History

60 years building the highest-quality aluminum boats.

In April 2014, Princecraft^® Boats officially celebrated its 60th year in the boating industry and its 60th year of expertise! During all this time, we have lovingly hand-crafted every single Princecraft® boat from stern to bow right here in our Princeville plants in Quebec. Get to know the Princecraft® history.

1954

The dream is born. Aluminum proves to be a better material for crafting boats and Princecraft^® is founded in Princeville, Quebec, Canada, by Lionel Baril and his two brothers, Roger and Sarto. The company was called Aluminum Boats & Canoes at the time and produced Princecraft^® brand aluminum boats.

In the years that followed, Aluminum Boats & Canoes expanded its product line to sell fiberglass and wooden boats through Peterborough Boats, an Ontario company it purchased in 1965. Its product line was very innovative for the time, and its boats were sold all across Canada.

1968

Aluminum Boats & Canoes changed hands to the Brillant family from the Bas-Saint-Laurent region of eastern Quebec.

1970

Los Angeles-based company Giffen Enterprise buys Aluminum Boats & Canoes and renames it Canadian Boat Manufacturing.

1973

Sensing a growing market for boats, Aluminum Company of Canada (ALCAN) purchases Canadian Boat Manufacturing. It merges it with another of their aluminum boat manufacturers, Springbok^®, resulting in Alcan Marine Products. At that time, it was the biggest boat manufacturer in Canada.

1982

In an effort to streamline its business, Alcan Marine Products realigns its activities and closes its Peterborough fiberglass products division to focus solely on aluminum boats.

1985

Alcan withdraws completely from the marine industry to specialize in the primary aluminum sector. Alcan Marine Products is purchased by two local Alcan Marine Products employees, general manager Marcel J. Dubois and production manager Jacques Daneault. They rename the company to Altra Marine Products.

Princecraft^® fishing boat enthusiasts show that our high standards of quality could also be applied to pontoons. After ensuring that we were able to build pontoons to these same high standards of quality and comfort, the Princecraft ^® line of pontoons was launched.

1989

Princecraft^® gains a reputation for incredible attention to detail, and the Springbok^® and Princecraft^® divisions are united under one name: Princecraft^®/Springbok^®.

1990

Despite its strong financial position, Altra Marine Products accepts Outboard Marine Corporation's offer to purchase the company, giving it the opportunity to pursue growth by offering consumers aluminum boat packages that include boat, motor, and trailer.

1992

Princecraft^® develops a new line of products to follow market trends and compete in the American fiberglass market. It introduces the deck boat - the ideal pontoon-boat hybrid. These crafts made entirely of aluminum boasts the V-shaped hull of a boat with all the charm and comfort of a pontoon.

1994

The Princecraft^®/Springbok^® trademark is replaced by simply Princecraft^®.

2001

Brunswick Corporation specializing in recreation, purchases the Princecraft^® brand and the Princeville facilities, which officially become Princecraft^® Boats.

2004

Princecraft^® Boats celebrates its 50th anniversary.

2024

The Princecraft^® brand is now all across Canada and the US, supported by a vast network of seasoned dealers. While its primary market remains Canada, Princecraft^® is recognized as an industry leader because of the quality of its products. More fishers, families and dealers than ever join the Princecraft^® family, and create some of the best moments of their lives.