New business offers excitement on the water
Richard Byrd/Columbia Basin Herald Kayaks are just one of the things people can rent from Troy White and enjoy out on the waters of Moses Lake.
Richard Byrd/Columbia Basin Herald Troy White’s van can be found most days at one of Moses Lake’s waterfront parks.
Richard Byrd/Columbia Basin Herald Troy White speaks about some of the stand-up paddle boards he rents out to the public.
MOSES LAKE — It’s shortly before 9 a.m. on a Wednesday morning when Troy White pulls into Montlake Park in his distinctive box van he decked out to hold all of his stand-up paddle boards, kayaks and canoe. As he turns off the ignition he ventures out into the Montlake parking lot, scouring the landscape for pieces of garbage to pickup before he officially starts his work day.
“You know what? I live in this town. I do business here. So I do my part to give back as well. It’s more than me wanting it to look nice for my customers. I want it to look great in this town for everyone,” White says.
White has always been an adrenaline junkie. One of those guys who feels as comfortable on a board or something with wheels as he does on his own two feet. It only seemed natural for White to someday open up a business that is based on things he himself likes to do.
“At 17 I knew I wanted to start my own business. So the whole entire time that I was going to vocational school and for the five years I spent in the U.S. Navy I am literally building myself up to be the entrepreneur that I am today.”
That pipe dream as a kid is now a reality. There was some small bumps and growing pains along the way, but today White’s business, which he runs out of a converted box truck that he regularly takes to different parks in Moses Lake, offers a wide range of ways to enjoy the water. From kayaks, to stand-up paddle boards, a canoe, inflatable toys and safety gear, White’s new venture is a one-stop shop for water-related recreation.
“This is a lake town. So if it’s a lake town what is going to do well here? Water sports. And that is how I decided to jump on board, no pun intended, with the stand-up paddle boards. The point is to provide Moses Lake with something more than what people are used to.”
You can find White, who also operates a pedicab/rickshaw business, at one of Moses Lake’s waterfront parks most days in his van. If you aren’t able to find him, then he encourages people to either call or text message him at 509-771-9011 anytime Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. for prices and to set up a meeting location.
“I’m fully equipped with all of the safety gear too. So the PFDs (personal flotation devices), the whistles and the stand-up paddle board leashes. The leash on the board is above and beyond. I don’t have to do that by any state law, but I do it because about 90 percent of the people who die on a stand-up paddle board are a result of not having a leash. It’s because they drown. They get lost away from their board.”
For more information on White’s services, please visit his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/paddleboardrentsld.
Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.