Four Generations of Boating History
Integrity. Commitment. Skill. Dedication. Innovation. FUN.
Atherley Narrow, Orillia
WE'VE BEEN DOING IT ALL OUR LIVES
We are very proud of our long history in the boating business, which now spans more than 85 years.
The Crate family got into the boating business back in 1930. It all began with a small fishing boat rental operation where Fred Crate and his sons began building their own boats. During the 1940’s the Crate’s boat building expertise shifted from small fishing boats to powered launches and cruisers, many of which were custom built for distinguished clients, and some of which are still on the water today.
With the blessing and encouragement of his father Lloyd, Brian Crate’s entrepreneurial spirit brought him to the Orillia area. In 1973 Brian and his wife Heather built their own marina: Crate’s Yacht Basin, which grew to become one of Ontario’s premier marinas. Crate’s Yacht Basin quickly established a stellar reputation for selling and servicing larger cruiser-style boats and yachts.
In 2004 a prime piece of waterfront real estate in the Atherley Narrows became available and in 2005 Crate’s Lake Country Boats opened its doors. Under the management of Brian and his sons Jason and Dan, their new dealership quickly became one of Regal Boat’s largest dealers and a perennial Regal Customer Service Award winner.
Since then Crate’s Lake Country Boats has expanded its product offering with premium quality boats from Cruisers Yachts and Pursuit Boats. Crate's Lake Country Boats is no longer the small business it was all those years ago, but it is still family-owned and operated and we are proud to know our customers by name.
The entire Crate’s team is totally focused on selling and servicing boats. We operate our business with an attention to detail that some would call obsessive. We are hands-on owners who work in the business every day and we share your passion for boating!
Today the family tradition and solid work ethic continues with the fourth generation of Crates working alongside a staff of more than 20 highly skilled individuals whose mission is to make your boat ownership experience the best that it can be. Thank you sincerely for the opportunity to earn your business!
Brian, Jason and Dan Crate