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Until this century, whenever people built boats, they did it by hand, one at a time. In 1925,
Chris Smith borrowed the new standardized production methods that had transformed the auto
industry and began using them in his plant in Algonac, Michigan. In doing so, he revolutionized
the entire boat building industry.
In 1927, Smith started production of the 22-foot Cadet runabout. Production soon tripled, then doubled again the next year. Smith integrated almost every component of the business, from foundry work to volume purchasing of Philippine mahogany to development of a marine engine division. With ceaseless innovation, Smith's boats got faster and faster, winning almost every major race. But Smith never compromised the craftmanship that still makes Chris-Crafts collectors' items. With their double-planked mahogany hulls and polished brass deck hardware, Chris-Crafts combined workmanship, speed, and beauty.
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