Small Business Spotlight: Boat dealer riding wave of wake surfing, boarding popularity

Temperatures are warming, and many Idahoans agree that the best way to stay cool and active through the summer months is to hit the water: reservoirs, lakes and rivers.

For the past 13 years, Boise’s Prestige Water Sports has been serving customers’ boating and equipment needs, and the company continues to stay on a steady course.

“Our early years coincided with the Great Recession,” said Tyrell McKibbin, Prestige Water Sports owner. “We didn’t have a lot of assets and money, but we managed to keep growing and make a go of the business.”

As the boat dealership passed the 10-year mark and saw interest in wake boarding, wake surfing and water skiing and tubing rapidly increase, it became apparent that the business had outgrown its original showroom at 2820 W. Main St., explained McKibbin.

As Idaho has grown, so has the number of boating enthusiasts. As a result, “We were just bursting at the seams,” said McKibbin, who recently hosted a grand opening of Prestige’s new 15,0000-square-foot showroom, which drew hundreds of customers, industry players and water sports fans – from newbies to professionals.

Out on the showroom floor are 25 luxury wake surf and pontoon boats priced from $60,000 to $200,000. Another department features specialty water sports gear, such as wet suits and dry suits, which provide thermal insulation.

“The latter are for the really hard-core people who go out on the water in January,” said McKibbin, Most adherents ply the state’s lakes and rivers from spring through fall, piloting boats that kick up waves for enthusiasts to negotiate.

The showroom also features a refreshment center and giant projection screen that brings water sports action directly to customers.

The expansion also has resulted in the hiring of more employees prior to the summer rush, said McKibbin. “We staff up to 15 people.”

To keep up with demand, the company has also started a new project: a 6,000-square-foot warehouse, storage and service center at North Emerald and Orchard streets, next to Pacific Recycling. The facility will also have a detail bay and fuel on site.

“The boats can get really big (27 to 29 feet long), and customers prefer an off-site storage facility since many don’t have room to park them at their residences or HOAs don’t allow them,” said McKibbin. “We think it (the facility) will be an additional source of revenue – as well as enhancing the customers experience after the sale.”

Wake boarding and wake surfing have revitalized the boating industry. Wake boarding, for example, drew 3.2 million participants in 2016, according to Sports & Fitness Industry Association.