The List -- Past and Present Boat Builders

[twocents]

A couple of years ago I was having a discussion with some other very, very old timers in the boating industry, talking about California and Arizona boat builders past and present. And then it started....a list! We've probably overlooked a few, but maybe you can help and add a name or two. I give the majority of the credit for this list to Roger Giles, once an employee of Nordskog Marine in Van Nuys and eventually the head guy in charge of purchasing for Sea Ray Boats, now retired. Anyway, did we miss anybody? (California and Arizona builders only please)

Alajuela Yachts, Mike Riding (Huntington Beach) Don & Betty Chapman
Addictor, Richard Hoffman (Dana Point/San Diego)
Aftershock, Alex Torres
Advantage Boats, Harry, Debbie & Jeff Christensen (Anaheim/Lake Havasu)
Aluminum Pontoon co. (Fresno)
American Marine
American Skier (Merced)
Anderson Custom Boats (Santa Barbara)
Anarchy Boats
Anthony Powercraft, Phil Anthony (South Gate)
Anthony Boats, Tony Hagwood (Hawaiian Gardens)
Arenacraft (Pacheco)
Arri?ve Boats, Rick Wiesselink, (Santa Ana/Anaheim/FountainValley)
Arima Craft, Bud Arima (San Rafeal)
Arrowcraft Boat Co (Anaheim)
Art Carlson Boats, Art Carlson (Garden Grove)
Aqua Craft Boats, Skip Volk (Mira Loma)
Astroglass (Gardena)
Avenger Boats ? Cee Bee Manf. , Bob Brown (Lynwood)
Baha Boats (Del Mar)
Bahama Boats, Mike Parco (Anaheim)
Bahner Boats, Rod Bahner (Santa Ana)
Backer Boats
Baker Custom Boats, Jerry Baker
Banshee Boats
Banshee Sailboats, Richard Reid, (Foster City)
Belmont Boats, Smitty Weeks (Fresno)
Biesemeyer Boats, Rusty Biesemeyer Costa Mesa/Phoenix)
Blackman Boats, Fish Machine, Don Blackman (San Diego)
Boats For Sale (Clearlake)
Bravo One, Rod Bahner (Corona)
Brendella, Irv Brendell
Browning Sileflex, Fin, Flipper, Laser (Costa Mesa)
Buck Smith Boats
Byers Fiberglass, Jim Byers
Calabria, Mike Brendell, Bob Jensen (Atwood)
Caliber One Boats, Cliff Lotz
California Cat (Oceanside)
California Skier (Merced)
California Sport Fishers (Wilmington)
Californian, Art & Len (Anaheim)
Campbell Yachts
Campbell Boats, Bill & Bob Campbell
CanAm, Mike Stevens
Canyon Boats, Carter Read (Montclair)
Capital Yachts, Willmington also Santa Ana Mel Richey Sailboats
Caribbean Boats, Art & Len, Chic Sugden, Hardin Marine (Anaheim)
Carribean Boats (Scotsdale)
Cabo Boats, John Winterling (Corona)
Caricof Kustom Boats, Phil Caricof
Carrera, Dennis Winzen (Corona)
Carlson (flying wedge) ? Art Carlson
Carver Craft, Joe Carver
Cat Harbor/ Cabo Yachts, Henry Mohrschladt & Mike Howarth
Catalina Yachts, Frank Butler (Woodland Hills)
Centurion by Fineline Ind, Rick Lee (Merced)
Challenger Yacht Corp.
Challenger Boats ? Montclair
Charger Boats, Bill Russell
Cheetah Boats, Cheetah Bob, Groovy Bob Burns
Cheyenne Boat, Norm ? (Fresno/Clovis)
Classic Craft (Sacramento)
Classic Marine , Dana (Sacramento)
Clipper Marine
Coast Catamaran
Coastal Recreation: Balboa, Aquarius
Cobra Performance Boats, Jeff Bohn (MontClair)
Cole, Jim Cole (Chatsworth)
Commander, Sy Singhal,
Commercial Water Sports, (Lake Havasu City)
Conquest Boats, Jody Gamble, Bruce Nescher (Lake Havasu)
Columbia Yachts, Dick Valdes/Whittaker corp. (Costa Mesa/Irvine)
Coronado Yachts, Frank Butler/Whittaker corp.
Corsair Boats
Corsair Marine, John Walton (National City)
Crealock
Crown Kraft
Crusader, Stan Moskowitz
Crystalliner (Costa Mesa)
Custom Boat Works
Cruizon Boats (Huntington Beach)
Dana Boats, Dave & Nancy Stockton
Dave?s Custom Boats, Dave Hemmingson ? (ElCajon)
Davis Boats, Harold Davis (Morro Bay/Paso Robles)
Daytona Boats, Sundown, Bob Long
D?cucci, Joey Cucci
Deaver
Delta Boat Co (Stockton)
Dennis Choate (sail)
Design Concepts (Chico)
DiMarco, Sunny
Ditmar Donaldson
Dolphin Boats (West Coast fiberglass Co.), Paul Henderson
Down Under Boats (Kelseyville)
Domn8er Dory Sarfin
Dorsett Boat Co. (Santa Clara)
Dot Line (Costa Mesa Quonsets)
Double Eagle
Drakecraft Boat Co (Paso Robles)
Dread not
Duffy Boats, Marshall Duffield Jr. (Costa Mesa)
Eagle Marine (Corona)
Eddycraft Boats (Carson)
Eichenlaub Yachts (Shelter Island)
Electra Craft , Skip Toller (Westlake Village)
Eliminator Boats, Bob Leach
Endeavor Yachts, Dick Valdes
Enterprise Boat Co., Corky (Rancho Cordova/Pittsburg)
Ericson Yachts
Esquire Boats
Essex Performance Boats Ron Sanchez, Steve (Ontario)
Fantasy Boats, Johnny Egabroad
Farallon, Larry Obermiller (Fairfield/ West Sacramento)
Fiberglass Fabricators, Van Has Winkle ( Lyon St, Santa Ana) Super and mini sport boats
Fold a Boat (mountain View)
Fresno Boats (Fresno )
Galaxy Boats
Galaxie Boats, Worth & Mildred Potts & Bret
Gaylord Boats, Bill
General Marine, Jeff Armand
Genesis
Gils Catamaran
Glassline (Oceanside)
Glasspar Boats, Bill Trit, Otto Bayer, (Costa Mesa)
Glastron/Carlson, Art Carlson, Glastron Ind., (Anaheim)
Glencoe, (Sana Ana)
Grand Mariner
Great American Concepts (Westminster)
Gregor Boat Co., George Gregor (Fresno)
Groom Brothers, Jerry Groom
GS Marine, Greg Shoemaker
GT Boats (Cordelia)
Guasti, Nelson Hall
Hallcraft, Harold Solomom (Sacramento)
Hallett, Nick Barron
Harcraft Boat Co (Gardena)
Haskell Boats, George & Danny Haskell
Hawaiian, Dick Schuster
Hi-Maintenance, Carl Brunst
High Torque Marine Power Cats, Steve & Lia Coulombe SantaClarita/Acton/Barstow)
Hill Boat Builders (Seal Beach)
Hobie Cat, Hobie Alter (Dana Point/Irvine/Oceanside
Hondo, Irv & Peggy Brendell
Holiday
Howard Custom Boat, Howard Brown, Gene Willen (Lakewood/Valencia)
Hornet
Horizon, Bill &Gracie Holmes
HTM, Steve Coulombe
Hurricane Boats, Bob
Hydro Flite, Ron Ehde
Infinity Boats, Mark Christopher
Invader
Islander Yachts
JavCat
Javelin
Jefferies Boats (Venice)
Jensen Marine: Cal, Ranger, O?day, Luhrs, Defever Passage Maker, Balboa Motor Homes, Starcraft Trailer
John?s Custom Marine, Stoker Boats, Alan Stoker (Stanton)
Kaama Marine (Betty Cook)
Kachina, Phoenix Az (Dave Kraecker)
Kalahawinn Kustom Boats
Kal Kustom Enterprise (Fremont)
Keaton Boats (Sacramento)
Kelson Craft
KMG (El Cajon)
Kendal
Kettenburg Boat Works, Kettenburg family (Shelter Island)
Kindsvater, Harold - (Fresno)
Kingcat (Oxnard)
Knight & Carver (San Diego)
Klamath Boats (Fairfield/Napa/ American Canyon)
Kober Kat (Lake Havasu City)
Kona Boats, Jerry Baker & Stu Page ? Duane Gillis
Kurtis Craft, Arlan
Lancer Yachts, Dick Valdes
Laser Jet Performance (Huntington Beach)
Lavey Craft (Pico Boat Shop) Al Lavey, Dale Clark. Jeff & Chris Camire
LeBel Boats, Bud Le Bel
Lehman Boats, Barney Lehman (see SchocK)
Liberty Boats
Litchfield Boats
Livsay, Mark Livsay (San Diego County)
Lite, Ken, Super Sidewinder
Luau Boats (Angels Camp)
MacGregor Yachts, Roger MacGregor
Mako , Flatbottom
Malibu, Bob Alkema, Steve Marshall (Merced)
Mandella, Joe Mandella, Lou Brummet
Marlin Fiberglass (Birch St, Santa Ana) Nantucket 14
Marshall Boats: Californian
Marauder Boats aka Autocoast Maurader, Ernie Kanzler
Mariha, Paul (George the Fig Newton)
Master Fabricators (Redding)
MB Boats, Mike Brendell (Atwater)
McClauley Custome Yachts Marina Del Rey
Mel-Craft
Metcalf, Darby (see Schock)
Mitchell Boat Co., (Costa Mesa)
Miller Boats, Dave Miller
Mongomery Marine
Montgomery Marine, Jerry Montgomery
Molinari/Carlson,
Morgancraft Boat Co., Bob Riedel (Gardena)
Mediterranean Yachts, Dick Valdes
Navigator Yachts, Jules, Gill & Steve Marshall
Nescher Custom Boats, Bruce Nescher
Newport Boats
New Wave Custom Boats (Oxnard)
Next Deckboats(Brent Leach)
North Island Trawler (Corte Madera)
Nor?sea
Nordic, Orval Sommerstedt, Randy Davis (Havasu City)
Nordskog Marine, Bob Nordskog
Omega Boats, Forrest Pitard
Ortiz Custom Boats, Benny the Broom Ortiz, (Huntington Beach)
Pacifica
Pacific Boats (Redding)
Pacific Trawler
Pacific Dolphin
Pacific Fiberglass: P-Cat, sabot, Finn, Fliper, Kite Carter Pyle
Pacific Seacraft, Henry Mohrschladt & Mike Howarth
Patio Cruisers (Chico)
Patterson Boats, Bob Patterson
Performance Offshore Marine (Anaheim)
Performer Boats (Costa Mesa ? Vans, Long Beach)
Pico Boats (Pico Rivera)
Pierce Arrow, Rusty Pierce (Anaheim)
PJS Performance (Anaheim)
PlaceCraft Boats, Ron Hamilton, Frank and Tim Place
Poole Boat Company (San Diego)
PowerCat, Ray Leger
Premier Boats (Anaheim)
Prindle Cat
Poty Boats, Joe Poty
Racy Industries (Spectras - Boulder City)
Radon Craft, Don Radon
Radovcich Boats Unlimited (Gardena)
Raysoncraft, Rudy Raymos
Regatta Boats, Mo Paulson
Renagade Boats, Ron Pace (Anaheim)
Revolution Boats, Modesto)
RexCraft Boats (Phoenix)
RichBuilt
Rockholt (Marysville)
Rogers Custom Boats, Roger Wieman
Ron Jones Hydro?s, Ron Jones, Ted Jones (Costa Mesa)
Ryan
Sam Morse, Sam Morse, Channel Island Cutters Sail Boats (Costa Mesa)
Sagauro
Sanger, Jack Davidson (Fresno)
Santa Barbara Yachts (Santa Barbara)
Santa Cruz/ Bill Lee Yachts, Bill Lee (Soquel)
Scarab, Larry Smith. Sold to wellcraft. Named by Chuck Daigh
Schiada, Leonard Schiada, Ron and Lee Spindler
Schlimmer ? first day cruiser 430 Lincoln powered Before Campbell boats, also had the first cover shot of his lakes car on Hot Rod magazine
Sea Ray Boats, CN ?Connie?Ray (Phoenix)
Seaway Boats (Fire Boats) Bob Stipp
Shockwave, Danny Mancini, Bob Anderson (Corona)
Sidewinder, (Nor Cal)
Silverwood
Sidewinder, Harbor Boat house, Ken Lite, Ken Baker
Ski Brendella, Mike Brendel (Merced)
Ski Supreme (San Jose)
Skipjack Boats/Jack Cole Co., Jack Cole, Jack Riley (Costa Mesa 746 W 17th -Placentia))
SKV, Gene Racine
Sleekcraft, Bruce Nescher (Santa Fe Springs)
Solution, Bob
Sonic Jet (Huntington Beach)
South Coast Shipyard (Newport Beach)
Spees Micro Midget, Dave Spees (Newport Beach)
Spectra, Ed DeLong, Bud Bailey
Spico Boats, Buck Smith
Stevens Boats, Mac Stevens
Stoker (see John?s Custom Marine)
StyleCraft, Earl& June Palmer
Sunray Boats, Rick Wiesselink
Sundancer, Ian Dunn. Datsun powered Rayson Craft
Southwind, Gemcraft
Supra (Atwater)
Syndicate
Tahiti Boats, Dick Schuster, Bell Ind.
Targa, Forrest Pitarde
Tarva Custom Boats, Maurice Tarvin
Taylor Boats, Dan Taylor
Ted Elliot Custom Yachts, Marina Del Rey
Thunderbird/Formula Boats, Vic Porter/Jack Means (Paso Robles plant)
Tige? Boats, Charlie Pigeon (Merced)
Tiger Boats
Tom Cat Boats
Trident, Wes
Triton, George Venaris
Ultra Boats of Montclair, Jeff Bohn
Ultra Custom Boats of San Diego, John West (El Cajon)
Valco Boats, Don Henderson (clovis)
Varalay Boats (Gardena)
Vega Marine, Udo (Long Beach)
Vikings Port, Don Pederson
Waikiki ? George Newton
Warlock Powerboats, Tom Stolarz (Corona)
Weiman Custom Boats, Ray Weiman
Wenden, Bill Simpson, Simpson Buick
Western Boat Co, Gary (Redding)
Westerly Marine (Santa Ana)
WestSail, Lynn & Snyder Vick
Wellscraft, Martie Wells (Corona)
Wellcraft
WhiteStar, (Costa Mesa)
Willard Marine, Logan Ave. (Costa Mesa)
Wickens, Fred Wickens
Witchcraft, Mike Shanon
Wizard Boat: (Costa Mesa) First full blown So Cal fiberglass production boat company
Wreidt Custom Boats Jerry Wreidt (Norwalk)

W.D. Schock Corp./ Marine Fiberglass: Bill, Betty, Tom & JaneSchock
Lehman 10,12,14,
Flying Jr.
Capri14,
Snowbird,
Snipe,
Penguin,
International 14,
International 110,
Metcalf 12,
Mercury,
Thistle,
Catalina Catamaran,
Polynesian Concept 32? catamaran
Sabot,
OK Dinghy,
Schock 22, first midget trailer-able ocean racer.
Schock 23, 25 , 34, 35, 41, 55
Schock 40 (first production canting ballast twin foil ballast)
Lido 14 (the Golden Egg)
Endeavor
Tarton 27,
Tempest,
Twitchell 12,
Gary Mulls Santana series 20, 21, 23, 25, 525, 26, 27, 28, 228, 30, 30/30, 24, 35, 37, 39
Edison Electric 18
Electric Packet .
Harbor 20, 25, 30
Lap Strake dinghy
15 & 20? whaling style dories
X-Stream Boats (Tracy)
Yankee Yachts
END!!!!!!!!! AT LEAST FOR NOW??

 

[Hardly Satisfied]

That's a lot , wounder how many are still around

 

[OutCole'd]

Magic?

 

[twocents]

Magic for sure -- add now! Ken Brown, Ron Moyes, Tony Poore

 

[boatsntoys]

Go to nada. It shows the all. Also shows if in or out of business. There are thousands

 

[lbhsbz]

You forgot Dragoncraft

 

[Heylam]

Force
DCM
E-Ticket
Panther Marine (made jet boats in Long Beach around 1975)

 

[HALLETT BOY]

Bob Warren Hurricane Boats ...

 

[AzGeo]

Finish Line, Hi-Tech, Blevens, Trophy (Smiley Sanchez)

 

[dryhoze1]

Harlan Orrin

 

[saucedaddy]

Orion
Lightning

 

[FreeBird236]

How about the Laser connected to Essex?

 

[C-2]

Cee Bee Manufacturing dba Avenger Boats

 

[sfury]

I owned a Pioneer Boat.v







Pioneer Boats was founded in Paso Robles, California by Steve Hall and made primarily jet boats. It was based at one time at 8120 El Camino Real, Atascadero, California. Pioneer (in Atascadero) went out of business in the mid eighties. The Pioneer molds and name were sold to a guy in northern California who continued to build boats for a few more years. It was registered for business on Friday, June 27, 1975 and was officially out of business on Thursday, October 18, 1990.

 

[RodnJen]

Manta Rey in Placentia off the 57.

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

Finish Line, Hi-Tech, Blevens, Trophy (Smiley Sanchez)

Hi-Tech? Jim Lange Hi-Tech? Didn't know that he actually built boats......thought he was just an engine builder / rigger. Did he build boats using Cole Molds?

 

[boatdoc55]

Tommy Papp Tom Papp Racing Corona

Top line Jet Boats Steve Strange Riverside

 

[twocents]

You guys are doing great -- I knew I could count on you! Keep them coming. Kinda makes you want to get in the boat business doesn't it.....or maybe not.

 

[AzGeo]

had his own molds . He did the design work and Joe's Tooling did the dirty work .

Hi-Tech had a very advanced drag hydro design, that never got enough 'test and tune' to be a seller, he also had a few different 17's, 20's and 23's or 25's .

You need to ask him directly, but WHY would Cole allow a former shop manager use his molds ? I think not .

Funny how anyone could make a list like this without even looking at the NADA or BBFO (blue book for boats)

Maybe ask Mr 'V-drive Video', (Jerry) he started a list like this years ago and it was pretty extensive .

 

[CampbellCarl]

Unlimited Marine Bunky Muirhead

 

[milkmoney]

[emoji202]

 

[Taboma]

Bill Nollenberger -- Mercury Boats, Piru Ca.

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

had his own molds . He did the design work and Joe's Tooling did the dirty work .

Hi-Tech had a very advanced drag hydro design, that never got enough 'test and tune' to be a seller, he also had a few different 17's, 20's and 23's or 25's .

You need to ask him directly, but WHY would Cole allow a former shop manager use his molds ? I think not .

Gotcha......I just remember seeing a "Hi Tech" boat for sale awhile back and it looked a lot like a Cole. Wasn't sure when I saw it if Jim was the builder or not. You are always a wealth of knowledge George, thanks.

 

[twocents]

Using NADA would be cheating....this is not an open book test -- more of a memory puzzler/challenge for those of us on Social Security!

 

[ace one]

Fountain Performance Boats, Reggie Fountain

Revenge Boats, mfg by GAS ltd Phoenix Az

Nor-Tec boat of Florida

BeachCraft

 

[Skinny Tire AH]

Bitz. . . :cool

 

[rrrr]

Wriedt Boats, Norwalk CA.

Jerry Wriedt now lives down the road from me in wide awake Wylie, TX. He is still servicing boats and has a storage facility.

http://www.wriedtboats.com/

 

[CampbellCarl]

Fountain Performance Boats, Reggie Fountain

Revenge Boats, mfg by GAS ltd Phoenix Az

Nor-Tec boat of Florida

BeachCraft

Bitz. . . :cool

CA or AZ is the thread request...

 

[Skinny Tire AH]

CA or AZ is the thread request...

Lousy comprehension skills, noted.:grumble:

 

[ace one]

CA or AZ is the thread request...

Ya Ya at least I hit one right...........:grumble:

Okay how about Gentry Power Boats, Built for Tom Gentry, mfg by Nick Barron (I was there!)

Well's Craft, built by Marty Wells

 

[Radioactive]

Brummett Marine (Pasadena)

 

[shueman]

Larson?
Thunderbird?

 

[stephenkatsea]

Innovator Boats - Oceanside

 

[MSum661]

Giroux Boats.

Cole Mold for the Flats,
Deaver Mold for the Hydro.

http://www.girouxboats.com/

 

[CampbellCarl]

LincolnCraft

Schuster

 

[CampbellCarl]

Larson?
Thunderbird?

Were those CA AZ builders? I thought Larson was Mid West and TBird in FL

 

[Melloyellovector]

Connolly Boats- orig I believe Costa Mesa, now Havasu?

 

[Wheeler]

 

[CampbellCarl]

View attachment 451336

I should remember that one....that address is about a mile from where I grew up and a half mile from my home today...

 

[Wheeler]

 

[More2LifeThanMPG]

Wilkes Marine- Jim Wilkes in Santa Ana, ca

 

[Wheeler]

at one time was owned by Bob Bentley.

Bob is getting one ready for Comp. Jet class. Cucci has done much of the work.

 

[AzGeo]

Hornet Boats by Len Metz ?

 

[Hardly Satisfied]

I didn't see Bayliner boats, that was my first boat

 

[twocents]

Must be a lot more really, really old guys on this site than I thought -- if you got more, let's have them -- I'm updating The List as we go.

 

[pronstar]

Cobalt
Crownline


Edit:
Shit, sorry. I just saw CA and AZ only.

 

[spectras only]

Koehler Kraft, since 1938:thumbsup

 

[daveb1]

And now, after owner Steve Tripp, lost his life in his boat last year, we must add Revolution Performance Marine, out of Alabama to this list.

I still own boat #12 produced and intend to keep it. Still run around Havasua many times each year.

RPM Powerboats RIP 2014

 

[Gelcoater]

Ya Ya at least I hit one right...........:grumble:

Okay how about Gentry Power Boats, Built for Tom Gentry, mfg by Nick Barron (I was there!)

Well's Craft, built by Marty Wells

Was going to add Wells/Marty Wells.I did one boat for him,was a 24 hours I will never forget.

And I add California Cool/Stan(the Man) Moskwa(sp?).

 

[Sharp Shooter]

Maybe ask Mr 'V-drive Video', (Jerry) he started a list like this years ago and it was pretty extensive .

Thanks George, but my list is only v-drive boat manufacturers and it was a work in progress. :cool