SAUGATUCK, MI -- Every boat docked at the Old Boat House has a story. With names and color schemes matching their distinct personalities, each Retro Boat has both a fictional and nonfiction backstory.

Today, outboards from Honda, Mercury, Suzuki and Yamaha are available in a wide array of colors. In fact, Mercury—which once adhered to the Henry Ford mantra of “any color you want as long as it’s ...