Boaters staying closer to home
February 2010
News
If you want to keep your travel plans closer to home and avoid hassles caused by the new travel restrictions, local boat designers and retailers Duhamel and Dewar say they have the solution.
The parent company of Legend Boats, based in Whitefish, said they are seeing a trend toward people opting for stay at home vacations, commonly referred to as "staycations," which offer the appearance of travel while being close to home.
"We offer the ultimate staycation for you, your family, and if they bring worms and their gas, even for your friends," the company's website (www.legendboats.com) states.
Purchasing a boat - whether a fishing boat for day trips or a pontoon boat for overnight cruising on larger lakes - is one way to make the most of staying near home.
The company recently took part in the Toronto International Boat Show. "It was our first show of the year," Jamie Dewar, general manager of the company, said. "Numbers were up over last year. That gives us a guideline over what we can expect in sales. Overall, things look positive."
Duhamel and Dewar have been in business since 1968 and have been selling their Legend line of boats since the mid 1980s. The company is Whitefish's largest employer, with up to 60 people on the payroll during peak summer periods.
Though they outsource components for their boats and boat packages, all final assembly is done at the Whitefish location.
Legend fishing boats have been redesigned, Dewar said.
"Their look, externally, is new. The interiors have also been redesigned." He said the 16-foot Xcalibur is the company's most popular model."It is a multi-purpose boat for tubing, skiing and fishing. It is a cruiser and a fishing boat."
Motors in the package include 50 HP and 60 HP Mercury models.
"We offer a complete package - boat, motor and trailer," Dewar said. "That way the guesswork is taken out of purchasing these components."
The company's pontoon boats - particularly the 21-foot Genesis Fusion model - are popular with the baby boom generation, Dewar said.
"Our pontoon boats are selling well. We sell them across Canada." He said features, such as a stand up enclosed cover, extend the boating season and make these boats even more comfortable for boaters.
"There is what we call a smart deck in the rear. It doubles as a bed and sleeps two people."
For more information, e-mail sales@legendboats.com, phone 866-2821, or visit www.legendboats.com or 4805 Regional Rd. 55 in Naughton.
