Chris-Craft history

These Smith-built boats were referred to as "punts" or "skiffs." With his reputation as a master boat builder on the grow, Smith joins with his brother Hank in 1881 to begin producing boats full time.

In 1884 they built a boathouse, and boatbuilding soon supplanted the hunting business.

In 1910, the Smith Ryan Boat Company was formed.

In 1922, the Smith Ryan Boat Company changed its name, and the Chris Smith & Sons Boat Company was formed.

1928: National Automotive Fibers, Inc., is established.

In 1930, the company changed its named to Chris-Craft, and over the years its fortunes rose and fell with the economy.

During the Great Depression the company scaled back their designs to stay afloat - a 16' utility could be bought for just over $400 in 1935.

Chris Smith died in 1939, but his son Jay proved to be an equally able builder of boats and the company continued to flourish.

1948 Chris-Craft 22' Utility - Decking, Windshield and Chrome Hardware

In the early ‘50s, Chris-Craft expanded its lineup to include 139 powerboat models, and by 1955, they had manufactured their first fiberglass boat.

NAFI's financial health provided the means in 1960 to acquire the Chris-Craft Company, a boat manufacturer worth $50 million.

The combined sales for 1968 were $89 million.

1971 marked the end of an era, as Chris-Craft built their last mahogany boat – a 57-foot ConstellationTM.

In 1981 Chris-Craft obtained a 19.5 percent ownership of United Television, Inc.

In 1984 Warner Communications, Inc., in an attempt to avert a hostile takeover by Australian investor Rupert Murdoch, welcomed Chris-Craft's investment in the company.

That company had bought Chris-Craft after it had declared bankruptcy in 1988 because of falling sales after years of squandering its reputation by selling generic boats.

In 1989, when Time Inc. merged with Warner Communications to form Time-Warner Inc., Chris-Craft's investment garnered $2.3 billion.

But first, Chris-Craft, which had moved to Sarasota in 1990, had to become a company worth buying.

By 1992 the company owned and operated six independent and two network-affiliated television stations, and it had become the nation's sixth largest television broadcaster and the second largest independent television producer in the country.

Chris-Craft took a significant step in the broadcasting market in 1994 when the company announced the formation of a fifth national network--United Paramount Network--in cooperation with Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Television Group.

As part of the agreement, Chris-Craft owned 100 percent of UPN, with Paramount having the option to acquire an equal share through January 15, 1997.

One new program that debuted in October 1998 set a record for achieving the lowest first-run broadcast rating during prime time.

Indeed, Chris-Craft could afford to ride out UPN's shaky and costly beginnings, for the company remained debt-free, with consolidated cash and marketable securities holdings of $1.39 billion as of mid-1999.

2001 -- Chris-Craft is purchased by investment group Stellican Ltd.

2002 -- Chris-Craft unveils plans for two cuddy models on the Launch hulls and larger models up to 60 feet.

2003 Chris-Craft Corporation is making 600 boats a year; sales are about $30 million.

2004 -- Chris-Craft celebrates its 130th anniversary.

Eventually the brand was purchased and resurrected with 4 new models being released in 2006 at the Miami International Boat show.

Scott joined Chris-Craft in October 2010.

Allison Scharnow joined Chris-Craft in the summer of 2013.

Matt McGinnis joined the Chris-Craft team in late 2014 as Vice President of Manufacturing.

One of the goals the Winnebago board of directors gave Happe when he was brought in to lead the company in January 2016 after 20 years with the Toro Co. was diversification.

While no longer a family affair - the company purchased by Winnebago in 2018 and still offers beautifully designed modern boats with styles that hint back at the companies golden age.