2016 16 ft. wood runabout6/18/2023 ![]() The first 40 years of the boat’s existence have been difficult to track. This classic was delivered on October 30th, 1947 to the Macy’s Marina on Wawasee Lake in Syracuse, Indiana. Of those, only four are know to still exist today, along with one pattern boat! The 17-ft, 6-in model was dropped from production after just 12 models were produced. Because of material shortages after the WWII, each of the 1946 boats were moved through the production line as quickly as possible, sometimes using hardware that was most often seen on other Gar Wood boats, making each boat somewhat unique. It has seating for six, will cruise comfortably at 40 mph and has an attractive and innovative design. The sides are only modestly flared providing more width at the waterline. The reverse sheer design, generous beam and freeboard give it the appearance of a longer, larger boat. In a departure from Gar Wood’s earlier styling, it features rounded covering boards, a barrel bow, barrel stern and an all-mahogany finish. The 17-foot, 6-inch runabout was intended to provide a fast, flashy boat to compete with Chris-Craft’s 17-foot Deluxe Runabout, the Century Sea Maid, and the Higgins 17-foot sport utility. When pleasure boat production resumed after WW II, Gar Wood again made their high-performance runabouts using high-quality matched mahogany even though materials were difficult to come by and very expensive.Ī new model in 1946, only a dozen 17' 6" deluxe runabouts were ever produced. I love driving her on our small 900 acre Lauderdale Lakes lake chain, since her narrow beam cuts through the chop very with no bounce.Ī very rare Gar Wood. She won the "Best Preserved" ACBS silver plate award in 2007 at the Glacier Lakes ACBS Chapter show and again at the Blackhawk Chapter show in 2008. She has her original engine, and has no wood replaced other than bottom planks. I found her in 1984, and knew we were meant to be together, since we were born in the same year (1934). She was delivered to Lake LaBelle near Oconomowoc, WI and was stored in her bouthouse for 20 years after the first owner died. I am the second owner of the Silver Fox (GarWood's nick name). However, in going small, they maintained their tradition of using full leather upholstry and more horsepower than most contemporaries. Previously, they never offering any thing less that 22 ft. GarWood responded by offering a small boat (16 ft) for the first time. 1934 Garwood Split cockpit (sweet sixteen)ĭuring the depression wooden boat sales tanked, like most sales.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |