Serial #113
22 feet long
One of only 138 built
Original Mahogany hull with natural finish
Walnut-stained king plank deck
Copper-bronze bottom paint
Brown leather upholstery
Classic lines and vintage styling
A standout example of early American boatbuilding
Chris Smith built his first wooden boat at age 13 in 1874. A few years later he built a duck hunting boat for his personal use, and his friends spread the word about its design and craftsmanship in his home state of Michigan. He quickly built up a reputation as a master boat builder and teamed up with his brother, Ryan, to keep up with demand.
The company went through several name changes and partnerships until they landed on the iconic Chris-Craft brand in 1924. At that time, they were known for sleek racing boats and high-end power boats catering to wealthy customers. They boasted superior design and luxury materials such as mahogany and brass.
Boats were originally created to be work vehicles. They helped early humans gather food and move people and things from place to place and they still help us perform those tasks today. Boating for pleasure was not popular until the 1920’s. At that time, it was only available to the super wealthy. That is, until Chris-Craft became among the first companies to mass produce pleasure crafts.
Chris-Craft applied Henry Ford’s assembly line concept to boats. This allowed them to make vessels at a much lower cost than traditional hand-built methods. In 1927 they introduced the Cadet, an affordable 22-foot powerboat. The boat came with a brand-new ad campaign promising a piece of “the good life” to a growing American middle class. They sold the boats on an installment plan, making them one of the first powerboats available to the general population.
The popularity of the Cadet wouldn’t last long. Two years later the world experienced the severe economic downturn known as the Great Depression. The 1939 Triple Cockpit Runabout in the Seaport’s collection is a higher-end custom build, this was not the norm for Chris-Craft’s made during this era. They made a line of smaller utility powerboats to stay afloat. When WW II began in 1939, they built patrol and rescue boats for the U.S. Navy.
When the war ended in 1945, Chris-Craft launched a new line of civilian pleasure boats just in time for the economic surge of the 1950’s. They also continued to offer luxury custom builds for celebrities such as Katherine Hepburn and Frank Sinatra. They manufactured their first fiberglass boat in 1955 and last wooden boat in 1971. While control is no longer with the Smith Family, the company is still around today.
This beautiful 22’ 1939 runabout was donated to the Seaport back in 2022, it is one of only 138 built and includes an original mahogany hull with natural finish; the deck features walnut-stained king plank; copper-bronze paint and brown leather upholstery with classic Chris-Craft lines and vintage styling…it is a standout example of early American boatbuilding.
Serial #113
22 feet long
One of only 138 built
Original Mahogany hull with natural finish
Walnut-stained king plank deck
Copper-bronze bottom paint
Brown leather upholstery
Classic lines and vintage styling
A standout example of early American boatbuilding
Chris Smith built his first wooden boat at age 13 in 1874. A few years later he built a duck hunting boat for his personal use, and his friends spread the word about its design and craftsmanship in his home state of Michigan. He quickly built up a reputation as a master boat builder and teamed up with his brother, Ryan, to keep up with demand.
The company went through several name changes and partnerships until they landed on the iconic Chris-Craft brand in 1924. At that time, they were known for sleek racing boats and high-end power boats catering to wealthy customers. They boasted superior design and luxury materials such as mahogany and brass.
Boats were originally created to be work vehicles. They helped early humans gather food and move people and things from place to place and they still help us perform those tasks today. Boating for pleasure was not popular until the 1920’s. At that time, it was only available to the super wealthy. That is, until Chris-Craft became among the first companies to mass produce pleasure crafts.
Chris-Craft applied Henry Ford’s assembly line concept to boats. This allowed them to make vessels at a much lower cost than traditional hand-built methods. In 1927 they introduced the Cadet, an affordable 22-foot powerboat. The boat came with a brand-new ad campaign promising a piece of “the good life” to a growing American middle class. They sold the boats on an installment plan, making them one of the first powerboats available to the general population.
The popularity of the Cadet wouldn’t last long. Two years later the world experienced the severe economic downturn known as the Great Depression. The 1939 Triple Cockpit Runabout in the Seaport’s collection is a higher-end custom build, this was not the norm for Chris-Craft’s made during this era. They made a line of smaller utility powerboats to stay afloat. When WW II began in 1939, they built patrol and rescue boats for the U.S. Navy.
When the war ended in 1945, Chris-Craft launched a new line of civilian pleasure boats just in time for the economic surge of the 1950’s. They also continued to offer luxury custom builds for celebrities such as Katherine Hepburn and Frank Sinatra. They manufactured their first fiberglass boat in 1955 and last wooden boat in 1971. While control is no longer with the Smith Family, the company is still around today.
This beautiful 22’ 1939 runabout was donated to the Seaport back in 2022, it is one of only 138 built and includes an original mahogany hull with natural finish; the deck features walnut-stained king plank; copper-bronze paint and brown leather upholstery with classic Chris-Craft lines and vintage styling…it is a standout example of early American boatbuilding.
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