Golden Age
1950-1965
The peak of wooden boat culture. Chris Craft dominated the market. Families gathered at lakes across America. The runabout was the centerpiece of summer weekends.
Historical context
The golden age was brief. For fifteen years, wooden boats defined American lake culture. Families passed summers at cottages, and the rumble of a Chris Craft engine meant it was time to ski. By 1965, fiberglass was winning. The wooden boat era was ending.
Defining characteristics
- • Chris Craft market dominance
- • Classic barrel-back styling
- • Family recreation culture
- • Lake cottage lifestyle at peak
- • Fiberglass beginning to appear
Boats from the Golden Age
Century Arabian
Century tried something different with the Arabian. Where Chris Craft went classic, Century went spa...
Century Coronado
The Coronado was Century's answer for families who wanted more than a day boat. The small cabin and ...
Century Resorter
Century boats came from Manistee, Michigan, right in the heart of Great Lakes boat culture. The Reso...
Chris Craft Cobra
The Cobra was Chris Craft's answer to the speed wars of the 1950s. Car culture met boat culture — th...
Chris Craft Continental
The Continental was Chris Craft embracing the 1950s car culture aesthetic. Those fins. That two-tone...
Chris Craft Holiday
The Holiday was Chris Craft's family runabout — more affordable than the Cobra, more spacious than t...
Correct Craft Ski Nautique
Correct Craft invented the modern ski boat. The Ski Nautique was designed from the keel up to pull s...
Lyman Islander
Lyman boats brought quality wooden boat ownership to thousands of families who couldn't afford Chris...
Lyman Sleeper
The Sleeper took Lyman's lapstrake expertise and added overnighting capability. Families could cruis...
Owens Flagship
Owens Yacht Company was Baltimore's boat builder, producing quality wooden cruisers for the Chesapea...
Penn Yan Captivator
Penn Yan boats came from New York's Finger Lakes region, where the water was cold and the expectatio...
Richardson Express Cruiser
Richardson Boat Company built serious cruising boats in North Tonawanda, New York. The Express Cruis...
Thompson Sea Lancer
Thompson boats brought space-age styling to Wisconsin lakes. Those fins and that chrome were pure 19...