The family of a boater who went missing in Okanagan Lake about six weeks ago says they're continuing to search, and they're willing to help others who have lost loved ones in the lake.

Don Cormier is the uncle of James Cormier, a 36-year-old Kelowna resident who presumably drowned after falling out of his boat into Okanagan Lake on March 20. His boat was found drifting that evening, empty.

After a day and turning up nothing, police called off the search for James, but Cormier says his family is determined to find him.

"In my heart I know he's there," says Cormier. "There's no closure until we find him."

Cormier has enlisted the help of a professional search team, who came to Kelowna a few weeks ago to search the lake. Despite their sophisticated equipment, they found no trace of James.

So the search team is returning Monday, May 10 to search the lake again, this time with search dogs in tow.

"The dogs have been trained to sniff out human remains up to 350 feet (in the water)," says Cormier. "That scent lingers for a time."

Cormier says there are 39 people who have been reported missing in the lake, and he wants family members of those people to contact him. "If I can help them, I will," says Cormier.

Cormier says if the dogs turn up human remains, RCMP will be contacted. "Until those remains have been removed, the dog's can't continue to search, so it's important."

Two weeks ago Cormier released a picture of James' boat in the hopes that anyone who saw it March 20 would come forward with information. Cormier says a fisherman contacted him, telling him he had a conversation with James before he went missing that day.

"Any information is helpful when you're going on nothing," says Cormier, adding the fisherman's information helped the team narrow their search.

Cormier has asked that anyone out on the lake next week be respectful of the searchers and to stay away from the sonar boat to prevent waves from disrupting the equipment.

Cormier says he can be reached at 250-718-0735.