1920'S CHRIS CRAFT RUNABOUT POWER BOAT SHIP MODEL WOOD

A runabout is any small motorboat holding between four and eight people, well suited to moving about on the water. Runabouts can be used for racing, for pleasure activities like fishing and water skiing, or as a ship's tender for larger vessels. The first runabouts date back to the 1920s and were originally small, fast, powerful varnished wooden boats created to take advantage of the power of outboard motors such as the first Evinrude, introduced in 1909. Chris-Craft runabouts were built by Christopher Smith, a former Gar Wood employee. By 1930, the runabouts were available with windshields to protect the cockpits and 125 horsepower engines built for speed. The beautiful Chris Craft Runabout was one of first quality pleasure power boats that were affordable. But the truth be known, these boats flourished during Prohibition with the demand for speed in water transportation. During the era of prohibition, speedboat racing was embraced by gamblers, industrialists, and mobsters who financed the high-powered designs of craftsman such as Christopher Columbus Smith, John L. Hacker, and George Crouch. The remote areas along waterways on the Great lakes, upstate New-York and the Eastern shore were havens for gin mills. Both bootleggers and the Law required fast efficient transportation to travel to out-of-the way areas. Smith’s boats received awards like the Gold Cup of the American Power Boat Association that propelled the Chris Craft name to become a star among nautical enthusiasts. The boat continued to thrive in speedboat competitions and victories further accelerated the explosion of The Chris Craft’s success.

In 1926 the Chris Craft Runabout was displayed for the first time at the 1926 National Motor Boat Show in New York, New York. Their publicity fostered great appeal as they were considered as the world’s fastest boats. 1926 models featured easy to operate controls, unparalleled safety, and comfort with the most luxurious ride. These new models featured a large horsepower engine and reinforced glass windshields, very new concepts for their time