By Mike and Christine DuBois

Dear boating and watersport enthusiast, finally, there is an organization who gets you and will be your voice when it matters.  

For those (hundreds of you) who attended the awesome Brett Brett Boat Concert this past weekend, you now know about the Columbia Valley Boating Association (CVBA), as it was introduced there. For those of you who missed the show, let’s learn about the association.

The vision of the CVBA is to foster a thriving and sustainable boating community, while advocating for the environmental, economic and social well-being of the lake community and its surrounding areas. The CVBA is committed to promoting responsible boating practices, preserving the health and natural beauty of the lake, supporting local businesses, and actively engaging with stakeholders to ensure the long-term ability for boats to use the lake. Through collaboration, education, and advocacy, the CVBA aims to create a vibrant and inclusive community that values the sustainable use and enjoyment of the lake for generations to come.

Steve Read, owner of Total Care Indoor Boat Storage, and one of the association directors, spoke about his ambitions to start this group. 

“As a boating and watersports enthusiast my whole life, I wanted to ensure that the right to boat on Lake Windermere was protected so my kids, my grandkids and their kids can enjoy it like I have. I know the best way to do that is to preserve the health and beauty of the waterway through boater education and fact-based science on how to protect it. The CVBA will bring this information to hundreds of boaters so we can all work together to respect and protect our waterways. Things are just getting going at CVBA, there is much more to come and we invite your thoughts and feedback. Membership is free, please join us to protect boating on our lake.” 

For more information or to find out how you can join or become a board member of the CVBA, visit www.columbiavalleyboating.com. 

Tip of the week: save gas, have fun

Our kids love to invite friends on the boat – everything is better with friends!  Sometimes we run low on time, or worse, run low on gas!  In those cases, we suggest the kids double with their friends. The kids love it!  What could be better than doubling? Getting three or four riders of course! Dust off the combo skis, knee boards, and wake boards, buy an extra tow rope or two and you are off to the races. The kids have a blast and mom and dad are secretly grinning at the time and fuel being saved . . . and it makes for a great photo! 

(Photo submitted)