13th Annual Runabout Rendezvous

Celebrate an Adirondack pastime on July 4th weekend in Saranac Lake, NY.

vintage wooden boat exhibit in saranac lake — See vintage Chris-Craft, Hacker-Craft and Gar Wood boats gathered on Saranac Lake at the Runabout Rendezvous July 6.

Fans of vintage wooden motor boats and handmade Adirondack guide boats unite! The Runabout Rendezvous on Flower Lake in beautiful Saranac Lake Village is back for its 13th year. Here’s your chance to get close to gleaming antique wooden boats and meet other enthusiasts in the Tri-Lakes & High Peaks region of the Adirondack Park.

Sleek mahogany Chris-Craft, Hacker-Craft, Gar Wood and other vintage wooden boats will be on the edge of Lake Flower. The Runabout Rendezvous provides the community with an opportunity to view some of the finest antique and custom wooden boats in the Adirondacks.

Jay Annis, Spencer Boatworks owner and co-host of the Runabout Rendezvous, looks forward to the annual gathering of boat owners and enthusiasts.

Vintage Chris Craft Boat at Runabout Rendezvous in Saranac Lake — Poster promoting the Runabout Rendezvous in Saranac Lake.

“The history of boating in the Adirondacks isn’t set in the past,” Annis says. “This is a celebration that connects generations.”

Wooden boats may be the emblem of leisure, but building, restoring, and caring for them is no easy feat.

Chris Woodward, owner of Woodward Boat Shop and co-host of the Runabout Rendezvous, commented, “It takes expert craftsmanship and decades of experience, and the Runabout Rendezvous is also a chance for Jay [Annis] and I to showcase years of hard work and meet folks interested in the craft.”

Beautiful boats steeped in history.

The first wooden boats, which became known as Chris-Craft, were built in 1910. The Detroit-area company became well known for its sleek racing boats in the 1910s and 1920s. Chris-Craft sold high-end powerboats to wealthy patrons such as Henry Ford and William Randolph Hearst.

After a name change to the Chris-Craft, the company would become known as the world’s largest builder of mahogany powerboats.

In the late 1920s, Chris-Craft extended its market into the middle class when it became one of the first mass producers of pleasure boats. The company began assembly line production at its plant in Algonac, Michigan, dramatically lowering production costs. Ford and Chrysler supplied the engines. Known as runabouts, they were fast and affordable for the general public.

Chris-Craft antique wooden boat in Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks. — Experience the timeless allure of vintage wooden boats is Saranac Lake over the 4th of July holiday week.

Other wooden runabout manufacturers included Gar Wood and Hacker-Craft. These boats will also be displayed at the Runabout Rendezvous in Saranac Lake on July 6.

1971 marked the end of an era when Chris-Craft built its last mahogany boat. Today, they continue to make beautiful, hand-crafted boats with a blend of modern fiberglass and custom touches, like teak decking and hand-stitched custom upholstery.

Gar Wood ceased producing wooden boats in 1947. However, Hacker-Craft continues to build traditional wooden boats today.

Come to Saranac Lake on July 6 to see these unique, stunning mahogany antique boats. Visit the Runabout Rendezvous website for more information, including how to exhibit your vessel in the show.

And stick around for the annual Willard Hanmer Guideboat, Cano & Kayak race on Sunday, July 7, in Saranac Lake.

Chris-Craft Runabout in action.