What it takes to get a marina ready for the summer

The wind was blowing at Canyon Ferry Lake Monday, but that was not stopping crews from getting Kim’s Marina, summer-ready.

Getting ready for summer starts with undoing the work it takes to protect the marina from Montana's harsh winter conditions. Beginning as early as February, Kim’s Marina & Resort crews begin restarting water lines that were blown out prior to winter, cleaning and putting boats back in the water that were removed before winter, renovating cabins, docks, and more. They do all this before a soft launch on April 1.

“Time is a big hurdle here. Just making sure everything’s getting done over the winter time that we need to get done, and then, you know, once the ice clears off making sure all the docks and everything are good. And, you know, making sure there’s no damage to them, stuff like that,” says active manager at Kim’s Marina and Resort, Buddy Tannehill.

Tom Buchanan

But more than a month after the soft launch, much work must still be done to prepare for the large summer crowds that start piling in around Memorial Day Weekend. And there will still be work to do after the crowds arrive and throughout the summer and fall.

“There’s always stuff to do throughout the whole summer, yes,” says Tannehill.

Tannehill says he’s most excited about meeting the people who come to escape, relax, and boat away the summer days.

“To meet all the people here. So, this will be my first season here so I'm just excited to meet all the people here and get to know them,” says Tannehill.

Tom Buchanan

Dave Desch, a member of the Canyon Ferry Yacht Club, was down at the docks on Monday, prepping his sailboat for the season. Desch says he’s looking to cast off this upcoming Saturday and is most excited for warm weather and fair winds.

“Well, at the end of the day, it’s great to have a boat on the lake. It’s great to be on the water. And sailing can be addictive. Once you figure out a few things, it’s just a lot of fun,” says Desch.

Tom Buchanan