Sometimes the best ideas are the ones that just randomly float into your mind when you least expect it.
Four years ago, Daniel and Kate Spray were relaxing and enjoying time on the lake at the family cottage when they started looking around the lake and realizing just how out of place their flamingo and pineapple inflatables looked surrounded by the iconic Muskoka scenery.
“It was just an idea that we had because our family would have the swans, the flamingos… and we would just got to thinking that no one was making inflatables that look nice on the lake and that are for Canadians. It’s all stuff that would look good in Florida,” says Daniel.
And while most ideas typically just float away into the abyss, for some reason, he says they decided to jump on this one. They haven’t looked back.
In 2018, the former Oakville residents officially launched Float-Eh, a proudly Canadian company that designs and sells premium floaties and floating mats that fit in perfectly with the Canadian outdoors.
In the fall of 2021, the couple decided to move their family out of the city and landed on Barrie as they felt not only would it be a great fit for their young family but also for the success of the business.
“As a business, Barrie made sense, but as a family, Barrie checked all the boxes that we were looking for as far as what we wanted to give our kids as a living experience to grow up,” says Kate. “We are very much a water-driven family. We like walking close to water… so living in a city that has that beautiful lakefront is a huge amenity that we were searching for.”
With an ever-growing selection of inflatables — from beavers, racoons and the iconic loon, maple leaf and even a giant six-person 'Party Moose Island Float, 'complete with a swim-up platform and drink holders — the company is striving to set their products apart from what is traditionally found at big box stores and help bring back some “Canadiana” to fun and relaxation at the cottage.
“Aside from the look, they’re a one-of-a-kind float. In terms of quality, it’s not even close to what you’d get at Wal-Mart. We make them about 30 to 40 per cent thicker than floats you’d get at a big box store,” Daniel explains.
“The quality is really important to us because we don’t want to be going through a float every year and we don’t want anyone to be going through a float every year,” adds Kate, noting the company offers a three-year warranty on all floats.
The company recently partnered with Trees Canada and $1 from every item sold goes towards planting trees across Canada. The couple says they are trying to make less waste by having the floats last longer and then offsetting our carbon footprint by helping reforest Canada.
In addition to the floaties, Float-Eh also has seven different sizes of water mats. The three-layer mats, Daniel says, are perfect for teens or adults, while the two-layered option is ideal for younger kids and young families.
“Our biggest mat is 18 feet long. It’s massive and can fit like eight people, probably more,” he says. “ They’re just great. You lay your mat out, you can walk on them, you can run on them, push each other off. It’s soft so if you fall down you don’t get hurt.”
The thickness of their brand of mats, adds Kate, is what sets theirs apart.
“There are a lot of mats on the market right now. Just the other day we were at a big box store and (one) was at a really affordable price. Then we went up and touched it,” she says. “If people don’t know what to look for in a mat they’re going to spend hundreds of dollars on something that’s probably not going to last and it’s not going to support them.”
Looking at the overall thickness of your water mat she says is extremely important. “Just because something says it’s three layers doesn’t mean the layers are thick.”
As parents, the couple knows just how great it is having something to keep the kids entertained — and that will tire them out.
“We try to explain to people how life-changing this will be for you if you’re trying to keep kids busy. They love it, and then if they do want a break, it’s also super comfy to lay on,” Kate says.
It’s definitely much better than the wooden floating dock Daniel grew up using as a kid, he admitted.
“Since we put the water mat out there no one touches the wooden one,” he says.
Although the first few years were definitely challenging, they are proud of how they’ve managed to take one small idea and turn it into a successful family business.
“It’s been wild and we are very grateful for everything,” he says. “People have great ideas all the time for businesses. We are just really thankful that what we thought would be a cool idea — and funny — that other people share our sense of humour.”
