Port Alberni Dealership Earns Elite Status From Yamaha Supplier
Port Boathouse owner Mike Hudson
PORT ALBERNI – Mike Hudson has steered Port Boat House through unchartered territory and into a new direction since purchasing the company in 2006, with outstanding results.
Not only has the business floated to new heights during the Covid pandemic, it has become exclusive dealers for a trio of top-end boats. Port Boat House has also been awarded Elite Status from Yamaha, one of only 23 dealers across the country of their outboards, ATV’s, Side-by-Sides and other power products.
Port Boat House is a full-service marine dealer that includes boats, equipment and parts, mechanical services and over 50,000 square feet of storage facilities where customers leave their vessels over the winter. As Hudson says, they don’t just sell boats – they sell know-how.
Hudson grew up in Port Alberni and was a Chartered Accountant in Victoria when he decided to return home in 2006 and bought the company from Jan and Bob Cole, who founded it in 1980. Since then, he’s steered the company in a new direction by moving away from long-time brands and becoming exclusive dealers for Ranger Tugs and Cutwater and North River aluminum boats. They also offer boats from Suncatcher and G3.
The Coles had established a well-recognized and respected marine business, concentrating on service and value while establishing a solid base of commercial clients in fishing resorts and whale watching operations. After the financial crisis of 2008-2009, Hudson knew he had to shift because some boat manufacturers didn’t survive and sport fishing resorts experienced rapid decline in corporate retreats.
“We re-focused our efforts through relationships with previous manufacturers that introduced the Ranger Tugs, which was a new line, and they asked us to represent them in Canada,” he recalls. “They had a 25-foot diesel vessel, which was really like a small motor home on the water. We took it to boat shows, and we have since added 27, 29, 31, now a 43 foot model.”
Port Boat House customers, suppliers and friends enjoy rendezvous gatherings
A couple of years after, they added Cutwater, which presents similar features as the Ranger that are “like a motor home on the water, but they are sportier and faster on the water. They are both diesel powered, trailer-able boats with lots of functionality so people can enjoy an overnight trip on the water,” he says, adding Port Boat House is now their largest volume dealer in North America.
The last several years, the North River premium welded aluminum boat have come on-stream, and Hudson adds “we have a number of fishing resort and lodge customers that have purchased multiple North River boats to be part of their fleet.”
New Port Boat House clients receive a two-day orientation session, covering how to operate the vessel and use it safely.
A Port Boat House customer takes possession of a new 25-foot North River
“For many new boaters, docking the boat is one of their larger concerns,” he observes. “Ranger and Cutwater boats have bow and stern thrusters, so we spend time teaching customers how to safely dock the boats.”
Port Boat House also helps set up “rendezvous” events for customers in various locations throughout the coast, which include supplier demonstrations and social gatherings, including, in some cases, fishing derbies.
“This is a fun business to be in,” he notes. “Our customers are happy when they come in. It’s not like going out and buying groceries or other necessities. Buying a boat is something that brings joy to people.”
Especially during the Covid pandemic, as people recognized they could get out on the water, into the fresh air and avoid being cooped up in their homes.
“The pandemic saw people stay closer to home, and they were looking for outdoor activities, things to do in their own backyard, so to speak,” he observes. “The marine industry has benefited from that, similar to the recreational vehicle and home renovations industries.”
This content was sponsored by:
PLATINUM: Yamaha, Urgel’s Auto Collision
GOLD: Enex
SILVER: CIBC, Dolphin Insurance
BRONZE: Navis Marine Insurance Brokers
