Although the spoon bow, sweeping sheerline and traditional trunk cabin suggest a semi-planing underbody, the Back Cove rides on a modern modified-V bottom. The Back Cove is equipped with an optional hardtop that can extend the boating season in temperate climates and keep the sun and heat at bay in the tropics. Only a pinch of wood seasons the exterior, so forget about varnishing every year. Designed by the team at Sabre Yachts and built by North End Composites (now part of Sabre), this New England boat is a wash-and-wear escape vehicle. Just as Mazda created the Miata and Porsche introduced the Boxster, so too do we now head back to the future with these thoroughly modern small boats that recapture the spirit and design of the classic runabout.īack Cove 29: A Yankee Classic The Yankee spirit lives in the Back Cove 29. As boatbuilding began to mimic the automotive industry in the relative sameness of each maker’s models, niches opened and ached to be filled. The popularity of runabouts reached its peak late in the 1950s, their styling having advanced toward the more graceful curves of the Italian boats, most notably Riva.īy the 1970s, the term “runabout” had vanished into the jargon of marketing departments. The smallest were generally 18 feet and had a single cockpit. Narrow for their length (compared with modern boats), the early runabouts rarely exceeded 35 feet. As elegant as Edwardian carriages, these easy-to-drive craft lent themselves to the modest power of their primitive gas engines. They evolved from launches that rode on the decks of steam yachts, ready in a moment to be hoisted overboard for a tour of the anchorage or they nestled in the boathouses of summer residences for short hops to the nearest island for a picnic. Runabouts have been part of the popular boating culture since the early 20th century. In addition to their emotional appeal, these little beauties-boats such as the Back Cove 29, Chris-Craft Speedster Heritage, Dyer 29, Hinckley T29R, Legacy 28, San Juan 30 and Surfhunter 29-win our hearts with their quality, versatility and lasting good looks.Īlthough the genetic pool varies greatly, these nifty small boats remain true to their original DNA. All of us love the styling of these boats, their complicity in our theft of a joyful hour or two after the workday, their quick and sure handling, their speed, the youthful image they create in our middle age and the confirmation that we have good taste. The reasons for our enthusiasm are not the least bit mysterious. Modern renditions have the same effect on me-and on a large number of other nautically obsessed individuals, if the current crop of handsome weekend boats is any indication. I don’t own a runabout of any sort, never mind a classic woody (though I’ve driven a few) but every one I see still raises goose bumps. That night, I dreamed of motoring along the river, my right arm resting akimbo on the monogrammed chrome boarding step screwed to the side deck. I can still remember a day about 50 years ago when I first watched a slick mahogany Chris-Craft rumble past our beach on the Monongahela River south of Pittsburgh, Penn. Although I gave up hot rods for sports cars, wooden runabouts continue to haunt me. I was hooked.įantasies often change with the times. I loved the staccato beat of lightly muffled V-8 engines-the sounds that came from the hearts of these old boats and cars were promises of speed and manliness. "synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.My teenage fantasies were so thoroughly crowded with wooden runabouts and hot rods that I nearly missed out on girls. A former charter boat captain, Duncan lives in Santa Barbara, California. His work has appeared in a wide array of books, magazines, and calendars. Ballantyne's writing has been featured in Classic Boating magazine.About the PhotographerRobert Bruce Duncan is one of the preeminent antique and classic powerboat photographers in America. Ballantyne Wooden Boats near Lake Tahoe in Truckee, California. Ballantyne is a builder of antique powerboats who owns and operates Philip B. Eventually, new materials and mass production brought the curtain down on this era of fast wooden boats, but they did not erase the artistry and innovation that the boats of this era represent.About the AuthorPhilip B. Learn about men like Chris Smith, Gar Wood, Horace Dodge and others whose search for speed served as catalysts for a new and popular pastime. This historical look at the origins and development of the runabout speedboat in America traces the growth of recreational power boating along with details about the boats that made the era so memorable. Step back into the golden age of the American runabout, with the smell of varnish and leather, and the sight of glittering brightwork and deep-hued mahogany.
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