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.

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 [...]

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 [...]

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) [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Our complete restoration of a rare 1936 Chris-Craft 19′ Special Race Boat is complete. Photos of the water test as well as the complete restoration can be seen in our photo gallery. 51 of these amazing boats were orignally built in 1936 and 1937 and the number remaining today can quite literally be counted on [...]