April 7, 2026 On Thursday, March 26, I attended the Boating Ontario Regional meeting in Orillia. It was the last of the eight meetings the association held this spring. I took lots of notes because I was planning to write about this. But, I didn’t need to take any notes at all as it turned…
April 7, 2026 The Canada Strong Pass is back for summer 2026! The Government of Canada is offering free lockage and a 25% discount on fees for camping and overnight stays from June 19 to September 7, 2026 inclusive. Free lockage During the Canada Strong Pass period, free lockage will be available for boats, canoes and kayaks travelling…
April 7, 2026 Hutcheson to Lead Next Chapter of Growth and Culture-Driven ImpactOn April 1st, Zach Hutcheson stepped into the Chief Executive Officer role at Correct Craft. Hutcheson succeeds Bill Yeargin, who served as CEO for the past two decades. A long-time Correct Craft leader and previously the company’s Chief Financial Officer, Hutcheson steps into the role following…
April 7, 2026 Freedom Boat Club, the world’s largest boat club and a business of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), recently hosted its 2026 Freedom Forum annual franchise conference in Tampa, Florida. This year’s event marked a significant milestone for the franchise network bringing together franchise partners from across the globe to celebrate a year of exceptional…
April 7, 2026 Sail Canada is pleased to announce that 24-member sailing clubs and schools from across the country have been awarded a combined total of $80,750 as part of Sail Canada’s 2026 “Sailing for All” initiative. This funding is courtesy of Sport Canada’s Community Sport for All Initiative. “We are grateful for the continued support from Sport…
April 7, 2026 Thomas Groves, Director of Marketing at Legend Boats, has been named an honouree in the Boating Industry 40 Under 40. Presented annually by Boating Industry, the 40 Under 40 program recognizes rising leaders from across North America who are making a strong impact on the recreational boating industry. Honourees are selected based on…
March 31, 2026 I was surprised (in a positive way), at the Boating Ontario Regional meeting last Thursday, March 26 when CEO Rick Layzell asked the room how many attendees were looking for techs. The audience was largely marina people and only four or five hands went up. ‘Not very many from the audience of…
March 31, 2026 Yamaha Motor Canada is proud to introduce its newest group of Yamaha Elite Dealers! This year, 42 dealers from across the country have achieved Elite status, with 16 of those dealers recognized for five years in a row*. To achieve Elite status, Yamaha dealers undergo a thorough year-long performance evaluation of all areas of their business,…
March 31, 2026 Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), the global leader in marine technology, has been named to Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2026. This year’s list shines a spotlight on businesses that are shaping industry and culture through their innovations. “Innovation is at the heart of everything we do at Brunswick…
March 24, 2026 Last week I received an email about a new initiative from Performance Sailcraft that aims to tackle one of the biggest barriers in grassroots sailing: the upfront cost of dinghy ownership. The company has launched “Magic”, a new financing program designed to make dinghy racing more affordable for sailors and clubs. The model…
March 24, 2026 A collaboration between the Government House Foundation and the Maritime Museum of BC, the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Maritime Achievement’s nomination period is now open. This award recognizes and acknowledges individuals and organizations along BC’s coast and inland waterways who have made noteworthy contributions to BC’s maritime interests in the areas of science, technology, business, applications of maritime skills, nautical…
March 24, 2026 HARMAN International Industries, the premier connected technologies company for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, has announced its award-winning entertainment and industry-first fully-digital premium audio solutions from Harman Kardon have been selected to elevate the luxury experience on the new Cruisers Yachts 50 FLY. From staterooms to the fly bridge, Harman Kardon audio technology will…
March 24, 2026 Candela’s largest funding round to date, with the World Bank’s IFC arm joining existing investors, will finance a second manufacturing facility to scale production of its ground-breaking hydrofoiling P-12 ferries and meet growing global demand. The round brings Candela’s total capital raised to €129 million since its inception, making it the best-funded electric vessel manufacturer globally. It…
March 24, 2026 The Industry’s First AI-Powered Insights Engine Built for Powersports, Marine, RV, Trailer and Golf Car Dealerships Built from 40+ years of dealership expertise and data from 4,500+ dealers, AI Command Center delivers real-time intelligence that helps dealerships move from reactive reporting to predictive decision-making. Lightspeed, the leading dealer management system (DMS) provider for powersports, marine, RV, trailer and…
March 24, 2026 The Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations (FOCA) is pleased to announce that the 2025 recipient of the annual FOCA Terry Rees Achievement Award is the Gloucester Pool Cottagers Association (GPCA) in the Muskoka District. The Award was presented on March 7th at the FOCA Spring Seminar for Lake Associations, held at the Bayview Golf and Country Club in…
March 24, 2026 Flite is proud to announce that FLITELab AMPJet and Fliteboard RACE have each been awarded the internationally renowned iF Design Award, marking a significant milestone for the Byron Bay–based innovator in electric hydrofoiling. The recognition highlights the strength of two ground-breaking products recently introduced to the market. Winning at this level reflects the depth of innovation, engineering…
March 17, 2026 I’m pleased to say that we received several responses to the Editor’s Message column in last week’s edition of Boating Industry Canada News Week Digest and all were in agreement that we need affordable new boats to keep building the business. Chris Mills, President of SeaMasters on the East coast wrote that…
Tyler Bourns – Chief Marketing Officer – Dragonfly Energy Accepting the CHARGE Award March 17, 2026 Last week, Dragonfly Energy, an industry leader in energy storage and battery technology and maker of Battle Born Batteries, was recognized as the Clean Energy Impact Brand of the Year at CHARGE North America 2026, a premier industry platform celebrating excellence in energy branding,…
March 17, 2026 ePropulsion Americas, the global leader in marine electric propulsion systems and services, announced that its latest electric outboard, Spirit 2, has won the prestigious Innovation Award in the Alternative Propulsion category at the Discover Boating® Miami International Boat Show. Presented during one of the marine industry’s most influential global events, the award recognizes outstanding achievement in advancing…
March 17, 2026 Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), celebrated the expansion of its Plant 7 manufacturing facility in St. Cloud, Florida, with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The expansion adds 25,000 square feet of new manufacturing space enabling the installation of four additional Surface Mount Technology (SMT) lines and will create nearly 30 jobs…