Northern Yachts Ltd (Ajax, Ontario)

Northern Yachts Limited was a Canadian boatbuilding company founded in 1969 by Bill Shaw in Ajax, Ontario, specializing in high-quality fiberglass sailboats designed for performance cruising and IOR racing on the Great Lakes. Best known for the Sparkman & Stephens-designed Northern 29 (1970–1987, ~150 units built) and the C&C-influenced Northern 34, the firm emphasized durable hand-laid hulls, balsa-cored decks, and practical interiors tailored to cold-water sailing. Operating from a modest facility near Toronto, it produced a small but respected lineup including the Northern 25 and Northern 38 before ceasing operations in the late 1980s amid shifting market demands and economic pressures in the marine industry.