Roy Enslow, managing partner of Bridgewater Marina, couldn't wait until the January/February issue of Smith Mountain Laker magazine came out with the Best of SML awards winners. He went online to find the results.

Bridgewater Marina received Platinums for Easiest Place to Gas-Up the Boat and Best Selection of Boat Rentals, and Silver for Best Watercraft Service.

"Two things that have really propelled us are putting safety first and our employees," said Enslow.

The marina has received Platinum for Easiest Place to Gas-Up the Boat every year since the category was introduced in 2004. Enslow said when Ed Waters, developer of Bridgewater Plaza, designed the gas pump facility, he had the foresight to ensure it would accommodate both large and small boats.

"During the peak season when it's really busy, I always have two to three guys on the gas dock helping boats get in and out," said Enslow.

In 2006, Bridgewater Marina took the route of many automotive gas stations by installing 24-hour gas pumps where boaters can pay with credit cards and fill their tanks even when the marina is closed.

"We also have the most consistent hours of anyone," said Enslow. "We've always posted our hours, and we always adhere to our hours."

The marina also received Platinum for Best Selection of Boat Rentals for the fourth year. Since 2003, it has fallen to Gold only once.

Enslow said that while most boat rental businesses on the lake offer the same selection, Bridgewater Marina has the biggest selection.

But it's not the quantity of boats that earned them the award, he said; it's the emphasis on safety.

"We make sure all the employees understand how important that is," he said, adding that the employees must ensure the renters also understand.

When people come in to rent boats or personal watercraft, Enslow said they must watch training videos, listen to a rundown on liability issues and go through a checklist at the dock with employees on the "rules of the road" and the proper way to handle the vehicles.

The checklists are often updated with new material based on Enslow's conversations with Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, U.S. Coast Guard, local fire departments and other boating-safety organizations.

"Every year, I ask them about the biggest safety issues on the lake," he said. "So people tell their friends to go to Bridgewater 'Because I know it's safe.' I think that's the reputation that Bridgewater has."

Part of keeping boaters safe is keeping boats in shape, and Enslow said the marina works with C & L Marine to do service work on their boats and recommend the company to their clients, something he thinks helped Bridgewater Marina earn Silver for Best Watercraft Service.

But none of it would be possible, he said, without the employees.

"I can't tell you how fortunate I am that I always end up with very polite, very respectable young men and women," said Enslow. "They're the ones who won these awards, not me."

Bridgewater Marina is located in Bridgewater Plaza at 16410 Booker T. Washington Highway in Moneta. 721-4873. www.bridgewaterplaza.com