Launch Watersports
Launch Watersports
Overview
Launch Watersports is a recreational boating and watersports dealership operating in Montana, USA with two retail/service locations in Great Falls and Kalispell, Montana[4]. It carries multiple lines of towboats including Malibu Boats, and Axis Wake Research, as well as Avalon Pontoons [5], and Lowe Boats. The company states that it “changed ownership in July of 2019” and that the dealerships were “formerly known as” Missouri River Marine and Kalispell Marine. [6]
Identity and Operations
The company describes itself as “Montana’s exclusive Malibu & Axis boat dealership,” stating it also carries Lowe Fishing & Pontoons and “its most recent addition of Avalon Pontoons,” [7] and positions itself as “a one-stop-shop for all things water” spanning sales, service, and gear. Its public website lists two primary storefronts (Great Falls and Kalispell) and also references a third operational point at Holter Lake (Wolf Creek). [8]
| Current Trade Name | Launch Watersports |
| Industry | Recreational Boating / Marine Retail & Service |
| Operating Footprint | Great Falls & Kalispell, MT Retail & Service Locations; Holter Lake area Marina & Boat Rentals |
| Ownership Change | July 2019 |
| Prior Commonly Cited Dealership Names | White Bear Island Marine; White Bear Marine; Missouri River Marine; Kalispell Marine |
| Manufacturers/Brands Marketed | Malibu Boats, Axis Wake, Avalon Pontoons [9], Lowe Boats, Fliteboard |
| Website | https://www.launchwatersports.com/ |
Historical Chronology and Name Changes
A 1987 Senate Taxation Committee record (meeting minutes with attached testimony) documents two marine-related businesses operating on “Lower Missouri River Road” in Great Falls:
· White Bear Island Marine: a letterhead lists “WHITE BEAR ISLAND,” “LOWER MISSOURI RIVER ROAD,”[1] [10]
· Missouri River Marine: a letterhead lists “58 LOWER MISSOURI RIVER ROAD,”[2]
The same committee minutes explicitly note these letters were submitted in support of HB 658 (a fee/tax policy matter involving boats), placing both businesses in the public record as stakeholders in Montana boating commerce by 1987 [3][11]
Independent dealer listings from later years also place Missouri River Marine in Great Falls, reinforcing that the “Missouri River Marine” name persisted publicly well beyond the 1980s.[4] [12]
Analytical note (name continuity): The present company’s own homepage states the dealership was “formerly known as Missouri River Marine,” and the 1987 legislative record establishes Missouri River Marine at an address on Lower Missouri River Road with a Great Falls phone number, creating a plausible continuity chain for the Great Falls operation.[5] [13]
Kalispell Marine as the predecessor identity in Kalispell
For the Kalispell location, the dealership’s own current brand messaging identifies Kalispell Marine as a predecessor name.[6] [14] A 2021 local newspaper report describes the Kalispell dealership (at 2291 U.S. 93 S) as “formerly known as Kalispell Marine,” linking the legacy name with the physical site and local boating market presence. [15]
A professional networking directory entry for “Kalispell Marine” also lists the address on U.S. Highway 93 South in Kalispell and references a dedicated domain (“kalispellmarine.com”), offering a secondary corroboration of the name/address combination in public internet records.[7] [16]
2019 Ownership Change and Rebranding to Launch Watersports
The company states that the dealership “changed ownership in July of 2019.” [17] A 2021 Daily Inter Lake report describes current owners purchasing “the Kalispell dealership and its Great Falls affiliate in 2019,” and it frames the subsequent period as involving renovation and operational changes (e.g., showroom updates and addition of an on-site pro shop).[8] [18]
Locations and Facilities
The public website lists the following addresses and associates them directly with the Launch Watersports brand:
· Great Falls location: 4250 Lower River Rd, Great Falls, MT 59405. [19]
· Kalispell location: 2291 US-93 S, Kalispell, MT 59901. [20]
The site navigation and careers page also reference marina/rental operations at Holter Lake, including “The Boat Loft at Holter Lake” and “Holter Lake Rentals,” and lists a Holter Lake location as 1460 Beartooth Road, Wolf Creek, MT 59648 [21]
Historical geography at Great Falls: In 1987, both White Bear Island Marine and Missouri River Marine used “Lower Missouri River Road” in Great Falls on their letterheads submitted to a state legislative committee, tying earlier marine dealership commerce to the same river-road corridor that remains associated with the current dealership footprint. [22]
Products and Services
Boat brands and inventory focus
The dealership publicly markets itself as the Montana exclusive dealer for Malibu and Axis boats. [23] It also states it carries Lowe Fishing & Pontoons and identifies Avalon Pontoons as a recent addition to its lineup. [24]
A 2021 newspaper profile adds that Launch Watersports carries “Malibu, Axis and Lowe boats” and also sells watersports gear from Hyperlite and HO Sports, aligning the business with wake sports and accessory retail in addition to boat sales. [25]
Service, parts, storage, and other offerings
The public website navigation advertises multiple operational departments and customer pathways, including: service department/service request, storage, promotions/quotes/financing, OEM parts and parts requests, a “Pro Shop,” and “Flite Lessons,” plus marina/rental offerings tied to Holter Lake. [26]
Awards and positioning claims
In recruiting copy, the company states it has been “Recently awarded as Malibu’s top dealer in the western region,” and reiterates its “largest, fastest growing” positioning. [27]
Community Involvement and Events
Local media document event-based community engagement. A 2022 KRTV report states that Wakefest on the Missouri River [28] along Lower River Road in Great Falls was organized by Launch Watersports, quoting Sykes describing it as a wakeboarding and wakesurfing competition and describing on-site activities (e.g., cornhole tournament, vendors, face painting, fireworks).[9] [29] The same article states a portion of proceeds were to go to Eagle Mount of Great Falls [30] and quotes ownership describing prior partnership support, including storing the organization’s boat and helping take kids out on the water. [31]
References
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ [2]
- ↑ [3]
- ↑ "Dealers | Outboard Jets". Retrieved 3/23/2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Launch Watersports". 3/23/2026. Retrieved 3/23/2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=, |date=(help) - ↑ "Launch Watersports". 3/23/2026. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ↑ "Linkedin".
- ↑ "Kalispell dealership to host in-house boat show". Daily Inter Lake.
- ↑ "Wakefest returns to Great Falls on Saturday". KRTV 3 - Great Falls. 7/1/2022. Check date values in:
|date=(help)
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