Not to date myself, but there is a generation or two who have never experienced life without the “talk-to-text” option on cell phones. It’s so common these days we don’t think twice about speaking into our phones, even including punctuation such as periods and exclamations marks, to send along with our messages. Sometimes what we speak into the phone comes out much different in typed form, but for the most part it’s a convenient way to communicate and yet another way to keep children (and adults) from learning how to spell correctly on their own.
One of the most common features – after text messaging of course – is to speak into our phones to search for places nearby. “Food near me” gets used quite a bit or if I’m being honest I use, “Fast food near me” a lot more often. This got me thinking about what other things I could search for beyond gas stations, which lead me to boat manufacturers in the Great Lakes.
Unless your cell phone is much more advanced than mine, speaking into it and saying, “Boat manufacturers near me” won’t pull up a very complete listing. I was only curious because there seems to be quite a few people who wrongly assume the boats found in the Great Lakes were all manufactured in Florida or overseas. While it is true there are a boat show’s worth of boats being built in the Sunshine State, you might be surprised to see the list of builders in our specific area.
Instead of speaking into my phone to find this information, I decided to do it the old-fashioned way, through actual research. Below is a listing of the top manufacturers building boats in the Great Lakes region. Like me, I’m guessing you might be surprised as well to see just how many builders we came up with.
CANADA
Connor Industries
Parry Sound, ON P2A 0C6, Canada
www.stanleyboats.ca
Legend Boats - A Duhamel & Dewar Company
Whitefish, ON P0M 3E0, Canada
www.legendboats.com
INNOVOCEAN Inflatable Boats
Oakville, ON L6L 2X5, Canada
www.innovoceans.com
Ontario Yachts
Burlington, ON L7L 5L6, Canada
www.facebook.com/OntarioYachts
Rossiter Boats
Markdale, ON N0C 1H0, Canada
www.rossiterboats.com
INDIANA
Barletta Boat Company, LLC
Bristol, IN 46507
www.barlettapontoonboats.com
Bennington Pontoon Boats
Elkhart, IN 46514
www.benningtonmarine.com
Forest River Marine
Middlebury, IN 46540
www.forestriverinc.com
Formula Boats
Decatur, IN 46733
www.formulaboats.com
Harris Boats
Fort Wayne, IN 46804
www.harrisboats.com
JC Manufacturing, Inc.
North Webster, IN 46555
www.jcpontoon.com
Misty Harbor Yacht
Bristol, IN 46507
www.mistyharborboats.com
Polar Kraft Boats
Syracuse, IN 46567
www.polarkraft.com
SmokerCraft
New Paris, IN 46553
www.smokercraft.com
Starcraft Marine
New Paris, IN 46553
www.starcraftmarine.com
Sylvan Marine
New Paris, IN 46553
www.sylvanmarine.com
ILLINOIS
Crownline Boats
West Frankfort, IL 62896
www.crownline.com
Lake Holiday Marina
Somonauk, IL 60552
www.lakeholidaymarina.com
MasterCraft Boats of Chicago
Lake Zurich, IL 60047
www.mastercraftboatsofchicago.com
Oquawka Boats & Fabrications Inc.
Oquawka, IL 61469
www.oquawkaboats.com
MICHIGAN
American Pleasure Products
Rose City, MI 48654
www.aquacycleusa.com
Andersen Boat Works
Douglas, MI 49406
www.askiff.com
Avalon Pontoon Boats
Alma, MI 48801
www.avalonpontoons.com
Cherokee Boats
Kaleva, MI 49645
Crest Marine LLC
Owosso, MI 48867
www.crestpontoonboats.com
Dewitt Marine
Bellaire, MI 49615
www.dewittmarine.com
Douglas Marine / Skater Powerboats
Douglas, MI 49406
www.skaterpowerboats.com
Feighner Boat Lifts & Docks
Charlotte, MI 48813
www.1800boatlift.com
Four Winns
Cadillac, MI 49601
www.fourwinns.com
Grand Craft Boats
Holland, MI 49424
www.grandcraft.com
Great Lakes Boatbuilding Company
South Haven, MI 49090
www.greatwoodboats.com
Hinckley Yachts
Harbor Springs, MI 49740
www.hinckleyyachts.com/contact/sales
Inflatable Industries, LLC
Birch Run, MI 48415
www.duxboats.com
Little Bay Boards
Petoskey, MI 49770
www.littlebayboards.com
Manitou Pontoon Boats
Lansing, MI 48906
www.manitoupontoonboats.com
Meyers Boat Co
Adrian, MI 49221
www.meyersboat.com
Midlander Manufacturing/L&M Manufacturing
Hope, MI 48628
www.midlanderhoists.com
Michigan Wheel
Grand Rapids, MI 49507
www.miwheel.com
Nauticraft
Norton Shores, MI 49441
www.nauticraft.com
Nickels Boat Works Inc
Burton, MI 48529
Northwood Boatworks
Alden, MI 49612
www.northwoodboatworks.com
Paddle King, Inc.
Carson City, MI 48811
www.paddleking.com
Scarab Jet Boats
Cadillac, MI 49601
www.scarabjetboats.com/us
Splendor Boats
Silver Lake, IN 46982
www.splendorboats.com
StealthCraft Boats
Baldwin, MI 49304
www.stealthcraftboats.com
Sunsation Products Inc
Algonac, MI 48001
www.sunsationboats.com
Sun Dolphin Boats
Muskegon, MI 49440
www.sundolphin.com
Tahoe Pontoon Boats
Alma, MI 48801
www.tahoepontoons.com
Tiara Yachts
Holland, MI 49423
www.tiarayachts.com
Van Dam Custom Boats
St, Boyne City, MI 49712
www.vandamboats.com
OHIO
Allmand Boats
Cincinnati, OH 45232
www.allmandboats.com
Boat Masters Marine Inc.
Akron, OH 44319\
www.boatmastersmarine.com
Celina Industries
Celina, OH 45822
www.celinaindustries.com
Checkmate Marine Inc.
Bucyrus, OH 44820
www.checkmatepowerboats.net
Dart Boat Company
Toledo, OH 43604
www.dartboatcompany.com
Duck Water Boats Inc.
New Philadelphia, OH 44663
www.duckwaterboats.com
East Manufacturing Corporation
Randolph, OH 44265
www.eastmfg.com
Golden Giant
Kenton, OH 43326
www.goldengiantmarina.com
Riddle Boatworks Inc
Vermilion, OH 44089
www.riddleboatworks.net
Skiff Craft Wood Boats
Plain City, OH 43064
www.skiffcraft.com
Spectre Powerboats
Bellefontaine, OH 43311
www.spectrepowerboats.com
Tartan Yachts (Marine Manufacturing Group, LLC)
Painesville, OH 44077
www.tartanyachts.com
The Wooden Boat Shop LLC
Batavia, OH 45103
www.woodenboatshop.com
WISCONSIN
1000 Island Airboats
Marion, WI 54950
www.1000islandairboats.com
AquaCraft ,Inc
Merrill, WI 54452
www.aquacraftinc.com
Bergersen Boat Co.
Lake Geneva, WI 53147
www.bergersenboatco.com
Burger Boat Company
Manitowoc, WI 54220
www.burgerboat.com
Carver Yachts
Pulaski, WI 54162
www.carveryachts.com
Cruisers Yachts
Oconto, WI 54153
www.cruisersyachts.com
Gale Marine
Galesville, WI 54630
www.galemarine.com
Lake Assualt Boats LLC
Superior, WI 54880
www.lakeassault.com
Larson Boats
Pulaski, WI 54162
www.larsonboats.com
Melges Performance Sailboats
Zenda, WI 53195
www.melges.com
Northport Marine, LLC
Gillett, WI 54124
www.mirrocraft.com
Reacon Boats
Iola, WI 54945
www.reconboats.com
Shepherd Boats
Lake Geneva, WI 53147
www.shepherdboatco.com
Sierra Boats LLC
Ogdensburg, WI 54962
www.sierraboats.com
Team DOTLINE Mengo Industries
Kenosha, WI 53144
www.driftermarine.com
TMC, Inc
Barron, WI 54812
www.pontoonfactory.com
