Manufactured Boats Introduction

by Bob Jones and Derrick Clow

There are a number of categories of model yachts including handmade, kit boats, and factory boats. The kit and factory boats are considered “manufactured boats”. These boats are a significant part of our model yachting past. They were available both in the United States and from abroad. The boats and kits were made in England, Germany, and France, as well as other countries.

Kit Boats

Kits were sold in various ways. One could buy a complete kit, the plans and fittings, a partially completed boat with all of the necessary parts and materials, or a factory finished boat. These boats came in recreational sizes and sizes designed to racing class specifications.

Factory Boats

Factory boats became readily available before the turn of the 20th century, some as early as the 1870s. Many types and sizes of these boats were available from manufacturers, including cutters, sloops, schooners, and yawls. There were many manufacturers making solid carved hulls and  hollow hulls. These boats were made to look like the full-size boats with weighted keels, painted hulls, stamped decks, and other distinguishing features.

New York City, Brooklyn, and Long Island had their share of manufacturers and distributors. In many cases the model yachts were a peripheral product or diversification from other product lines. These manufacturers usually produced railroad, automotive, airplane toys, and related items. Many made their own toys; some jobbed them out, and they often put the retailer’s information on the boat for stores like FAO Schwartz and Bloomingdales. In some cases, the boats were made and sold by different companies. Some of the US manufacturers shared showroom space at 200 Fifth Avenue in New York City:

  • H. E. Boucher Playthings Manufacturing Corp.
  • Ideal (Brooklyn, NY)
  • Marine Model Co.
  • New York Model Boat Co.
  • Selchow and Righter
  • Waterland Manufacturing Co.

There were at least four other stores selling model yachting boats, parts, plans and other things within a 10-block radius of this location.

Keystone and Jacrim boats were produced in the Boston area. We’ve included details on these boats in the accompanying articles