By Andy Luikens member of the Bob Speltz Land-O-Lakes chapter 1962 Dorsett is the second classic fiberglass boat that they have had and by far one, we will never let go of. The hunt for this specific make and model started when I learned that famed industrial designer Raymond Loewy was responsible for its styling.…
by Denny Newell member of the Bob Speltz Land-O-Lakes chapter For more than six decades, the N.J. Blanchard Boat Company produced some of the finest yachts, sailboats, and motor boats in the Pacific Northwest. Blanchard had built his business on manufacturing large custom motor yachts and stylish sailing vessels. It wasn’t until the early 1920’s…
by Jeff Peterson member of the Northern California/Lake Tahoe and Bob Speltz Land-O-Lakes chpaters Riva Aquarama Hull #313 was originally delivered in 1969 to Colin Will in the city of Lausanne Switzerland on Lake Geneva and was given the name Erue. In early 1969, Riva was transitioning the Aquarama model from a Series II to…
by Cheryl Ahlcrona member of the Bob Speltz Land-O-Lakes chapter My father, Edgar Ahlcrona, owned Tonka Bay Boat Works in Tonka Bay, Minnesota, from 1947 through 1972. They manufactured Crona Crafts and marketed these runabouts as the new style trend in the mid 50’s. Boating for my father and his brothers (Robert, Richard and Bertil)…
By Kevin Fitzke, member of the Land-O-Lakes Chapter I built the boat from scratch in a little over two years time. I incorporated my own styling features along with installing a small block 283cuin. engine. It’s a blast to drive and a real joy to be out on the water with.
By Don Knauff member of the BSLOL chapter I was looking on the internet for some information about my 1955 Chrysler Imperial and I saw a photo of a 1955 Desoto pulling a boat with large fins that really intrigued me. I knew I absolutely had to have a boat like it to pull with…
By Roger Fox member of the BSLOL chapter Vixen is a 1948 Chris Craft 17’ Deluxe Runabout, powered by a KBL Racing engine. The Boat is owned by Roger Fox of Shoreview, MN. The boat was manufactured in Cadillac, Michigan and delivered to a dealer in Superior, Wisconsin. Vixen has been seen on a Channel…
By Bill Rathburn, member of the Bob Speltz Land O’ Lakes Chapter. Our 1967 Boston Whaler Nauset was purchased as a temporary stand-in for a 1963 Glasspar Seafair Sedan having its hull restored. The Nauset came from Duluth where she’d had a long and hard career fishing Lake Superior using the radio name Green River.…
. By Eric Torkelson member of Bob Speltz Land-O-Lakes chapter My 1958 Thompson Sea Coaster is special to me because my father, who has now passed on, purchased the boat new from the Grueben Brothers boat dealership in Waverly Iowa in 1959. He had friends that boated on the Cedar River that travels through the…
This week’s tour features boats from 1968 The first one with the name Lot of Fun Too is a 1968 Evinrude 16-foot Sportsman with a 1968 Buick HU-16C engine. Lot of Fun Too is owned by Chuck and Nadine Breen. Chuck says, “Boat purchased in 1968 by Richard Willis of Hackensack, MN. Sold to Curt…
Many of the boats in today’s Tuesday Tour of Vintage Boats are from the Michigan area. Dennis Hansen, a member of the Water Wonderland chapter, is seeking help in finding the ownership history of his Chris Craft U-22 (Hull #U22584). The boat was originally shipped to a Cleveland, Ohio boat store that no longer exists.…
By David Selvig, member of Bob Speltz Land-O-Lakes Chapter. I believe I found it in the late 80’s while on a business trip north of Grand Forks ND. Sitting in a shelterbelt with a for sale sign on it. It was in rather rough shape from sitting outside and some rough treatment as a fishing…