Lapstrake wooden boats. Hand-built since 1904.
Restored and serviced in Minnesota.
A line of wooden boats that began in 1904 on the lakes of Ontario, crossed the border in 1959, and has been hand-built by Amish and Mennonite craftsmen ever since.
The story starts with brothers Victor and Stanley Henry near Peterborough, Ontario. The boats they built — the Henry Boat Company — earned their reputation on the harsh waters of Canadian lakes and rivers. Lapstrake hulls, high freeboards, made to come home.
In 1959 the company crossed the border into the American Midwest, settled in Plain City, Ohio, and took the name it carries today: Skiff Craft.
Brothers Victor and Stanley Henry open the Henry Boat Company on the lakes of Ontario. Lapstrake hulls, high freeboards — wooden boats built for harsh Canadian waters and made to come home.
The company crosses into the American Midwest, settles in Plain City, Ohio, and takes the name it carries today: Skiff Craft. The original jigs travel with it. Amish and Mennonite craftsmen from the surrounding community build every hull — hand-fitted, plank by plank — from that day forward.
At the height of the wooden-boat era, Skiff Craft turns out as many as 150 boats a year. The X220, X240 and X260 runabouts cruise the Great Lakes and inland waters across the Midwest. The last new hull leaves Plain City in 2011.
The Skiff Craft name lives on under the ownership of Midwest Boat Appeal and Marine Plywood in Minnesota. Full restoration, service and parts — the same standard of craftsmanship that began in Peterborough more than a century ago.
Covered helm, mahogany windshield frame, generous freeboard. Built to drive the Great Lakes in any weather.
Open cockpit, single helm, classic lapstrake hull. The signature Skiff Craft — built for fishing, day cruising, and weekends on the water.
Cabin tucked forward for overnighters, open cockpit aft. A weekender that still fits a single garage.
Philippine mahogany. Quarter-sawn, properly dried, hand-selected for grain and tone.
Steam-bent, kiln-dried. Used for frames, ribs, and structural members below the waterline.
BS 1088 throughout. Phenolic-glued, void-free, certified to British Standard.
Silicon and naval bronze fasteners. No ferrous metals in contact with the hull.
10 to 15 coats of marine varnish, hand-rubbed between each. A finish you can see your reflection in.
Chrome and polished brass. Period-correct fittings, fasteners, and trim.
Service available through Midwest Boat Appeal and Marine Plywood, St. Bonifacius, Minnesota.