What's In a Logo?

Northern Lakes Boat Co has officially transitioned logos, from our original compass rose to a silhouette of a helicopter. Weird, right? Northern Lakes Boat Company’s logo is a helicopter? At a glance, it makes no sense at all… and I am very aware.

The change isn’t just about a catchy new design. It’s about finding something that represents who we are, what we stand for, and how we serve the Michigan’s boating community.

A lot of northern Michigan businesses use a compass-style logo – I’m sure you could name a half dozen off the top of your head right now. It’s a solid concept — but for us, it never quite fit. Northern Lakes Boat Co stands for something more than its location on a map. This business serves Michigan boaters and provides real value, because we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards. And we think the helicopter you’ll find on our hats, shirts and roadside sign, will better represent that.

In 2022, I retired from the US Coast Guard and opened Northern Lakes Boat Co. During my decades in the Coast Guard, I flew countless high-stakes search & rescue and law enforcement missions, across some of the most remote reaches of North America. Six of those years were spent responding to maritime distress in the vast Great Lakes region. In that line of work catchy corporate hyperbole such as, "professionalism," "integrity & accountability," and "attention to detail" tend to have real meaning with real consequences.

Today, I operate in the similarly "high-stakes" world of civilian small business ownership, with the same high standards that I was brought up with in the Coast Guard.

So, while compasses point north, our new logo points to something more: value, service, professionalism and trust — on the water and off.

“Always Ready to Serve Michigan Boaters”

— Matt Keiper

Owner, Northern Lakes Boat Co

U.S. Coast Guard (Ret.)