Chesapeake Whalertowne Our History

Chesapeake Whalertowne, formerly Baltimore Chris Craft Sales Inc., is a 4th generation owned and operated business serving Chesapeake Bay boaters for over 70 years.
 
The business started in 1937 by a local boater named Bill Kammerer on St. Paul's Street in Baltimore City under the name of "Chris Craft Sales/Service".  This was a family business from the start that focused on excellence, serving Chris Craft inboard and Gale outboard engines.  In 1965, Bill sold the business to his oldest daughter and her husband, Joe, and the business moved to Ritchie Highway in Brooklyn Park, MD. 
 
Joe & Dottie Boulay took the reins of the company and incorporated it as Baltimore Chris Craft Sales Inc. where they specialized in Chris Craft Boats, Duo Boats and was the official Chris Craft Parts Distributor for five states.  The dealership took on Boston Whaler Boats in 1973, introducing the legendary 17’ Montauk to the Chesapeake Bay.  Soon Baltimore Chris Craft became the only Boston Whaler dealer in the region that also sold Mercury outboard engines, a partnership that would last for years to come.  Dottie operated "Dottie's Duffle Bag," a successful marine canvas shop, to complement their Brooklyn Park location.
   

 In 1982, Joe and Dottie’s youngest son Rick took over the operations of the business and became an exclusive Boston Whaler dealer.  In 1994, the dealership expanded to Annapolis where Rick’s longtime friend and classmate, Bart Hiltabidle, managed a sales office near the Annapolis Yacht Club in Eastport.  In 2000, Rick & Laura Boulay changed their company's name to Chesapeake Whalertowne to reflect their commitment more clearly to the Boston Whaler brand.  With such success, the Brooklyn Park location was becoming cramped for space.  In the spring of 2005, they moved across the Bay Bridge in Grasonville, MD which offered much more room to display new and larger Boston Whaler models, incorporate Mercury service and parts, and provide storage of customers’ boats.
The move paid off.  In August of 2005 Chesapeake Whalertowne was awarded the elite status of "Master Dealer.” 

In August of 2006 Rick Boulay Jr. and Jake Boulay, the great grandsons of Bill Kammerer, joined the Chesapeake Whalertowne family business.  Chesapeake Whalertowne continues to grow with the Boulay family.  As General Manager, Rick Jr. is credited with expanding Chesapeake Whalertowne’s customer base and offering personalized and professional service.
 
Throughout the years Chesapeake Whalertowne maintained a firm footprint in the city of Annapolis.  Rick Boulay Sr. and Bart Hiltabidle re-located the satellite sales office from Eastport into a larger space in downtown Annapolis in the fall of 2018.  The new location includes a 1400 sq. ft. showroom which will feature boats 21' and under, while the 50+ feet of docking along Annapolis’ famed “Ego Alley” will stage larger Boston Whalers for boarding and sea trials.