Chic Marine 100% Boats, 100% Québec

“One day, someone told me: ‘Do what you love, and you’ll never work another day in your life.’ Chic Marine gives me that freedom and joy every day.”

Interview with Martin Duguay, president of Chic Marine.

How did Chic Marine get its start?

I had already been contemplating a career change for a while. I wanted to get into the nautical field. Last summer, I was sorting through my boat maintenance products, and I noticed that the majority were produced elsewhere, and that it was hard to find products that respected the environment.

The idea came to me in a flash! Right away, I drafted a business plan and approached chemists, labs, graphic designers, and printers. To my great joy, the plan was accepted by my financial institution, which allowed me to start operations. From that day on, the wind’s been with us!

What is your expertise?

Chic Marine’s mission is simple: offer the best boat maintenance products in the world and keep the local economy going at the same time. All of Chic Marine’s products are made here with raw materials found in Québec and Canada. We design them in our lab in Repentigny.

Making biodegradable products is key to our business plan, because our waterways are jewels that need to be preserved. We’re trying to come up with solutions that help us minimize the impact of pleasure boating on the environment. The large majority of Chic Marine products do not harm aquatic wildlife. We don’t use phosphorus or ammonia.

What maintenance products are indispensable on board?

You don’t need a warehouse worth of products to keep your vessel in ship-shape. The right products will keep your vessel gleaming and help preserve its value. All of our products are competitively priced and include high-grade UV protection. We want to dispel the myth that “Made in Québec” is necessarily more expensive.

Basic maintenance can be carried out with just five products:

1. A multi-surface cleaner, safe for gelcoat surfaces
2 . A biodegradable soap for washing the whole boat
3. A leather and vinyl cleaner to maintain and protect surfaces
4. A UV protection cleaner for glass and plastics
5. A quick wax to guarantee a shiny luster and protection against rapid oxidation

We’re constantly creating new products to meet our customers’ needs. For example, waterproofing: Chic Marine offers a barrier against water damage and UV rays that doesn’t give off a chemical smell. Our new gel hull cleaner removes algae stuck to the hull without dripping or spilling, unlike more watery products.

We also have solutions so you don’t have to automatically replace lightly worn parts and can lower your consumption. Our black water filter refurbishment kit will save you 60%, plus you can avoid taking yet another item to the dump.

Chic Marine products are available in more than 35 stores, and online. As a member of Club APRIL Marine, you’re entitled to a 20% discount when you order online at chicshine.ca/en/aprilvip 

Promo code: aprilvip