Vintage
Race Boat Shop
We maintain vintage wooden boats.

Reproduction Vintage Race Boats
We can build one for you....

Reproduction Vintage Race Boats
We can build one for you...
We
have recently completed four reproduction vintage boats,
and we are currently working on our fifth project, a 1930's
Ventnor hydroplane design Sally Ann Jr. These
reproductions are based on
proven vintage designs, built with the finest woods using modern
adhesives and powered with
modern marine engines. These custom boats are built to run hard and
provide for many years of fun boat rides, with
proven hull designs and
plenty of power to run at hull speeds. We
also work very closely with the owner on all
the numerous decisions, to make them very personal and very special
wooden boats. They are beautiful, finely finished art forms.
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Our first reproduction
project - based on a 1960's Jersey Speed
Skiff Design
During the summer and fall of 2005, we completed a reproduction of a Jersey Speed Skiff
My Precious.
This speed skiff
was done "in
the spirit of vintage" with a wood deck and bench
seats, looks like a Jersey Speed Skiff of the
1960's, is a legal vintage race boat and runs on the
Vintage Circuit.
These boats are safe and fun to run,
with comfortable bench seats in the fore and aft cockpits, and with a stock warranted motor will provide for many years of fun
boat rides. Complete with a mooring/travel cover and a custom Eagle
trailer, this skiff loves to Rock & Roll on Loon Pond, in Gilmanton, NH.
Click here for
project photos - My Precious



Our second reproduction
project - based on a 1960's Jersey Speed
Skiff Design
Our first reproduction was a fun project, the boat ran
extremely well, and we wanted to do another one. Then in the
fall of 2005, several conversations lead to a
handshake and our second skiff project. This project had
special, ribbon striped mahogany deck and transom, dark blue
upholstered bench seats fore and aft, and was powered by a
stock, warranted Marine Power motor with a Borg Warner
transmission. The boat runs very well, lives in a boathouse here
on Lake Winnipesaukee, and gets a good workout every summer by
providing lots of boat rides.
Click here for project photos - Tinker/Sassy


Our third reproduction project - based on a a
1930's Gar Wood Speedster Design
Then in the fall of 2007, several
conversations lead to a handshake and our third reproduction project
for a
21 foot
Gentleman’s Racer.
Compulsion was an aft
cockpit speedster design, very similar
to my beloved
Obsession,
in fact we spent a lot of time
measuring the lines of Obsession and
only made a few modifications. This new
hull was constructed of white oak frames
with Honduras Mahogany planking, and
powered by a 383 Chevy “stroker” motor.
The bare hull and motor were transported
to our Vintage Race Boat Shop in
February, 2008 where work began on
project completion, and we made it in
time for the vintage regatta in Clayton,
NY in August 2008. The Gar Wood deck
hardware did not arrive from the chrome
shop in time for Clayton, but the photos
below show that our new hull design ran
very well, and we ran at the front
of the pack all weekend long. Another
rewarding
project, working closely with the owner
to make this speedster a truly personal,
Gentleman's Racer.
Click here for
project photos of Compulsion
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Our fourth reproduction
project - based on a 1940s Hacker Craft Design
In
the fall of 2009,
several conversations lead to a
handshake and our fourth
reproduction project for a
California style flat bottom ski
boat. Impulse was based
on a late 1940's John Hacker utility design, with a runabout style front cockpit,
utility style engine box, and large comfortable aft seat. We added a lot
more transom tumblehome to our design, increased the crown of the deck and took a plank off the
hull sides to lower
the sheer line profile. Hacker hardware was used, the upholstery and
bottom color was burgundy, and the mahogany deck and hull planking were
stained and varnished along with the flooring and side panels.
In keeping with
the California vintage ski boat theme, a vintage 327 cubic inch Chevrolet motor
was built at
Larry's Auto Machine
in Groton, Connecticut, and was fully dressed with
three deuces on a polished Offenhauser intake manifold and polished Glenwood
aluminum exhaust manifolds. This
reverse rotation marine motor was run on their dyno when completed, to
chart the horsepower and power curve, and also to dial in the timing
advance and fuel system for maximum power.
Click
here for project photos - Impulse

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Our fifth reproduction project - based on a 1930's Ventnor Hydroplane
Design
Vintage
race boats and boat racing are in my blood, and our
fifth reproduction project will be a reproduction of my grandfather's Sally Ann Jr
a 225 hydroplane that was an APBA national champion.
My grandfather, William Edgar John Sr. was a
naval architect, owned a shipyard in Rye,
New York, raced in several inboard
classes, and was inducted into the APBA's Honor Squadron in 1955, two years after my other hero, Gar Wood. My
father, William Edgar John Jr. raced
International-One-Design
sailboats on Long Island Sound where he was Fleet Chairman for many years and
was the first President of the IOD class, based out of the Larchmont Yacht Club
where he was very active. My grandmother was also active in the early days of
power boat racing in this country. She actually drove and won quite a few APBA
boat races, and I have two large trophies that she won in 1914.
Both my grandfather and
grandmother are in the photo.
Our reproduction
of Sally Ann Jr. will also be
a two seater and will be
built very strong with modern
lightweight power to run reliably at
hull speeds on
the vintage circuit,
including ACBS, CRA and
APBA vintage events.
Click here for
vintage event
schedule !!!
With
the help of Peter Kreissle, we now
have some original 225 Ventnor hydroplane
design drawings, and will be working
with Ken Basset to draw the actual
build plans for our Sally Ann Jr.
reproduction project. Steve Balcer will
build the bare hull and install the
drive line for us at his shop in Bay
City, Michigan. The bare hull will
then be transported to the
Vintage Race Boat Shop in
Wolfeboro for the final motor
installation, rigging, finish work,
lettering and upholstery. We are currently searching
for history and photos of Sally Ann Jr. and any
help would be
greatly appreciated.
Click
here for project photos - Sally Ann
Jr

Reproduction Vintage Race Boats
We can build one for you...
Bill John
Vintage
Race Boat Shop
603-569-5824
john1948@metrocast.net
For locals, please stop by
the shop and join our:
Saturday Morning Gatherings
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