When I was in highschool I even built a model Chris Craft Utility, and varnished it up, and I thought it looked great. I always thought the utility boats had potential for the same attractiveness as the more conventional mahogany runabout designs, but they rarely seem to have the same level of finish. I enjoy going out on a runabout partialy for the chance at human interaction in an entertaining environment. With the exception of some of the largest runabouts, each row of seating was seperated, limiting movement around the boat, and more importantly, limiting interactions with other people on the boat. While the double and triple cockpit runabouts looked alluring, I have always had a problem with them. Boats like the Chris Craft utility boats. I prefered, the boats next to the big mahogany runabouts. However, these were not the boats that attracted me the most. It was the large relatively flat surfaces that make a mahogany runabout so shiny and attractive. Of course, with enough varnish, time, and careful brush work, any boat could have that kind of varnish. It was like a layer of glass had been poured over the boats, giving them an indescribable amount of depth. I remember when they used to all get together at the Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle every year for the Wooden Boat Festival, and the docks would be lined with people starring through the massively thick coating of varnish at the beutiful mahogany underneath. The big mahogany runabout's of yesteryear are some of the nicest pieces of eye candy on the water.
I'm sure most of the other competitors in this competition feel the same way. This 1947 Gar Wood “Commodore” won awards at the Lake Tahoe Concours d’Elegance and the ACBS Lake Tahoe International boat shows.When I first saw Wooden Boat Magazine's boat design competition to design a modern wooden runabout, I was very excited. It sits on a 1987 Trail-Rite dual axle trailer. This boat comes with a custom waterline cover to protect it. The seller has two extremely detailed binders for the complete boat history and for all service and maintenance records. The interior was completed by Champion Upholstery in Reno, NV which brought the boat back to factory specifications of the two-tone blue and gray colors. The throttle was returned to its original steering column location. The engine was rebuilt consistent with period Cadillac engines and the racing modifications retained. The side planks and deck were restored and hardware re-chromed. A failing fiberglass bottom was replaced by a no soak membrane bottom. The Gar Wood was placed in storage in a Stockton warehouse and unused from the 60’s to August of 2011 when the current seller purchased the boat from Balcao.įrom 2011 to the fall of 2012, the current seller invested over $187,000 in a complete restoration done by Sierra Boat Company. In the 1960’s, Santos sold his share of the Gar Wood to Balcao for $600. Subsequent to the Balcao/Santos purchase, the engine was highly modified by Joseph Bianchini of Bianchini Engines in Stockton, CA where he bored the engine to 365 cubic inches, balanced the crankshaft, installed “Detroit Racing” intake manifold with dual carburetors and chrome deck intake, a racing camshaft with roller rockers, a second remote oil pump and cooler, high compression pistons, dual exhausts, and a electric fuel pump. In the early 1950’s, Joe Balcao and Eddie Santo purchased the boat for $1,800 primarily because it was considered the fastest of its time. The original owner was unknown, but he upgraded the powerplant with a 1951 Cadillac 331 engine. Hull 9016 was one of the very last Gar Wood 19’6’’ runabouts built. In April of 1947 the boat division of Gar Wood Industries was permanently closed. Only 84 of the 19′ 6″ Commodores were ever produced and only a few are still around today. This very rare 1947 Gar Wood 19’6″ Deluxe Runabout Commodore is hull number 9016. The new designs were superb and worthy of the great Gar Wood tradition. In 1945 as World War II wound down to its final campaigns the new management of Gar Wood Industries decides to restyle their boat line with a completely new look. The Commodore was regarded as one of the most beautiful double cockpit runabouts of its time, and arguably of all time. 1947 Gar Wood 19’6’’ Deluxe Runabout “Commodore”
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