Entrepreneur Turns Love of Lake into a Business
Story by Steve Nussbaum | Photo contributed by Dylan Bussey
“Find something you love to do and you’ll never have to work a day in your life†is a famous quote by seven-time New York Times best-selling author Harvey MacKay. For Dylan Bussey of Wichita Falls, that saying closely resembles what he’s done at Possum Kingdom Lake in the past year to turn his passion into a business.
There are plenty of great places to rent boats and other watercraft on the lake, but Bussey is one of the few who charters his own watercraft and offers several types of excursions.
Bussey, who grew up coming to PK, said his business, Buoy Boyz, offers a safe, worry-free day at the lake. Boating can be fun, he said, but it’s a lot of work, and those who aren’t familiar with boats and watercraft safety can end up with a bad experience.
Bussey’s company offers several different types of boating experiences, all chartered by a trained captain. Buoy Boyz has a pontoon boat that is great for large groups, cruising the lake and going to Hell’s Gate. For those wanting a little more speed, though, Buoy Boyz offers a ski/wake boat for customers to enjoy.
Bussey said his favorite thing is teaching young children different watersports. He said he loves the smiles on their faces when they start to get the hang of things. The lessons usually take place by The Cliffs and the dam, because that end of the lake has a wide-open space that is a good spot to learn, he said, adding that the excitement in their faces when they learns how to ride a water tube, ski or wake surf the first time is priceless.
This year Bussey also is offering yacht cruises on a 43-foot Regal yacht. He said it’s the perfect boat for a full day on the lake or a sunset cruise.
Bussey also recently bought a 53-foot double-decker houseboat that he hopes to have on the lake this summer.
Buoy Boyz can accommodate many different groups, and last year the company catered to several bachelor/bachelorette parties, college sports teams and families.
Bussey said he can be as involved in a tour as much as the customers want him to be, adding that safety is always his No. 1 priority. His main goal, he said, is for everyone to have fun.
One of the company’s more popular tours last year was a “lake restaurant crawl.†The excursion usually would start at one side of the lake and hit up several lakeside restaurants, then end up at Hell’s Gate. Bussey said it’s a great way to experience PK.
Bussey, a serial entrepreneur who also owns his own roofing and welding business in Wichita Falls, said he decided to turn his favorite pastime into a business. All his tours have a two-hour minimum and a beginning price of $300.
Last summer, he said, Buoy Boyz was just getting started and did about three tours a week. This year Bussey said he hopes to grow the business and add more experiences and options. Having a chartered boat takes the worry and stress out of everyone, he said, and that’s what a day at the lake should be.
For more information, call (940) 7330-7433, visit the website www.buoyboyz.com or find the company’s FaceBook page at https://www.facebook.com/BuoyBoyz.
