About Paris Marine

At Paris Marine we pride ourselves on having the friendliest and most knowledgeable staff in Peterborough, Ontario. It is our goal to help our customers find the perfect watercraft to fit their cottage lifestyle, along with just the right parts and accessories to make their summer more enjoyable. Check out our brochures to see what products we offer. If you need help in making your selection, feel free call or stop in—we're always ready to serve you.

Paris Marine is family-owned and operated, and has been so since our humble beginnings, over 79 years ago. Boating is a Family Tradition, and there are generations of boaters working at the dealership each and every day. Paris Marine can provide you with the latest and best in marine products to make your time at the cottage more enjoyable. We specialize in offering the latest innovations in boat and personal watercraft technology. We combine a wide variety of products with friendly and knowledgeable staff to meet all of your boating needs. Our goal is to make Paris Marine your one-stop dealership for sales, service, and fun! We have everything you need at the lake!

We recognize that our customers have a variety of needs when it comes to their boating lifestyles. That is precisely why we are committed to serving each customer with excellence. From the minute you walk through the door, exceeding your expectations is our top priority. Call or stop by; you’ll be glad you did.

John (Jack) Paris, the founder of Paris Marine, was a Ford mechanic in Weston, Ontario in 1945. Tired of that type of work, he moved to Peterborough to become a debit collector for London Life Insurance Company.

In 1946 he started Jack Paris Marine and Real Estate, located in Young's Point, Ontario. He moved to the dealership's current location in 1958 (see picture above), and built a modest home and showroom on 2 acres of property. He sold wooden boats made by Chestnut Canoe Company from Fredericton, New Brunswick and Sea Skiff boats made in Pennsylvania. He was also a Johnson outboard dealer. Bill Paris was 11 years old at that time and rebuilt his first motor: a 25 hp Gale Buccaneer that had sunk on Chandos Lake. Bill worked with his father to rig the wooden boats with Johnson motors while he attended high school.

Jack decided to sell the business in 1973 to a buyer from Toronto, luckily at the last minute the buyer backed out. Jack and Bill worked together to find a way to keep the dealership in the family, and along with his wife, Jan, they turned the small business into one of the largest marine dealership in Ontario, eventually expanding the operation to Belleville and Kingston.

Bill and Jan's youngest daughter Deborah grew up working in the dealership. With hands on experience in all departments, it was no surprise that she purchased the dealership from her parents in 2005, just shy of her 30th birthday.

The dealership continues to grow each season. In 2022 Paris Marine added a second location in Lakefield, just a short drive down the street. This new location boasts two floors of indoor storage, a large, fenced compound and a growing canvas and upholstery department. The properties combined equal almost 20 acres. 

Deborah adds "Our family boating tradition runs deep in the Kawartha Lakes, Bobcaygeon and Haliburton. We look forward to showing you the difference our dealership makes. Let us help you make the most out of your time on the water together. We have everything you need at the lake."