1861-74 The company that is now referred to as Chris-Craft, was started on Point du Chene, in Algonac, Michigan, a small town on the St. Clair River. It was here that Christopher Columbus Smith built his first boat in 1874 at age 13. These Smith-built boats were referred to as punts or skiffs. With his reputation as a master boat builder on the grow, Chris joined with his brother Hank in 1881 to begin producing boats full time. As demand for their dependable hunting craft increased, the duo started building boats in rapid succession, perhaps laying the ground work for their future as builders of standardized runabouts. - See more at: chriscraft/main/company/history/1861-74.aspx#sthash.VDz15Tla.dpuf 1922 Chris Smith & Sons Boat Company is formed in Algonac, Michigan. 1927 Chris-Craft is recognized as worlds largest builder of mahogany constructed power boats. Jay Smith, Chriss son, is appointed President and General Manager, a position he would hold for the next 31 years before his retirement. Chris-Craft is also recognized as the worlds largest builder of mahogany constructed recreational powerboats. 1935-1939 Feeling the effects of the Depression, sales weaken tremendously. The line is narrowed, and the company goes back to the basics of building runabouts. 1939 Company Founder Chris Smith died in 1939 at the age of 78. 1941 In 1941, Chris-Craft begins building patrol boats, utility launches, and rescue vessels for the United States Navy and Army (12,000 military vessels by 1945). 1950 Chris-Craft offers 139 different recreational power boat models. 1955 Chris-Craft manufacturers its first fiberglass boat. (1956: Elvis Presley gains in popularity with hit song Hound Dog). 1971 Chris-Craft builds their last mahogany boat- a 57-foot Constellation™, which completes the transition fiberglass products. 1981 George Dale Murray and a small group of investors that included Dick Genth, purchased the Boat Division from Chris-Craft Industries, Inc. in 1981. 1984 Let’s Go Racing In fulfilling a commitment to return to powerboat racing, Murray Chris-Craft developed the new 300 Chris-Cat, a racing catamaran powered by twin 400 or 420 HP high performance power plants and was added to their 1984 sportsboat fleet. The boat went on to set new speed records in its class that year and in years to come. Chris-Craft was back in the racing business. As with Chris-Craft’s founder, Christopher Columbus Smith and his sons, Murray realized that a racing program would benefit in developing safe performance watercraft for their customers. He wasted no time in putting together a winning combination of equipment and talent. 1984-85 In 1984, Dick Genth entered a Stinger 312 in Bob Nordskogs Golden Gate to Spruce Goose Chase. Dick, Ernest J Schmidt, and John McCoy piloted the boat while Chuck Woolery (an American game show host) rode as a passenger. The race took place during two days (May 12-13) over a course of 425 miles. Six other factory boats were entered in the race: Baja, Cigarette, Cobalt, Formula, Fountain and Wellcraft. All boats were fitted with identically prepared Mercruiser 370s. Although heavy seas and fog dominated the race, the Stinger won the race. 1985 By 1985, Chris-Craft appears on the hit TV series, Miami Vice. Sonny Crockett Don Johnson the undercover vice cop arrives on the scene in his Chris-Craft 390X Stinger, introducing a new generation to High-Performance Powerboats. 1986 In 1919 Gar Wood (Garfield A. Woods) a Michigan native, whose name would become synonymous with offshore powerboat racing, won the Miami to Key West Offshore Race and Chris Smith, founder of Chris Craft Boats, built Garwoods first Offshore Racing boats. By 1986 the legend continued in the Chris-Craft High Performance Line following its roots building the Stinger Series which introduced state of the art coring materials, custom resins, and an intricate vacuum bagging lamination process, producing a lighter boat but not reducing its durability. From then on, boat building would never be the same. 1989 Building The Legend One Boat At a Time. Emerson Fittipalidi, the famous Formula 1 and Indy Car driver, ordered a red 31 Chris-Craft Stinger, blacked-out all of the hardware on the boat, and dressed it in an all-white, leather-laden cockpit. Fittipaldis neighbors were so taken with the stock MerCruisier powered offshore craft that Chris-Craft christened a special-edition line based on Fittipaldis custom cruiser. 1993 Late1989, OMC purchased some of the holdings of Murray Industries, Inc., makers of Chris-Craft boats and by 1993, OMC had more than 20 brands in the marketplace, ranging from canoes to cruisers. The Recreational Boat Group produced 80 models under the brand names Chris-Craft, Donzi, Four Winns, Seaswirl and Sunbird. 1995 The 1995 Chris-Craft line is among the worlds finest. Starting with ideas born from years of boating experience, these visions grow through the latest computer-added design and engineering to become incredibly strong yet lightweight boats. By the middle of 1995, OMC revenues are over a billion dollars. 2001 Chris-Craft is purchased by investment group, Stellican Ltd. Operations resumed and the new owners revealed plans for the future with the introduction of three new Heritage models and a 43-foot Roamer Yacht. 2004 In 2004, Chris-Craft celebrates its 130th anniversary and unveils plans for two cuddy models on the Launch hulls and larger models up to 60 feet. 2012 For generations, Chris-Craft has captivated those with an appreciation for the finer things, with exceptional style, seaworthy functionality and attention to the smallest details. We are known and respected for our unwavering dedication to what is best in boat building. 2014 In 2014, Chris-Craft turned 140 years old, and having such a rich history in the marine industry, Chris-Craft released the new Capri 21 vertical bow series that speaks directly to the heritage of Chris-Craft.
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 01:40:10 +0000
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