On the social media platform “X” – formerly known as Twitter – Eric Housh made a powerful statement:
“I love the lake. Is it summer yet?”
“The lake” is Logan Martin. And Housh helps run LakeFest, a combination boat show, arts and crafts fair, music festival and block party that in 2023 drew an estimated 45,000 people.
Known as the largest in-water boat show in the Southeast, The Logan Martin LakeFest and Boat Show returns to Lakeside Park May 10-12 as “the place to be” for the past 15 Springs, save one coronavirus year. Some might even call it the unofficial start of another spectacular summer on the lake.
Boats on display at discounted prices
“We’re proud that it continues to grow a little bit every year and get bigger and bigger,” Housh said. “This year, we’ve already had a good response from all our sponsors and several vendors, so we’re looking forward to another really good, full event.
The festival will feature over 80 models of boats and personal watercraft, live music on the Tracker Stage, featuring the popular Louisville, Ky. B and The Velcro Pygmies, gourmet food trucks, lake lifestyle vendors and a fireworks show honoring vets from the Col. Robert L. Howard State Veterans Home in Pell City.
Admission is free. But food, drink and vendors’ wares will be for sale, so bring your wallet. Also, for prospective car and truck, boat and personal watercraft buyers, on-site financing will be available courtesy of America’s First Federal Credit Union.
LakeFest is an effort to promote Logan Martin Lake, raise money for local charities and build a stronger sense of community.
The seeds for the wildly popular event took root in a conversation between Housh and his next-door neighbor, Mike Riley, then president of the Logan Martin Lake Protection Association, as well as local businessmen Jerry Woods, Lee Holmes, Fred Casey and Joe Paul Abbott. Housh served on the association’s board and ran its website for a time.
“They had this vision of doing an event to really showcase Logan Martin Lake and the surrounding areas,” Housh said.
“If you live here, you know how special the lake is,” he added. “We felt like if we really showcase not only the lake and what it had to offer, but local businesses, vendors, local artisans, craftsmen, restaurants … The event was really about sharing with the outside community. It was kind of a way to welcome them in and share our special little slice of paradise here.”
Folks flock from across the South to the event – Mobile, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Atlanta and points in between. Call it a gathering of 40,000 of your closest friends.
“People come to the lake before then. But that weekend, everybody’s there,” Housh said. “You may see your lake friends year-round. But you may only see friends from Birmingham that weekend. It’s a way to have a celebration and look forward to enjoying another season on the lake and the lake lifestyle.”
Housh sums up the uniqueness of LakeFest in one word – “Community – “the people, the sponsors that make it happen. It’s always been a free event. We’re providing entertainment. We’re providing security. We have this massive fireworks show, and we feed the veterans on Friday night. That’s only made possible by people in this community.”
In its 14 years, the event has never had a safety incident, adding to its reputation as a family-friendly festival in this tight-knit community. And volunteers from church and youth groups man parking, concessions and other responsibilities.
“The public really values this event,” Housh said. “And that’s evident in the fact that everyone just comes out and has a good time. It’s a super-positive atmosphere. You can feel it.”
The in-water boat show even has a beach
Logan Martin, it seems, is like New Orleans, in that just about every month, there’s a festival of some sort – LakeFest in Spring, Boo Bash in the Fall, summer’s Rock the Lake in Lincoln, Lakeside Live, Live at Logan Martin and so on. People here respect the lake and its community, celebrating it with family-friendly events.
“There are a lot of different opportunities to come together,” Housh said. “In general, we’re a community that likes to celebrate. We like to celebrate on the lake. We like to celebrate with our friends. So, as a result of that, you see a lot of these festivals popping up.”
Giving back to charity is one aspect that fuels LakeFest. So far, some $500,000 has been donated to local charities – police and fire department foundations, the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Boys Ranch, animal shelters, Lakeside Park improvements and the like. Sponsors fund the event, but also boost charities.
“We try to be wise stewards of the blessings that we have and then turn around and give away what we don’t invest in the event,” Housh says.
Looking back, Housh remembers what organizers have overcome, like in year three, when heavy rains nearly washed away vehicles and closed Highway 34.
But one thing remains constant, the glowing, joyous faces of kids and veterans and new boat buyers. And after the event, charities receive big donations.
“Yeah, it’s a little stressful over the course of the weekend. But you always see these glimpses of people being happy, living their best life. Every year, something magical happens,” Housh says.
“If they haven’t come out before, I’d encourage them to come check it out,” Housh said. “It’s fully accessible. It’s pet-friendly. There’s something for the entire family.
There’s a bubbly reason to put LakeFest on your Spring “to-do” list for Mother’s Day weekend: Mimosas for Moms on Sunday. Free Mimosas are in store for mothers on their special day.
And while organizers spearhead the event, Housh is quick to point out that there’s a small army of volunteers – and the community – who help make the magic.
First-time festgoers need to know one thing, Housh said.
“If you haven’t experienced this community yet, this is a great opportunity to feel that. It’s a really special event.”
One of the indescribable joys of lake life is beginning a day, or punctuating day’s end on the dock, boathouse or pier, sipping coffee, tea or something stronger as the sun slowly rises or sinks into a palate of colors, hues of red, orange or deep purple.
One of the indescribable joys of lake life is beginning a day, or punctuating day’s end on the dock, boathouse or pier, sipping coffee, tea or something stronger as the sun slowly rises or sinks into a palate of colors, hues of red, orange or deep purple.
On the lake, these structures are as much a part of a home as screened porches, crackling fireplaces and picture windows. Docks are spots for relaxation, contemplation, fishing, laughter and sometimes tears. And they are often as breathtaking as their accompanying homes, as if they belong together.
And nearby seawalls of riprap, stone, concrete, rock or wood protect precious property from being eaten away by erosion.
On Logan Martin and Neely Henry, there are companies that make magic – crafting piers, docks, seawalls, boatlifts and the like. Their tools are engineering, art, architecture and the environment, state-of-the-art composite materials, treated wood, stone and more than a bit of vision, conjured up year ‘round by the companies and their customers.
Here’s a look at four of the area’s builders and the water from their perspectives:
Mackey Docks: Experience and faith
For the Mackey family, their dock business is a “generational company,” says Eric Mackey. His father, Sonny, and uncles, Kenneth and Jerry, began working the industry in the 1980s.
“My Uncle Kenneth started working in 1983, and started building barges on Weiss Lake, and we just started expanding after that,” Mackey says.
The company specializes in turnkey work.
“We build the complete boathouse and boatlift and all the bells and whistles,” Mackey says. “Sometimes we just do the dock. Sometimes, we do seawalls. Sometimes we do just the boatlift if someone already has a dock, or we replace an older boat lift. We also do simple repairs and maintenance on structures over the water.”
He adds, “I try to focus not on land, but focus on water. It kind of makes it a specialty for me. We do seawalls, but typically prefer boathouses and docks. That’s what we’re really good at.”
What makes Mackey Docks good at its work?
“Experience and the crews we work with,” Mackey replies. “I’ve got some guys who have worked with us over 20 years.”
One of the hot trends in the industry is crafting structures from composite materials that in the long run are more durable, less expensive and require less maintenance than traditional treated lumber docks and boathouses.
“Typically, we used to do 80 percent wood as decking material back in the day,” Mackey says. “Nowadays, we’re a PVC and composite specialist. We’re probably installing 60 to 80 percent composite and PVC material. Long term, the cost is a little bit higher, but the low maintenance is worth it.”
Along with experience, Mackey says a commitment to quality and a strong religious faith drive the business.
“It’s not about me. It’s about people and the team we’ve built, and we’re all sticking together,” Mackey says. “For me, not all the guys in my company are Christians, but my Christian faith sets the standard for me and for my company … I think that sets us apart.”
Unique Waterfronts: Capturing a customer’s vision
While Unique Waterfonts in the Pell City-Cropwell area focuses its work on Logan Martin, Neely Henry and Lay Lakes, the business will travel the length and breadth of Alabama to do its work.
Chelsea Isbell grew up in a family of homebuilders – her father, Greg, and uncles, Jeff and Mike Isbell, began its work 30 years ago. Following the housing crash 14 years ago, the Isbells began subcontracting for Tradesman Company. Unique Waterfronts opened its doors two years ago. The Isbells are now co-owners of Unique Waterfronts. They do work on land and water.
“We have our own barge and our own crew,” Isbell says. “That’s the good thing about us. We’re family owned. We handle everything ourselves.”
Chelsea began working in the construction industry while in college and was hooked. The company does everything – from houses to pool houses, docks and boathouses.
“I was intrigued by the different designs that you can do. The uniqueness that we can make your boathouse look like your house or your house look like your boathouse,” she says. “There are so many different things we can do. I can’t physically do it. But my dad and them can do it. I can have the vision for it and tell them, or the homeowners can have the vision, and we can make it happen.”
She pointed to a recent boathouse project in Alpine.
“We even went as far as to dull the metal roof so that the boathouse looked as old as the house,” she says. “I love that uniqueness. That’s what I love. You turn (customers’) vision into a product, and they love it.”
Unique Waterfronts is willing to tackle just about any job.
“We don’t care how big or small a job is, we’re willing to help get it done. We’ll do a 6-by-20 (square foot) boathouse, or a 2,500 square foot house. Whatever you want us to do, we can do it.”
Advantage Plus: Building docks and building relationships
Advantage Plus began building docks in 2020, but the company’s umbrella opened in 2014 with excavating and construction.
The Turner family also operates Turner Family Farms, a popular Christmas and wedding venue as well as a Halloween pumpkin patch destination.
As far as its water-based business, Advantage Plus, the company does dock building and repair and only does riprap for seawalls. Riprap is a stone that protects lake banks against erosion. The company also builds concrete walls.
“These are services that we already offered elsewhere. But with us living on the lake and so many people needing it … we continued to offer the services,” Victor Turner says.
With lake properties being hot real estate, docks are hot. And in keeping with trends, composite decks are in high demand because of their longevity of 20 years or more.
“Building a dock is not a one-time investment. It’s a relationship,” Turner says.
Of the composite decks, Turner says, “You’re going to get a more comfortable use out of it. You’re not going to have to stain it, or sand it, or replace boards, or have splintering when you walk on it. It’s definitely a desired product.”
Maintaining seawalls has a positive environmental impact. Unprotected land erodes at a rate of six inches a year. But riprap is not a one and done proposition, Turner says, and it must be maintained.
Every job is unique. “It’s not a cookie-cutter business. You’ve definitely got to go out on site and come up with a good schedule to make that job make sense.”
The companies that do the type of work on the lake have “a great vision,” to work with the natural environment and help the customer satisfy their vision, Turner says.
“It’s definitely some art and some vision and hard work, for sure.”
At the heart of Advantage Plus: building relationships and living a deep faith, Turner says.
“In everything under our umbrella and what we do at the farm, our values are to build relationships for the honor of Christ and to help our community while doing so.”
Shoreline Creations: Cutting edge building and consumer education
Shoreline Creations opened its doors in the spring of 2018, but Margaret Isom has been in the marine construction business for 16 years and has worked in commercial construction and in banking doing construction loans.
“I do have a lot of experience in the industry and understand the nuts and bolts about it,” Isom says.
She decided to open Shoreline Creations because “I wanted to take things further and do some of my own things with it,” she says. “I wanted to go in my own direction. It’s all been a giant learning experience.”
The firm offers a wide array of services and products and is the area’s exclusive dealer for SnapJacket.
“We pride ourselves on piers and boathouses and landings and boardwalks,” Isom says. “We’ve gotten into a lot of rock patios and firepits and dredging, seawalls of all types, stabilization of your bank, and boatlifts.”
The company carries Golden Boatlifts.
Lake residents are becoming more conscientious about maintenance, Isom says. The company also tries to bring its clients up to speed on cutting-edge construction methods and the options available to them on materials and maintenance.
“A large part of what we also do is education, because construction methods have changed,” Isom says. “It’s a wonderful time to explain to people the importance of maintenance for their future endeavors. We do pride ourselves on that. And because the economy is tight, cost is a concern.”
Meeting customer desires and safety are paramount, Isom says. Part of the company’s commitment is building Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant docks, walkways and the like for customers who want it.
“We want to provide what (customers) want, but we want them to be safe, and with good construction methods. Once you get that in place, you get that relationship in place to know what their needs and wants are and what they are anticipating.”
Weather and keeping crews are challenges.
At its heart, the business puts the customer first.
“We always do a site visit. We don’t just throw out numbers, or push generic boathouse plans, Isom says. “We do it with their specific needs in mind.”
Tradesman Company: New owners carry on proud tradition
For Tara and Danny Buchanan, the owners of Tradesman Dock Building Company, since buying it from founder Fred Casey in early 2022, the focus has been on carrying on the company’s commitment to excellence.
For them it’s not just about docks, boat lifts, composite materials, and pilings. Tradesman had built four docks for the Buchanans over the years and the couple – veterans of the homebuilding industry – told Casey if he ever wanted to sell, they were interested.
“It wasn’t a huge jump to go into the dock business,” Danny Buchanan says. “Although, it would be pretty intimidating if you didn’t have an extensive construction background as a licensed contractor.”
When the Buchanans bought their first Lake Logan Martin home, they inherited a “terrible” existing dock.
“We quickly realized the dock is your connection to the water,” Danny says. “We met with Tradesman, and it was a wonderful experience. Their longstanding reputation, dating back almost two decades, made choosing to work with them an easy decision.”
He adds, “Our dock actually changed our relationship with the lake. If you’ve got visitors and family and friends and the dock is terrible, you don’t feel safe and can’t have fun.”
Their new Tradesman dock transformed the lake experience, Tara says.
“It went from everybody spending time inside and bypassing the dock to get to the water to the new (Tradesman) dock becoming the central part of our entertaining. It made a huge difference. Everything was focused on the dock, instead of just being the walkway to the boat, it becomes your outdoor living area.
Tradesman does everything from minor dock repairs to full scale construction of docks and piers, demolition, boat lifts and seawalls. We are working toward building a team so everything can be completed in-house.
“We want to be a one-stop shop,” Tara says.
The company uses composite materials and PVC in its construction, providing a lower maintenance, environmentally friendlier option compared to traditional wood decking.
“We just have a commitment to quality,” Tara Buchanan says.
Danny agrees. “We weren’t looking to buy a dock company. But when Tradesman became available, it had such an excellent reputation as a market leader, it was like ‘Wow!’ Being a part of a company that had that history and reputation was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up.”
He adds, “There are other dock companies out there, but Tradesman has the reputation for being the best. We have a vision for growth and are excited to take the company to the next level.”
