About the CBC

MISSION

To foster small-watercraft education, access, safe recreation, and marine stewardship on Bellingham Bay. 

STORY

The Community Boating Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit fostering safe small-boat recreation on Bellingham Bay. The CBC was founded by a core of local small-watercraft enthusiasts in 2006 and began services to the public in 2007. The CBC is not a club. There are no memberships and no dues. Programs and services are available to all.

Much-appreciated tax-deductible donations, season-pass sales, dry-moorage fees, and rentals of sailboats and human-powered watercraft enable the CBC to provide the safety and skills education that is the core of the organization’s mission. Volunteers are integrated into all aspects of the organization from maintaining boats, assisting with rentals, teaching educational classes, tabling at events, and serving as board and committee members.

painting of the front of the CBC office with orange stairs and railing and door, next to the building on the left is a kayak rack with three tiers and a CBC sign

Impact Reports

cover photo of the Impact Report 2023 with a group of children wearing goggles posing on a mega SUP and an adult in water holding the SUP smiling in snorkel gear
cover of the 2022 Impact Report of an adult standing and paddling on a SUP with two sit on top kayakers paddling towards the boardwalk in the background on calm waters
Cover of the Impact Report Winter 2022 with two youth sailors on an RS Quest dinghy with the crew hiking all the way out in front of the skipper wearing masks as the boat heels out of the water
cover of the 2021 Impact Report with the skippers view from a J24 keelboat filled with a group of young youth sailors wearing masks on bay on a blue sky day

Meet our Crew!

  • Bryan Rust

    Bryan Rust

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

  • Sara Welsh

    DIRECTOR OF YOUTH PROGRAMMING

  • Angela Morovic

    Angela Morovic

    DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION

  • Christine McCormick

    COMMUNITY PROGRAM MANAGER

  • Riley Ghio

    FLEET MANAGER

  • Reed Hutton

    YOUTH PROGRAMS MANAGER

  • Sandy Rost

    Sailing Program Coordinator

  • Durango Duran

    Paddling Program Coordinator

2024 Seasonal Staff

  • Allison Sasaki

    Marketing & Communications Intern

  • Annelisa Ayars

    Recreation Intern

  • Ash Elliot

    Youth Instructor

  • Avery O'Donnell

    Youth Instructor

  • Bella Norwood

    Youth Instructor

  • Briar Swayne

    Paddling Instructor

  • Britton Sanford

    Youth Instructor

  • Caroline Hurley

    Sailing Instructor

  • Christa Robertson

    Waterfront Staff

  • Cooper Snell

    Youth Race Coach

  • Daniel Brown

    Youth Instructor

  • Eddie Nosal

    Bioluminescence Intern

  • Elliott Brigham

    Youth Instructor

  • Emma Moore

    Youth Instructor

  • Erica Baril

    Paddling Instructor

  • Evan Maudlin

    Youth Instructor

  • Hannah Rizika

    Community Health Intern

  • Hans Scheyer

    Youth Instructor

  • Hans Vondrell

    Youth Instructor

  • Hewson DenBeste

    Youth Instructor

  • Jack Beeson

    Sailing Instructor

  • Kelly Patrick

    Paddling Instructor

  • Lucas Schadewitz

    Waterfront Staff

  • Mary d'Arcy

    Sailing Instructor

  • Matt Church

    Sailing instructor

  • Maya Giss

    Youth Instructor

  • Noah Peever

    Waterfront Staff

  • Oz Resnick

    Youth Instructor

  • Oscar Hayes-Fegley

    Youth Instructor

  • Sawyer Kunkel

    Waterfront Staff

  • Sofia Brown Patricio

    Youth Instructor

  • Walter Fitzgibbon

    Fleet Management Apprentice

  • William White

    Program Intern

Meet our Board

  • Jim Johannessen

    Jim Johannessen

    PRESIDENT

  • Kristine Elliot

    Kristine Elliot

    Vice President

  • Deborah Dempsey

    Deborah Dempsey

    TREASURER

  • Craig Cooper

    Craig Cooper

    SECRETARY

  • Vicki Lesh

    Vicki Lesh

  • Todd Shuster

    Todd Shuster

  • Melanie Lyons

    Melanie Lyons

  • Robin Meyer

    Robin Meyer

  • Dave Tempero

    Dave Tempero

  • Genie Fairhart

Join our Crew!

The Community Boating Center is a dynamic organization working to build a connection between our constituents and the incredible power of being on the water. At this point we are in a period of growth and evolution, well outfitted with talented and motivated staff and volunteers, and the understanding that recreation is therapy and is more vital than ever before.

a large group of staff smiling together aboard the Zodiac Schooner with lines and halyards rising above them on the water
a staff member smiling and waving next to the dry line with the bay in the background
two waterfront employees looking at Chromebooks at the front desk
Clean Marina Washington EnviroStars Certified logo with a boat and a large Herron

The Community Boating Center is a certified Clean Marina! 

  • We wash with vinegar instead of soaps and other chemicals.

  • We minimize our use of fuel and oil.

  • We recycle.

  • We reduce runoff by using pervious surfaces and proper dump sites.

  • We keep Spill Kits easily accessible to the staff and the general public.

  • We follow Best Management Practices as established by Clean Marina Washington.

  • We educate boaters on marine stewardship and how to boat responsibly.

Learn more about Clean Marinas and Best Management Practices for marinas.