Chris Craft was founded in 1874 to design and manufacture wooden boats for commercial fishing and transportation. In 1910, the Smith Ryan Boat Company was formed and focused on building fast, inexpensive boats to appeal to a mass market. Over the decade, the company became the high-end recreational boat market leader.
The shipyard’s growth was sustained. In 1927, Chris’s son, Jay Smith, was appointed president and general manager of Chris Craft, a position he would hold for the next 31 years. Under his leadership, Chris Craft became known as the world’s largest mahogany boat builder.
Around those years, they introduced the Chris Craft Runabout model, a 22-foot sports boat that symbolized the elegance and lifestyle of the time. With its mahogany hull and powerful gasoline engine, the Runabout was a huge success and became an icon in the world of boat design.
In 1929, and well into the 1930s, the great depression caused sales to fall drastically. Chris Craft decided to face the crisis by going back to his roots: he focused once again on building small, affordable boats.
After the crisis of the Great Depression, Chris Craft continued innovating motorboat design, introducing larger and more luxurious models, such as the Chris Craft Cruiser and the Chris Craft Custom.
In 1941, with the country at war, Chris Craft became a major supplier of patrol boats, utility boats, and rescue craft to the United States Army and Navy. By 1945, 12,000 military ships had been built.
At the beginning of the economic expansion in the post-war era, Chris Craft grew globally and became one of the most recognized and respected brands in the luxury pleasure craft market. They expanded their line by developing 139 new models, and in 1955, they had already made their first fiberglass boat.
The company continued producing classic models, such as the Chris Craft Sportsman and Chris Craft Continental and expanded into larger, more luxurious yachts.
In the 1960s, Chris Craft was acquired by Beatrice Foods Corporation and underwent several changes in ownership and management in the following decades. Despite the changes, the company continued to produce high-quality boats. It maintained its status as a social symbol with an established status as an iconic brand in the motorboat market.
1971 marked the end of an era as Chris Craft built his last mahogany boat: a 57-foot ConstellationTM.
Throughout the ’80s and early ’90s, Chris-Craft returned to what they loved before the war: sport boats. They continued building high-performance racing catamarans and designing high-performance boats for traditional customers.
In 2001, the company was acquired by private equity firm Stellican Ltd., who relaunched the brand and reintroduced some of Chris Craft’s classic models with more modern designs.
Chris Craft has been a boatbuilder in America since 13-year-old Christopher Columbus Smith built his first boat. For decades, Chris Craft boats have captivated boaters worldwide with their exceptional style and performance; today, that magic remains.
Chris Craft remains one of the most recognized and respected brands in the luxury powerboat market, and its classic models continue to be sought after by collectors and enthusiasts worldwide.
