, and whether an RGC lift is part of the order.
- Get water depth and bottom type checked at your site before the order is placed, not after.
- Order early. Spring is the busiest install season for every dealer in the network, the same as it is for our own Minnetonka crews.
- Confirm warranty registration happens at install, in your name, regardless of which dealer or crew does the work.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to live on Lake Minnetonka to buy a Tonka Built dock or RGC lift?
No. Our own crews serve Lake Minnetonka directly, and a network of independent dealers carries the same products on lakes as far as White Bear Lake, Prior Lake, Alexandria and Detroit Lakes.
Will a dealer install cost different than a Tonka Built install?
Pricing is set locally by each dealer. What travels with every sale is the same manufacturer specification and warranty coverage, whether the install crew is ours or a dealer’s.
Can I still get service from Tonka Built if I bought through a dealer?
Warranty service is normally handled by the dealer who sold and installed the product, since they know the site. For anything on Lake Minnetonka itself, our own team is the direct point of contact.
Are dealer-sold docks and lifts the same product as buying directly?
Yes. There is one Titan and Cedar dock lineup and one RGC lift lineup. A dealer is a sales and service channel, not a different product line.
Ready to find the right dock or lift, wherever your lake is? Contact Tonka Built and we will point you to the closest dealer, or handle it ourselves if you are on Lake Minnetonka. Browse the full RGC lift lineup or the complete Tonka Built product and service list to get started, or call (952) 221-5340.