October 6, 2026

While almost every business these days has a website, far fewer send out regular communications to their customer base and yet they should. It’s quite inexpensive to have an occasional newsletter going out to your clients. The challenge for most smaller businesses is what to say that isn’t just the usual, “Thanks for being a customer” or “Come back and buy from us again”.

So, we have a solution. For many months now, we have featured valuable boating information from the CanBoat organization, (formerly called Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons) that you are welcome to use in your own communications. The source is highly credible, the messages are useful boating tips, often about boating rules, regulations, or safety, and you can use them in your own contact program – they are free to use as long as you credit CanBoat.

This week we have a piece, “What are the Rules for Cannabis and Boating?” Cannabis is legal in Canada but, there are still restrictions such as when you are operating a vehicle or a vessel. You can just select the text, copy it and run it in your own communications as long as you include the attribution “By John Gullick, currently CanBoat’s Manager of Government and Special Programs and has been an active recreational marine specialist and writer for over 50 years. “ Credit: CanBoat / NautiSavoir and author John Gullick”.  

As we move toward the Thanksgiving Weekend that normally marks the end of the boating season across the Prairies, Ontario, Quebec and into Atlantic Canada, your occasional boating newsletter can remind your customers of the great times they had with their boat this summer and keep them looking forward to the summer of 2027.

Better yet, remind them to see you at the winter boat shows and be ready with an estimate of the value of their trade-in!

This is the time of year to boost customer communications by selling service and reminding them of the great fun they had boating this summer. And, wouldn’t a new boat keep the family engaged and excited about spending time together at the lake this coming summer?

Andy Adams – Editor