The Wooden Runabout Company, LLC

Earlier in June we completed the restoration of Toots, a 1948 Chris-Craft 20′ Custom.  Full documentation of the restoration can be seen on our current projects page.  We were very pleased to deliver Toots to her satisfied owner on Lake Leelanau.

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Congratulations to Mark Leonard, whose 1959 Century Coronado took home three awards from the Spring Lake Wooden Boat Show this past weekend. Mark earned Best Century, People’s Choice, and the coveted Best in Show. To see more photos of this boat and its restoration at our shop, check out our current projects page.

Ronda Beth was in our shop for some varnish work over the winter.  All brightwork was given several new coats of epifanes.  Kirk Wingard designed and built the custom interior for Ronda Beth almost 15 years ago.  Custom touches include the bird’s eye maple dashboard, built-in storage in front seat backs, 3/4 seat integrated into the decking, and custom grated mahogany floors.

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Congratulations are again in order for Chad and Andrea Durren who took home three awards from the Geneva Lake boat show this past weekend.  Their 1952 Chris-Craft 18′ Sportsman was delivered by The Wooden Runabout Co. this spring.  They have brought her to three shows (Traverse City, Hessel, and Lake Geneva) and have come home with 6 awards.  At the Geneva Lake boat show they earned Best in Class, Best Chris-Craft, and People’s Choice.  To view photos of the restoration of Lily or any of the other boats at our shop, simply click on our current projects page.

Congratulations to Ken and Trudi Lautenbach, owners of Trudi, a 1939 Chris-Craft 19′ custom.  They received “Best of Show” at the Penwater boat show in Pentwater Michigan this past weekend.  Photos of the restoration process for this boat can be seen on our current projects page as well as our brokerage page.

Congratulations to Wooden Runabout Co. customers Chad Durren, Mark Leonard, and Jeff Smith, who each showed their boat and took home awards at the Hessel boat show last weekend.

Chad Durren received a first in class (18-19 foot utility) with Lily, his 1952 18′ Chris-Craft Sportsman.  Lily also won first in class (post war utility) at the Traverse City boat show two weeks ago.  Photographs of Lily’s restoration can be seen on our current projects page.

Mark Leonard received  a first in class (21-24 foot utility) with his 1959 Century Coronado.  Photographs of the Century Coronado’s restoration can be seen on our current projects page.

Jeff Smith received a second in class (21-24 foot utility) with his 1953 24′ Chris-Craft Holiday Amazing Grace.  Photograph’s of this restoration can also be seen on our current projects page.

We recently finished the restoration of Lily, a 1952 Chris-Craft 18′ Sportsman.  This boat was remarkably well preserved and during the restoration we were able to utilize the original wood for the hullsides, deck, and all interior wood.  The owner has put together a slideshow detailing the restoration.  Additional photos can be seen on our current projects page.

We’ve added a series of photographs detailing the process we use during bottom replacement to our current projects page.  The particular bottom shown is from our restoration of a Chris-Craft 20′ custom.  The previous bottom had been replaced previously but failed prematurely due to poor techniques and sub-par materials.  We take pride in putting as much care into the work we do below the waterline as we do in our finish work.

There is one part of a restoration that doesn’t require archive searches or pouring over vintage photographs.  What you choose to put on your transom is entirely up to you.  You can’t find the answer on your hull card or anywhere else–and that is exactly what makes it one of the most difficult choices to be made during the restoration process.  Our sign painter recently paid a visit to our shop to hand-letter three boats.  You can see more photos on our projects page.

We shot some video footage during the final water test of the 19′ Chris-Craft special race boat that just underwent a complete restoration at our shop. This rare boat is one of only 51 built, of which 6 are still known to exist. It is powered by a Lycoming UHES that red-lines at 5,000 rpm. The very first boat built to this design made its debut at the 1935 President’s Cup regatta in Washington D.C. In November of 1935, Power Boating magazine provided this description:

“The first runabout event of the day, for class I runabouts (boats powered with engines of under 825 cubic inches) was featured by the initial appearance of Jay-Dee III, a new sport type 19-foot Chris-Craft, powered with a six-cylinder 225 class Lycoming racing engine and owned by Jack Dunn of Miami. Racing against much larger and more powerful craft the beautiful little…Chris Craft made a runaway race of it and finished far in the lead with the remarkable average speed of 45.023 miles per hour.”