Elevating Dock Electric Safety
Lake of the Ozarks has 30,000 docks, and local electricians are raising the bar to keep them safe. by Nathan Bechtold A group of electrical contractors at Lake of the Ozarks is banding together to improve dock electric safety. Decades ago, most docks had no need of...
What’s In A Name? How “Lake Of The Ozarks” Almost WASN’T
“Lake of the Ozarks” almost wasn’t. by Deanna Wolff Lake of the Ozarks—the name uttered by untold millions of happy residents and eager vacationers every year—began its existence with an identity crisis. Drama permeated the process of naming this new lake in central...
The Formula For Success
Two Missouri boys’ journeys from selling cars to dream boats by Tegan Shockley & Nathan Bechtold Anyone who’s had a business partner knows the huge upsides… and the potential pitfalls. But with Rick Ball and Steve Brink, it’s been a charmed partnership from the...
The Formula For Success
Two Missouri boys’ journeys from selling cars to dream boats by Tegan Shockley & Nathan Bechtold Anyone who’s had a business partner knows the huge upsides… and the potential pitfalls. But with Rick Ball and Steve Brink, it’s been a charmed partnership from the...
Thunder All Around
Iconic Marine Group owner Fred Ross leveraged his trucking logistics experience into growing performance boating titan Big Thunder, at Lake of the Ozarks. by Eric Colby republished with permission from Soundings Trade Only When Fred Ross was a boy, he stuttered. The...
1932 Reserve: Chef-Inspired Lakefront Dining
Seasonal dishes, creative cocktails, and upscale-casual with a lake view. by Nathan Bechtold An evening on the Lake can be anything you want it to be, but when it comes to an elevated waterfront dining experience, there’s only one place: 1932 Reserve. Formerly a...
Floating 45 Years
For nearly half a century, Poly Lift has kept boats—and the Lake community—afloat by Charlie Noland & Nathan Bechtold As a boat owner, it might seem like you don’t really use your lift very often. You put it down, take the boat out, and then put the boat back on...
Sharp Move!
FJ Propeller buys the iconic Hering Performance Propellers to create some serious synergy by Matt Trulio/speedonthewater.com A two-time offshore powerboat racing world champion, Casey Boaz, the co-owner of the CR Racing Team as well as FJ Propeller Midwest in Osage...
‘Ozark’ & The Lake’s Casino
How much truth lies in fiction? by Sara Halverson & Nathan Bechtold Will Lake of the Ozarks ever have a casino? To hear some tell it, the Lake has already had one. In the 1930s, Lakeside Casino was built by Union Electric after finishing the dam. The venue offered...
Cold-Water Killer
The surprising truth about cold water that every boater should know by Sky Smith & Nathan Bechtold Summer is the season for boating at Lake of the Ozarks, but in many ways, nothing beats the weather of fall. Yes, fall soon turns to winter, and in the Midwest that...
‘We Were Blown Away’: Lake Of The Ozarks Shootout Brings More Boats Than Expected
Shootout coverage by Jason Johnson & Matt Trulio -- republished courtesy of SpeedOnTheWater.com The Lake of the Ozarks Shootout has completed its 32nd year, and with 189 total runs by nearly 100 boats, the event was a success by any metric. By spectators'...
The Ozarkian Rock Band ‘Ha Ha Tonka’ – An Interview
Ha Ha Tonka singer and mandolin player Brett Anderson talks Ozarks roots, “Ozarkian” music, and their favorite place to be on the Lake. Interview by Nathan Bechtold (Editor’s Note: Interview edited for brevity and readability.) Mention Ha Ha Tonka outside of Missouri,...
What’s In A (Boat) Name?
Some boaters have known for years what they’ll name their dream boat. For others, their new vessel’s christening is the result of an agonizingly long debate. By any other name, would the ride would still be as sweet? Each year, Boat Owners Association of The United...
The Harley Davidson Tomahawk Is A Boat From Another Time
Many people love bringing their Harleys to Lake of the Ozarks. Eric Miller’s is built to float on it. by Ariel Thibodeau In the summer of 2016, Eric Miller’s wife gave him a one-of-a-kind gift. Eric was at their home in Kansas City, Mo. while his wife Joleena and her...
My Happy Place
Dan Debert What I enjoy the most about the Lake is the diversity of people you encounter. You meet people from all over the country who enjoy the Lake. I have been coming down here my entire life. I've gone from enjoying weekends with my family as a kid, to working at...
Letters From Readers
I loved "A Lake Story,” [editor’s note] and related to so much of falling in love with this place by wonderful family vacation experiences and memories. My husband's family used to come to the Lake starting in the 1950's with other families to camp, stay in those...
A Kneeboarding Champion’s Lake Roots
Champion kneeboarder Mark Ritchhart has watched watersports grow and change, since his teenage years on Lake of the Ozarks. by Nathan Bechtold Mark Ritchhart remembers the first time he tried waterskiing on Lake of the Ozarks. He was 14 years old, and it was 1975. “I...
A Lake Family’s History, Through Childhood Memories
College student Sophie Shore reflects on sweet memories of growing up on the water. by Sophie Shore And I come to the fields and spacious palaces of my memory, where are the treasures of innumerable images… — St. Augustine, The Confessions (Harvard Classics) I have...
Wakeboarding: The Ultimate How-To Guide For Newbies
Teaching hundreds of kids to wakeboard every year, Kirby’s School of Wake has a few tips on learning for the first time. by Sydney Liesmann It’s another weekend at the Lake with friends and family, and wakeboarding sounds like just the thing after several fun tubing...
Editor’s Note: Wakesurfing And Life Goals
“My days are out of control,” I lamented to my pastor. by Nathan Bechtold Organization and structure aren’t my strengths; I like to think I’m the creative type. And the result is that, with three young children, two growing businesses, and heavy involvement in church,...
The Bravo Shop Kicks It Up A Notch With Boat Engine Building
by Deanna Wolff An outstanding boat engine mechanic since the age of 16, John Pfahl knows a thing or two about fixing stern drives. This knowledge came in handy after John and his wife, Michelle, bought an offshore power boat and one of their Mercury Bravo stern...
Pulled, Powered, Paddled: The Wake Of Watersports
A Brief History Of Watersports by Christy Wagner What is it that brings outdoorsmen and women alike back to the Lake of the Ozarks every weekend, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, rain or shine? What is it that draws these like-minded souls to commute for hours on end,...
How A Local Resort Inspired The Netflix Hit Series ‘Ozark’
Glimmers of the real Lake of the Ozarks shine through Ozark’s dark story, and at one place in particular… by Sara Halverson “Oh, Lake of the Ozarks? Is it anything like the Netflix show?” It’s a common refrain heard by those who live or vacation at Lake of the Ozarks,...
