Builders

14 legendary boat builders

Bertram built boats for people who fish for a living. The deep-V hull design licensed from Ray Hunt became the template ...

Boston Whaler defined what a small utility boat could be. The foam-core construction eliminated the fear of sinking. The...

Century was the everyman's Chris Craft — similar quality, slightly lower price, strong Great Lakes presence. The company...

The deadrise hull is the Chesapeake's signature — a V-shaped bottom that handles the bay's chop while providing a stable...

Chris Craft defined what a wooden runabout should look like. The Riviera, the Sportsman, the Continental — these names m...

Correct Craft found their niche in the emerging water ski market. Florida's year-round water access gave them a testing ...

Gar Wood won the APBA Gold Cup nine times and the Harmsworth Trophy five times. When he built production boats, he broug...

Glasspar arrived before most people knew what fiberglass was. Their boats proved the material was viable — lighter than ...

Hacker boats were always premium — more refined than Chris Craft, more elegant than Gar Wood. The triple cockpit layout ...

Eisenhower said Higgins won the war for us. Over 20,000 Higgins landing craft were built. After the war, Higgins tried t...

A Lyman was the sensible choice — sturdy, stable, and built to last. The lapstrake construction gives them a look that's...

When you picture a center console, you're picturing what Mako created. The company focused on what fishermen actually ne...

Penn Yan boats were the workhorses of Finger Lakes summers. Compact, fast, and built to last — many are still running on...

Thompson boats were the choice of practical Midwest families. Solidly built, reasonably priced, and designed for the Gre...