March Newsletter, 2026

As Butch would say, “We are sitting on the dock of the bay in Key West, Florida.” He loved this place.

Rudy and I enjoyed a beautiful week. We miss Butch but could feel his spirit surrounding us.

I have so many emotions and I have never felt so much love, support, and totally uplifted by all

of your thoughts and prayers! It’s so powerful. Thank you to everyone who sent cards and flowers for the service. I am doing my best to get thank you’s written. It’s overwhelming. We received your generosity to the Butch Parks Scholarship fund to support the trades - the goal is to grow the scholarship and have it sustain itself. Butch’s memorial was beautiful. He had such an impact on so many. I will continue to write about his legacy in our newsletters so stay tuned!

The team at Parks Marina has never been so unified and ready to carry the torch. I truly believe we have assembled the best crew in the marina industry. We have lots to look forward to. Behind the scenes we are implementing new computer software, we put all new windows in the showroom and made a few updates to the sales floor. We are happy to welcome Ryaan Morgan as Sales Manager. He is excited for this opportunity and to meet you all soon. We couldn’t be more ready to kick off the season as a team and welcome everyone back.

Who needs a new boat? The water has started opening up in Okoboji and right now is the best

time to purchase ahead of the busy season. It’s a new model year which means new innovations

across the dock. The best selections never last long, so taking advantage of the current lineup now ensures you get the right boat before spring demand narrows the options. Cobalt Boats continues to raise the bar in luxury performance boating with refined helm technology, upgraded interior finishes, enhanced glass cockpit displays, and the smooth, confident

ride their deep-V hulls are known for. Nautique Boats is pushing watersports to the next level with advanced surf systems, customizable wave settings, next-gen touchscreen controls, and bold new styling. Whether it’s wake, surf, or ski, Nautique continues to deliver precision, power, and innovation behind the boat - there is a reason they are voted the best of the best each year in the tow boatsegment.

We are also excited to announce Barletta pontoons are our flagship pontoon line. Barletta brings thoughtful design and comfort to the forefront with upgraded furniture packages, quiet, smooth handling, premium sound systems, and performance tritoon options. They are also made for man’s best friend with a built-in doggie dish and doggie view doors. Happy dog, happy life!

If a brand-new boat isn’t on your radar this year, now is a great time to explore our wide selection of quality pre-owned options. Our Second Wave Used Boat Show is coming up Saturday, March 14th. We will have hundreds of models on display with boat show pricing! While you’re on Campus we invite you to swing over to Snappers for our St. Paddy’s Day celebration. There will be bar games, drink specials and more all day long starting at 11 AM. We’re serving Irish fare, green beer and dancing to tunes with the Fishheads at 2 PM.

We have and will continue to be the best in the marine industry, and we will show you a great time this summer. As Butch would say, boating keeps families from drifting apart!