BHS grads come back to start summer boat business

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

Bigfork is a hard place not to love in the summer. And for Dane Hollinger and Jacques Boiteau, the lure was so strong to come home from college for the summer that they figured they might make a little money while they did it.

Hollinger and Boiteau have launched a boat rental company — Bigfork Water Sports — and said they are hoping their business plan, originally drawn up for an entrepreneurship course at Montana State University, holds up.

"We're two young guys with the time and energy to put into it," Boiteau said. "And we've had a ton of community support."

The duo had a friend who ran a similar business out of Marina Cay last year, they said, and when the time came to write up a business plan, they figured they should come up with one that could actually be put into practice.

"It's 39 pages," Hollinger said. "It's detailed."

And so with a loan in-hand, the two went about getting boats, docks and a storefront lined up. Now it's just a matter of filling up the booking sheets and waiting for tourists season to really get started.

"I think everyone is feeling the anticipation," Boiteau said of the start of Bigfork's summer season. "We only have eight weeks."

Not that the feast or famine of downtown has them worried.

"Our friend told us that one day it just turned on and didn't stop until August," he said.

The company has a small setup right on Electric Avenue next to the Garden Bar, and their boats are moored and rented out from Woods Bay.

"We really can't thank Mister (Langlois) enough for this spot," Hollinger said. "And Saddlehorn has been great giving us the space in Woods Bay."

In fact, Boiteau and Hollinger said they've received community support at every turn, something they attribute to both being from Bigfork and the shared experience of starting a small business.

"Established businesses know how hard it is for us," Boiteau said.

And adding to the two's worries is the continuing rise of fuel prices, a big expense when renting power boats and jet skis.

"Yeah, we're thinking about it," Boiteau said.

Since Bigfork Water Sports will deliver boats around the northern part of the lake at no cost to customers, Hollinger said gas is an area where they could beat their competition. That, and through the end of June they're offering 10 percent off any rental.

Besides, he said. "I think once people are here, if they want to go out on the lake, they're going to go."

For more information, visit http://www.bigforkwatersports.com.