Decades on the Dock: Paris Marine’s 80-Year Legacy on the Water
For 80 years, Paris Marine has put down roots in Peterborough, Ontario—a place where the water dictates day-to-day life.
The small city is the gateway to the Kawartha Lakes. It sits along the Otonabee River, a major waterway that forms part of the Trent-Severn Waterway and connects the Kawarthas to Rice Lake, Lake Ontario, and the Great Lakes beyond.
With a population of roughly 85,000, Peterborough is deeply intertwined with its waterways. The water has shaped the city's history, industry, and recreational culture, while the Trent-Severn has made Peterborough an important stop for boaters travelling through the Kawarthas and beyond. It is a small 'summer city' where residents, cottagers, cruisers, and boaters of all types and sizes converge every summer.
Paris Marine, sitting right in its heart, has been serving those boaters for 80 years. From the rises and falls of the water level to the ebbs and flows of Ontario's cottage industry, the tightly knit family-owned business has evolved alongside the region's boating culture. What began as a small wooden-boat and outboard dealership in nearby Young’s Point, about 25 clicks up the road from Peterborough, has blossomed into a multi-location dealership that serves boaters throughout the Kawartha Lakes and beyond.
"I think some of my favourite stories from the dealership are watching families grow up on the lake," says president and owner Deborah Paris. "We have clients whose kids learn how to water ski, go off to college, get married, have their own babies, and introduce their children to boating. So we have generations of families growing up on the water which is such a privilege to watch."
For a company so tightly woven into the fabric of its community, Paris Marine's story reflects not only the growth of Ontario's boating culture, but the evolution of recreational boating across Canada. From wooden boats and early outboards during Ontario's original cottage boom of the late 1940s and 1950s, to the arrival of fiberglass pleasure boats in the 1970s, and eventually to modern marine dealerships, professional dealer networks and boating education, Paris Marine has evolved alongside the industry. Over eight decades, the company has helped tens of thousands of boaters experience Ontario's vast waterway system.
"The greatest thing about the dealership, and something that's never changed, is we always answer the phone," says Deborah. "A real live body answers your call every single time. And doing that adds a bit of a personal touch every time we communicate with you, and it never leaves you on hold. So you're always able to talk to someone right away. That hasn't changed from back in the 40s and it won't change into the future."
Jack Paris Starts the Business
Jack Paris established the original Jack Paris Marine and Real Estate in Young’s Point, Ontario, in 1946 by combining marine sales with his own real-estate business. The dealership sold wooden boats and Johnson outboard motors, starting with a modest showroom of just 12 by 20 feet, while Jack's real estate sales helped shore up the business during the post-WWII boom.
"(He) was a mechanic in Weston, Ontario and he had his own dealership," says Jack's son Bill Paris, the second-generation owner of Paris Marine. "And one day, he got tired of the heat and he got tired of the car business, and he threw his tools down and said 'I'm leaving town.' So when he did that, and he knew the area up here, and he knew it was a great place to live. So he settled in Young's Point in 1944 and he built himself a house and a little shed that turned out to be his first showroom."
The desire to chart his own course soon led Jack to lay the groundwork for a burgeoning marine enterprise. Within a year of launching Jack Paris Marine and Real Estate, he was already appearing in national marine advertising.
"If you look at the inside page of the 1947 Johnson catalog, this is the catalog that was across Canada, inside the front cover is dad's picture, standing up in a cedar strip boat, with an old Johnson motor on, holding a trout," says Bill. "That was a natural picture. He threw a line over, he caught the fish, and nobody could believe it, he pulled it up and held the fish and they took that picture."
"Because of Dad's involvement with the insurance business, it gave him an opportunity to meet a lot of people... He was a natural, he just loved to be with people and people loved to be with him. He had a flamboyant personality and people liked that. He was just a good guy to be around, a good guy to hang around, and he was a hard worker. He loved to work, loved people, and he loved to be near the water."
The Wooden-Boat Years
By the 1950s, Paris Marine was operating at full speed during the peak of the wooden boat era. The handcrafted vessels were the focal point of a booming recreational boating market as wealthy Torontonians began purchasing cottage properties north of the city to spend their summer months.
Jack sold just about anything made of wood and capable of floating, including Chestnut canoes, Chestnut powerboats, and high-end Port Carling SeaBird motor launches and runabouts. A young Bill Paris would often accompany his father to the train station to collect their orders, with the railway serving as one of the most important means of commercial transportation during Peterborough and the Kawarthas’ early growth.
During those same years, the Paris family also organized 25-mile boat cruises beginning in Young’s Point and winding through the Kawarthas. Beyond being a community event, the cruises offered Jack and his young family an opportunity to showcase the region’s waterways to visitors, residents and prospective boat owners—helping demonstrate the recreational potential of what was then an often-overlooked corner of Ontario.
True to their roots as boaters, the Paris family still owns several boats from those early years. Among them is an original 1955 Port Carling SeaBird—one of two owned by Jack. The family continues to bring the SeaBird to events across Ontario, keeping a tangible piece of the company’s earliest history on the water.
"He was a dealer for Port Carling SeaBird back in the '50s," says Bill. "He used to run this 25-mile boat cruise and he would start at Young's Point and he would go up to Mount Julian and the Vimeade Resort. When Dad passed, these boats were given to my brother and myself. So I brought the boat home. Hadn't been in the water for over 20 years. You gotta soak these boats up because they're natural cedar bottoms. When I put water in, the water ran straight out so fast for five days, I figured it's never going to seal up. But it did. And I still use that boat today. We take it to shows in different areas. I belong to the Trent-Severn Antique Boat Club. We go to a bunch of different events... wherever they're holding an event. It's very important to Paris Marine heritage and, in fact, this boat will belong to Deborah at one point."
1958: Moving to Lakefield
In 1958, Jack moved Paris Marine from Young’s Point to its current headquarters in Lakefield. There, he built a modest home and showroom on approximately two acres. The location was strategic, providing easy access to the highways serving the nearby Buckhorn, Clear Lake, and Stoney Lake areas.
Throughout high school, Bill worked alongside his father as they developed the new location. Paris Marine quickly became a major dealer for the Chestnut Canoe Company, Sea Skiff and Johnson, while Bill gained experience in every aspect of the operation.
"(The showroom) was about 20 by 12. In fact, I remember a 16-foot canoe would barely fit inside it," recalls Bill. "So Peterborough Boats and Johnson Motors were looking for dealers at the time, so (Jack) hooked up with them and that was the natural part of it. He also opened a bait shop because he believed that communication with the customer was the most important thing. So he'd find a reason for them to come to you. And the bait shop did that, and so did the dealership. He would sell small motors and little boats and he imported boats from Moncton, New Brunswick from Chestnut Canoe Company and I'd go down with dad to the train station we'd get cedar strip boats and canoes wrapped in burlap. And we'd put them on the trailer and bring them home and that was kind of the start of it all."
1970s: A Second Generation and a Changing Boat Market
The company’s transition from the first generation of Paris ownership to the second began to take shape in the early 1970s.
At the time, Jack had considered selling the dealership to a Toronto buyer, but the transaction ultimately fell through. Bill and Jan decided to keep the business in the family, officially taking ownership in 1974.
Under Bill and Jan, the dealership expanded as the Canadian recreational boating market shifted quickly toward larger fiberglass pleasure boats. The era of the wooden pleasure boat was fading, and advances in composite construction were rapidly transforming the recreational boating market across Canada.
The changing market also led to an important relationship with Thunder Craft, a burgeoning Quebec boatbuilder producing everything from small 15-foot runabouts to ski boats, cuddy cabins, and express cruisers under the Magnum name. Bill met Thunder Craft founder Larry Lauzon at the Toronto Boat Show in 1974, and by that summer, Paris Marine was carrying Thunder Craft boats.
"I was fortunate because that's really the start of the boat business back in those days," remembers Bill. "The boats at the time were really 16 feet. And so we had an opportunity to hook up with Larry Lauzon, the owner of Thundercraft, at the Toronto Boat Show. And when dad (Jack) was there selling his docks, I was there helping him. And we decided to bring Thundercraft on board."
The timing proved significant. That same year, Thunder Craft built its first inboard boat, an 18-foot Flamingo, followed by larger models including the 23-foot Magnum. Many of these would soon find their way onto the Paris Marine showroom floor, helping the dealership transition alongside its customers into a new era.
"Believe it or not, no lift truck, 14-foot boats, and he had the Spring and the Playmate models, and he had a little speedboat called a Wildcat, and we'd take them off the truck by hand," says Bill. "We'd slide them back, drop them down, hold them up by their transoms, and set them on the ground. One of the highlights of the marine industry for me was meeting Larry Lauzon because he became a very close friend, both he and his wife and three daughters were close to our three daughters. We would travel together and that just started the whole business off. We expanded the showroom a little bit, put Larry's boats inside it, and the business just started to grow from there."
As things blossomed, the dealership expanded along with its product lines. The original showroom went from 30 by 20 feet to 50 by 20 feet, quickly followed by more expansions. The company also acquired additional property for storage and began constructing rack-storage buildings in the late 1970s. New locations in Belleville and Kingston popped up, laying the foundation for a growing dealership network.
1988: Bringing Spader Group 20 to Canada
By the 1980s, Bill’s influence extended beyond the walls of his own dealership. In 1988, he brought the Spader Group 20 concept to Canada, creating a forum where marine dealers could come together to compare financial performance, operating practices, and profitability.
Bill’s original Group 20 ran from 1988 to 1995, giving dealers an opportunity to examine their businesses alongside their peers and learn from one another’s experiences. The approach also became part of how Paris Marine evaluated and managed its own operations, helping bring a more structured, data-driven approach to the business.
2000: The Third Generation Arrives
The third generation of the Paris family began its transition into the business in 2000, when Bill and Jan's daughter Deborah joined Paris Marine full-time. The couple had planned for their daughter to spend a few years learning the ropes and gaining experience throughout the dealership before considering transferring ownership. Deborah quickly worked through the various areas of the business while also spending time with Group 20.
"So Deb went off to university and worked with us over the summertime, as well as Tracy our oldest daughter. And then at the end of university we get a call from Deborah that said 'Hey dad, I'd like to take over the business,'" chuckles Bill.
"So Mom and I laughed and said 'Tell you what, why don't you come work it for five years and we'll see at the end of five years how things go.' And so here we are today, sitting in the showroom, and she's done a wonderful job taking the business to a new level."
In 2005, just shy of her 30th birthday, Deborah purchased Paris Marine from her parents. With that transaction, the third generation of Paris family ownership was officially in place.
"We're all proud that we made it three generations," says Deborah. "A lot of companies can't and don't. I think less than 5% of companies can successfully transition to their third generation. So I think my grandfather would be very proud. I know my dad is. I know my siblings are as well. I think we're just really excited for the next 10 years."
2005: Women Making Waves
The same year Deborah became owner, she also launched Women Making Waves, a boating education program designed to help women become more comfortable and confident on the water.
The program provides hands-on training and education covering everything from trailering and towing to loading and launching, on-water instruction, and boating safety. Since its launch, Deborah has personally trained more than 800 women through the program.
"I think heritage is important," says Deborah. "You know, it's why we have some of these old pictures of the dealership, why we hang onto some of our antique boats. I think what we learn from the previous generation: customer service, integrity, giving back... When I think about the future, will we morph into virtual training for Women Making Waves, set up a channel for that? More than likely, so that we can reach more people and help more people safely operate their boats and get out on the water longer."
Growing Into the Third Generation
With Deborah at the helm, Paris Marine has entered a new phase of growth. The dealership has continued to expand its operations while earning recognition from across the industry. Since Deborah took ownership in 2005, Paris Marine has received 19 consecutive Boating Industry Magazine Top 100 Dealer Awards, along with multiple manufacturer and industry honours, including Customer Satisfaction Index awards for its marine brands.
The recognition has extended beyond the dealership itself. Deborah was named Boating Professional of the Year by the Canadian Safe Boating Council in 2019, followed by the President’s Award from Boating Ontario in 2024 for her contribution to the marine industry. That same year, Paris Marine was named Retailer of the Year at the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards.
The physical footprint of the business has grown as well. In 2022, Paris Marine added a second Lakefield property, bringing two floors of indoor storage, a fenced compound, and expanded canvas and upholstery capabilities into the operation. Together, the two properties now encompass almost 20 acres.
"Being a full-time year-round employer, those things are very important because it gives our employees and our partners stability," says Deborah. "It gives the customer continuity. Will that stuff ever change? No. Will we get better and faster at communicating to make bookings and registrations easier? Likely."
What began eight decades earlier as a small showroom selling wooden boats and Johnson outboards has evolved into a full-service marine dealership, with boat sales, service, parts and accessories, storage, and specialized capabilities all operating under the Paris Marine name.
2026 and Three Generations
In 2026, Paris Marine celebrated its 80th anniversary.
The third generation of the Paris family is now supported by 34 full-time employees whose experience spans virtually every part of the marine retail and service business. The operation includes the main Lakefield Road facility, a second Lakefield property, and three on-water demonstration locations.
That depth of experience is one of the defining characteristics of the dealership. Office Manager Susan Graves has been with Paris Marine for more than 33 years, while Marine Technician Gord Welsh has spent 22 years with the company. Facilities Manager Steven Graves has been part of the operation for more than 16 years, and Jeff Milne has been with the Paris Marine team for 21 years. Fiberglass and Marine Technician Sebastian Pridie has spent a decade with the company, while newer employees such as apprentice marine mechanic Sam Matthews represent the next generation coming through the business.
Together, the team handles everything from boat sales and customer service to mechanical repairs, fiberglass, canvas and upholstery work, storage, preparation and facility management. The dealership services approximately 1,100 boats each year, combining the experience of long-serving employees with the skills of a newer generation of marine professionals.
80 Years on the Water
What began as a small showroom in Young’s Point, selling wooden boats and Johnson outboards, has become a fixture in the Kawartha Lakes boating community. Whether you're a year-round resident or a transient boater passing through along the Trent-Severn Waterway, the Paris Marine name remains a familiar presence on the waterway, just as it has for 80 years.
The family behind it has remained familiar, too. While the boats, technology and business might look different from 1946, their purpose remains the same: helping people get on the water.
"Describing Paris Marine in one sentence isn't hard," says Deborah. "Our job is to create memories for families on the water."
"If Grandpa could see the dealership today... I have looked through the old photos and seen where it was (back then). We have these wonderful pictures of the first showroom from 1946. So we can walk through the legacy and the heritage of the dealership right in the front door of the current showroom. What would I think he would say? He would say, 'If you haven't stopped in, you should,' and then he'd say 'Welcome the family.'"
Decades on the Dock — Innovators and Influencers in Canadian Boating showcases the people and companies whose stories have helped shape Canada's recreational marine industry. If you'd like to feature your business, contact us.
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