When did they stop making Chris-Craft boats?

When did they stop making Chris-Craft boats?

Chris-Craft Boats

Formerly	Smith Ryan Boat Company (1910-1922) Chris Smith & Sons Boat Company (1922-1924) Chris-Craft (1924-2000)
Founded	1874
Founder	Christopher Columbus Smith
Defunct	2000
Fate	bankrupt

What year did Chris-Craft start making fiberglass boats?

1955
1950-1955. In the early ’50s, Chris-Craft expanded its lineup to include 139 powerboat models, and by 1955, they had manufactured their first fiberglass boat.

When did Chris-Craft stop using wood?

Chris-Craft was founded in Algonac, Mich., by Christopher Columbus Smith and sons Jay, Bernard and Owen. It was the largest manufacturer of production wooden boats and remains one the most sought-after marques of classic and collectible runabouts. Chris-Craft stock wood production ran from 1922 to 1972.

Is Chris-Craft out of business?

On June 4, 2018, Chris-Craft was sold by Stellican to Winnebago Industries, the RV manufacturer.

Is Chris Craft a high end boat?

Even today, Chris Craft is a premium luxury brand that manufactures high-quality pleasure boats. There have been dips in manufacturing and perception over the years as the company changed hands multiple times, but despite all that, they are a brand synonymous with top quality.

Is Chris Craft a good boat?

What kind of wood is a Chris Craft boat made out of?

Philippine mahogany
The type of wood that makes them special A Chris-Craft original featured a double-planked bottom made of Philippine mahogany. The Smiths incorporated a water-repellent layer of oil-saturated canvas between those rows of planking. They even plugged the screw holes with Philippine mahogany for airtight water protection.

What is the largest Chris Craft ever made?

The Corsair, Launch, Calypso, and Catalina series offer many more sizes, from 23 to 34 feet. The Commander, at 44 feet, is the company’s largest boat and can accommodate five people.

Are old Chris Craft Boats good?

The older, wooden Chris craft boats were some of the most durable of their time, but they required extraordinary upkeep as all wooden boats do. There are still quite a few classic wooden boats to be seen on the water, though they are generally owned by those who can dedicate the resources to their extensive care.

What is the largest Chris-Craft ever made?

Does Chris Craft still build boats?

A Rich Heritage. State-of-the-Art Equipment. In the beginning, everything we built was handmade. Today, we still craft our boats with the same care and attention to detail, but we also use some industry-leading equipment in order to deliver the most precisely made and best-engineered boats on the water.

What kind of boat is a Chris Craft?

An iconic brand history dating back to the late 19th century, even the more novice boater is familiar with the Chris-Craft name. Originally building wooden boats, modern Chris-Craft are constructed within fiberglass hulls. Even current Chris-Craft models continue to offer classic traits of earlier motor boating in design and construction.

When did Chris Craft change his name to Chris Craft?

The company was sold by the Smith family in 1960 to NAFI Corporation, which changed its name to Chris-Craft Industries in 1962. The current successor is Chris-Craft Corporation, which produces motorboats under the Chris-Craft name. Chris Smith built his first wooden boat in 1874 at the age of 13. Years later, he built a duck hunting boat.

When was the first Chris Craft model built?

Between 1931 and 1934 the Chris~Craft Corp built 28 of these hulls. Although several cabin arrangements were offered, research has indicated that this was the only style ever built.

When did Chris Craft start making patrol boats?

It began building patrol boats, utility launches, and rescue vessels for the United States Navy and Army. And by 1945, had built 12,000 military vessels. In the early ‘50s, Chris-Craft expanded its lineup to include 139 powerboat models, and by 1955, they had manufactured their first fiberglass boat.