In 1966, Owen and Mary Boyle retired from ownership of the Canadian Tire business in Tillsonburg Ontario. With the assistance of some friends, and his youngest son Pat, they cruised the Mary Lyn from Port Burwell to Providence Bay, Manitoulin Island.
The Mary Lyn was a dream project for Owen. He had the steel hull frame built at a local Tillsonburg welding manufacturer and transferred to a neighbour’s yard. He then proceeded, in his spare time, to build the staterooms, bathrooms (heads), engine room, pilothouse, galley, dining area, aft salon, etc. When he finally finished the Mary lyn was transported to Port Burwell to be launched.
After arriving in Providence Bay, Owen had to look for a place to store Mary Lyn for the winter. He decided to take a cruise to the other side of the Island to Little Current which would change his fate forever.
While tied up at the Little Current town dock, Owen walked over to the local Marina to ask if he could get Mary Lyn hauled out and stored for the winter.
The Marina was called “MacGregor Marine” and was owned and operated by Bill MacGregor who started (and lived) at the Marina. Owen, being retired at a fairly early age and looking for a project, asked Bill if he would be interested in selling the Marina. Bill, who was getting closer to retirement age, agreed to sell and to stay on working as long as he was able.
The Marina’s name changed from “MacGregor Marine” to “Boyle’s MacGregor Marine”. In 1977 Owen changed the name again to “Boyle Marine”.
Owen and Mary then put out a notice to his children to inquire if any of them were interested in taking over the Marina. Their children were already quite involved in their careers but Pat (the youngest son) his wife Marlene and young family decided to give it a try.
So in 1979 Pat and his wife Marlene, along with their son Brian of 2 years and their daughter Jennifer of 6 months, left their jobs in Tillsonburg and moved back to Manitoulin Island.
Owen and Mary stayed on for a few years to help Pat and Marlene rebuild the Marina and show them the ropes.
In 2001 Pat and Marlene’s son Brian and his wife Martha (along with their 1 yr old son Brandon) left their jobs in Barrie. They moved back to Little Current to help build the marina business…and the rest is history :).
Pat and Brian are now co-owners of Boyle Marine Ltd.