Sea Ray, once the contemporary boat most closely associated with Lake George, is back.
F.R. Smith and Sons, the historic Bolton Landing marina, is now the line’s authorized regional dealer.
For decades, the line was represented on Lake George by Karen and Roger Howard at their dealership on Dunhams Bay, and after that company disbanded, by the capital district-based Smith Boys.
F.R. Smith and Sons was awarded the franchise in 2020, one year before the century old, family-owned business was sold to Dr. Edwin Williams in 2021.
“F.R. Smith and Sons has an unbelievable legacy and the 65-year-old Sea Ray brand aligns neatly with that legacy,” said Dave Diehl, part of F.R. Smith’s sales team.
According to Diehl, members of the Smith family have been building boats, guiding fishermen and selling boats from the same location near the bridge to Green Island since the 1880s.
Fred Smith and his son James “Joe” Smith, opened the marina in 1921. The next year, the younger Smith attended the National Boat show in New York, where he purchased the first three Johnson outboards ever to be offered for sale.
“F.R. Smith’s is a place where generations of the same family bring their boats for service, and many of those boats have been in one family for generations,” said Diehl. “I even recognize some of them from my days growing up on Lake George.”
According to Diehl, the Sea Ray dealership is an extension of F.R. Smith and Sons’ traditions of serving Lake George.
“It’s all about building relationships and doing the right thing by the customer,” he said. “We’re offering a quality vessel that’s reliable, stable, affordable and which can be serviced on site.”
The new team of owners and managers – including general manager Scott Olson – is marketing the return of Sea Ray with enthusiasm, said Diehl.
“Sea Ray is well-suited to Lake George,” said Diehl. “As a sailor, I know how subject to squalls this lake is. But if you’re in a Sea Ray, with its deep vee hull, you’re in good shape.”
David Trupia, another salesperson, said Sea Ray has returned to its own traditions of offering a quality, family sports boat that’s less expensive than others of its class.
“The customers are very satisfied. The new models have the latest technology and are very responsive,” said Trupia.
Diehl has a background as a ski and sailing instructor, a public school science teacher and, most recently, as the site manager at RPI’s Darrin Freshwater Institute in Bolton Landing.
Trupia was a district superintendent for the New York City Department of Sanitation and worked in sales in other fields before joining F.R. Smith’s. “F.R. Smith’s customers are wonderful people. I love the conversations, whether they’re here to buy a boat or not. There’s something very positive about the place. I love coming to work,” said Trupia.
