A nascent Issaquah boat dealership has already been recognized for exceptional sales and customer service.

Northwest Inboards, opened in May by Lake Sammamish native Darren Lamont, received two Best New Dealership awards from manufacturers Axis Wake and Supra. The awards were given based on sales and customer feedback, Lamont said.

Lamont has worked in the watersports industry for more than 20 years, beginning when he was 13 years old. He took a job from Herb O’Brien, working at O’Brien’s HO Sports manufacturing business in Redmond (it’s now based in Snoqualmie). His goal? To save up for a new slalom ski and kneeboard.

“I grew up skiing and wakeboarding on Lake Sammamish and in Eastern Washington,” Lamont said. “It’s always been a part of my and my family’s life.

“I say this all the time, but it’s totally true: I would say it’s one of the only sports that you can do with a family or group of friends where everyone is involved, whether you’re the person on skis, or driving the boat or spotting the person on skis. It’s an individual sport when you’re behind the boat but it’s a team activity when everybody’s there.”

Lamont made watersports his life and his career, working for HO and Hyperlite Wake. It was all he had known, and a few years ago, he considered stepping out in a new direction.

Then Paul Gregoire — the service manager of Bakes Marine Center and Lamont’s “friendly competition,” as he put it — offered him an option: To become the owner of his own boat dealer, based out of Bakes.

“It’s something I’ve always dreamed about doing, having my own boat dealership,” Lamont said.

His father was a business owner and he felt he had his own opportunity to have the freedom that comes with building one’s own livelihood.

Of course, the opportunity hasn’t come without learning curves: Lamont said he’s still learning how to balance the time he puts into the business with his personal life. But he’s equipped with the knowledge shared from his past and current mentors in the industry, including O’Brien and Bakes owner Bill Baker, he said.

Now Lamont is looking forward to running his business during what should be its first legitimate busy season.

“We have the Seattle Boat Show coming up in January (23 to Feb. 1) and that accounts for 30 to 35 percent of business for the year (at Bakes),” he said. “It will be our first boat show … We opened our doors after last year’s had already ended, so I’m very excited.”