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There are three companies associated with Dart Boats. All made their runabouts of wood, with oak and ash for the keel, chines, bent frames, station frames, and battens and mahogany for the planking. These are often true Mahogany runabout specifications. Dart was somewhat different in that they used brass angle plates in their construction as well as brass screws and copper rivets. The rivets and screws were said to be every “a row of rivets or screws every 4 inches from stem to stern” according to 1927 Dart Boat literature.

Dart Boats were first made by the Indian Lake Boat Company, Inc. in Lima, Ohio which licensed the Canadian boat builder, Greavette Boats Limited to make some of their designs and use their hardware. Greavette made just 31 boats under this license and then changed to another runabout design. Their Greavette Dart boats production were spread out among four models; two 18’ different boat models, plus a 23’ and a 26’ boat model.

In 1928 the name and rights to Dart Boats were sold by Indian Lake Boat Company to Dart Boats Incorporated in Toledo, Ohio which had Webb Hayes II, as its chief operating officer. He was the grandson of Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19^th President of the United States and ex-congressman and ex-Governor of Ohio. This company ended production and closed in 1933.

Dart Boats made two styles in a 18 ½’ length boat, a 22 1/2’ by 6’ 1” (the Dart Jr)., a 26’ by 6’ 8” (the Dart), a 29’ and a 30’. The longer boats were usually offered in several designs. A 30’ Gold Dart triple cockpit powered by a Chrysler Imperial engine was considered the top-of-the-line. A Silver Dart (26’) was another model name as well as the previously mentioned “Dart” and “Dart Jr”.

Irving J. “Hocky” Holler designed the boats (he also designed some Richardson Boats/Yachts, later) to handle the Lake Erie chop and they advertised that a Dart Boat design featured: “seaworthiness, speed per Hp, and ride quality” compared to other brands of the era.

GarWood speedboats first built wood runabouts as a triple cockpit boat in 1922. She was a 33’ long speedboat that used the hull shape and design from his race boats. This model was the famous Baby Gar. By 1927 Gar Wood added a second Baby Gar triple cockpit in a 28’ length. By 1930, these were joined in production with a 22’ speedboat. The 18’ and 25’ models came along in 1931. All these power boats were cockpit runabout speedboat models.

Wood was the boat building material of choice for all boat builders back then. Mahogany was used for planking and often oak for the framing. GarWood Boats were no different about the wood choices, just in the specific boat design details and the quality of the finished product. He and his company wanted the highest quality in all the boats that wore the Gar Wood name.

In 1935 GarWood added a 20’ utility (or open) runabout to its line of boats. This was its first utility design. More utilities were added in a 20’ length in 1936, a 18’ in 1936, and a 24’ utility in 1937. These power boats were all made of wood also.

No discussion about this yacht should happen without a mention about its yacht designer, Tom Fexas. He used some extra ordinary design skills, grand style, and technical acumen to create a special yacht in the Midnight Lace boats. He first used his thoughts about fast power cruising using modest power in his 44’ Midnight Lace model. I have driven an example of one of those cruisers in the Pacific Ocean. A very nice boat, but somewhat under powered as that one had twin small Renault engines under its cockpit. The Renaults also were smoky engines on that 44’ boat cruise and that was a fairly big issue to me at that time.Tom Fexas made a fast yacht in the Midnight Lace 52 by watching the hull weight and its balance along with a easy to push, narrow beam hull shape.

He has said that the design was “inspired…by the slippery old hulls…of the rumrunners” and the yacht designs of Consolidated and Elco boats.

She is a 52’ yacht with less than 10 tons in displacement! Her 13’ beam makes her narrow compared to other boats of this length. Yet the boat has a double berth master with its own head (with a short bath tub). Plus, a private guest stateroom that has two single berths and there is also a fully found second head.

Cheoy Lee built this yacht in 1983 using the latest fiberglass construction with coring for a light weight composite hull. They constructed a glorious interior to match her exterior design. She has since been updated and her equipment has been generously replaced as needed by an attentive yacht owner.

Oh yah, I saved the best for last…a Midnight Lace is a bow rider.

The photos are from Yachtworld.com that has this yacht currently for sale.

One of 419 examples of this model size built the year that she was made and one of the best old style ski boats is this mahogany Century 16’ Resorter model. This one has a replacement 260 Hp Chevy Mercruiser inboard V-8 for power and she really goes when a skier says “hit it”. She is a high speed, speedboat.

A wood runabout Century boat has a good amount of v (vee) at the bow that flattens aft for a very shallow amount of deadrise for the most speed and quick acceleration that a performance boat on lake waters needs.

Further, a Resorter Century from this era used the light but strong batten seam construction style for her hull construction. She has many athwart ship frames as well as having seam covering longitudinal battens that the planks are both fastened to (A separate wood batten runs behind all of the planking seams to add strength and water tightness to the hull in this style of boat building).

 A hard chine, v-bottom mahogany runabout was and is the runabout style of choice for many water sports. She is best described as a utility, as each passenger row is easy to get between, rather than being described as a twin cockpit mahogany speedboat.

Straight shaft inboard runabouts with their separate prop, rudder, and propeller strut, are one of the oldest, most reliable ways to design a timber boat. And, Century was a quality leader in both design and styling in the 1950s era. This classic mahogany runabout was the official tow boat brand in the late 1950s, not a Chris Craft.

Century Boat Company started in the wood boat business in 1926 and by 1969 had stopped production of wood hulled boats as they continued on with fiberglass boats.

The photos are from antique boat america.com that has this boat for sale.

16 century wood boat 1959 model

Dashboard of the 16' Resorter Century

AHacker Craft underway on the Lake

Hacker Craft makes wood boats even today in the USA. They continue to believe that a wood boat offers the best qualities of ride and performance for a recreational boater to enjoy our waterways. Wood is not the path to the lowest price for enjoyment on the water, but for a hobby, how far up in importance is price?

With Hacker Craft being located on Lake George in upstate New York, the highest achievement of boating fun is often tied up at a nearby dock at the signature lake. Feel the experience of a fine wood classic craft for yourself if you are in the market for a boat. I did and must say, I was impressed with the ride and handling of a Hacker Craft inboard.

She rides level, takes a good chop very well, and gives a solid bite on the water for all on board. This is a signature boat – an excellent example of what boating can be about.

By the way, Neiman Marcus will have a Hacker Craft in its upcoming Christmas catalog this year.

a new Hacker Craft at the dock

Bertram Yachts 64' Sport Fishing Boat

Bertram Yachts are using traditional wood as one of a selection of boat building material on their new 64’ sport fisher. Sport-fishing is the field of boat building that Bertram Yachts is known for. They have been at it since the early 1960s.

Using the Bertram deep vee hull design that has in one size and shape or another is again the foundation for the new yacht as it has been for some 50 years now. Added to it Bertram used their Italian design and styling groups.

The new yacht made its first showing at the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show that just now finished its successful 2011 run.

 
The teak lined cockpit shown is one area that wood is used in boat building by Bertram. Here, a refer/freezer as well as fish boxes, fishing pole storage, and a bait station deliver all that a sports fisherman would lust for to pursue his or her hobby.

Powered by 3,850 Hp the new 64′ Bertram is said to achieve over 45 mph at W.O.T.

Note should be also made that the parent company of Bertram Yachts,  has annonced that they have or are going to be re-financed again to weather the current economic conditions.

66' Baglietto for sale at yachtworld.com

Baglietto is a shipyard that builds and has built fine mega yachts, motor yachts, and speed boats in its home country of Italy.

Baglietto was founded as a boat builder in 1854. They relocated to a waterfront wood boat building plant in around 1890. They built sail boats there and then crafted their first motor boat in 1906. At that time, it has been said that such an antique and classic wood craft would be called an automotive boat.

During the nineteen teens and the nineteen twenties they mostly made government boats and seaplanes. By the 1950s they were known for their speedboats as well as motor yachts with sailboats. They made sail craft, it seems, until about the middle of 1956.

Baglietto used mahogany, iroko, and teak for their wood boats. They also used plywood by the 1960s in their yachts, cruisers, and day boats.

In the 1970s, Baglietto changed to aluminum as their preferred boat building matieral. This was also the intial time that the ship yard built mega yachts.

Chris Craft Runabout

 This a Chris Craft runabout under rstoration at a company that does quality classic boat work, Wooden Boat Restoration LLC. I also have seen the boat all but finished except for final “punch List” work. She is a great sight to see. She is 15  1/2 feet in lenght and powered as a speed boat should.

Sly Fox is a classic wood runabout, with two cockpits and two rows of seating aboard with good room for all.

She uses a utility style layout for ease of acess between the two cockpits. An engine box keeps the mechanicals out of the seating areas.

Its a joy to explore the lakes and bays of america’s waterways in such an antique and classic boat. Its a different feeling than one gets in a new boat. People that share the water with you give you a smile and a wave as they like seeing you and the boat in use.

on display at the show

The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show opens on October 27 and runs through October 31, 2011.The Boat Show exhibits new boats from boat and yacht companies as well as yacht designers and used or brokered yachts.

A variety of boats and ocean vessels will be on display including runabouts, sport fishing boats, high performance racers, medium sized cabin cruisers, skiffs, express cruisers, motor yachts, bow riders, catamarans, trawlers, inflatables, and extraordinary super yachts.

Covering six locations and some 3 million square feet of space, the show has a transportation network of land bus, water craft, and river boats to get around the show.

A great venue for a boat show, Ft. Lauderdale, has the water and land items that make for a great boating experience.

The best day for most is the first day, although one can’t see all of the show in a day. Take even non boaters with you, it’s a terrific venue.

• L.O.A. without Standard Pulpit … 30’6″ – 9.29 meters
• L.O.A. with Standard Pulpit … 33’0″ – 10.06 meters
• L.O.A. with Standard Pulpit and Standard 40″ Swim Platform … 36’4″ – 11.07 meters
• Beam … 12’6″ – 3.81 meters
• Draft (with Props) … 2’8″ – 0.8 meters
• Approximate Dry Weight … 13,225 lbs. – 5,999 kg
• Height from Waterline to Top of Standard Hardtop … 8’11″ – 2.7 meters
• Standard Fuel Capacity … 210 U.S. gallons – 794.94 liters
• Water Capacity … 33 U.S. gallons – 124.92 liters
• Holding Tank Capacity … 20 U.S. gallons – 75.71 liters
• Sleeping Accommodations … 4
• Cockpit Size …
  • Upper:  55 sq. ft. – 5.1 sq. meters
  • Lower:  64 sq. ft. – 5.9 sq. meters
• Dead rise at Transom …14o
• ….Now a drier running boat with the standard pockets
• …cruises with the same efficiency from roughly 25 mph to 31 mph.