It’s A Lovely Lapstrake Love Day In Little Woodyboaterville Today!

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Robert Miracle shot this on Lake Erie! Lyman Love

When we did the little story on the sea skiff the other day, we were reminded of how passionate the lapstrake folks were. WOW, over 40 comments on an ebay Sea Skiff. So Texx and I had a board meeting last night and voted today Lapstrake Love Day in Woodyboaterville. We have planted the seed with some very nice Robert Miracle pictures, now all you have to do is the same. It’s easy now to add pictures to the comment section. just make sure they are under a megabyte, otherwise it will just not loud. Happy Lapstrake Love Day!

Post your favorite lapstrake Love Shot!

Big or small, Lapstrake Love is in all of us today!

Have you hugged your lapstrake today?

Post your lapstrake love shots in the comment section.

123 replies
  1. Doug McLaughlin
    Doug McLaughlin says:

    Is this cheating? It IS lapstrake, it HAS wood, it IS a Penn Yan, but, alas, the hull is Fiberglass

  2. matt
    matt says:

    There is no way to cheat on Woody Boater, there has to be rules first to cheat. What a fantastic shot!

  3. Bill
    Bill says:

    penn yan made wood lapstrakes also i can remember the 15 or 16 foot models i dont know if they made larger ones or not but thompson and thier offshoot crusiers inc. made some great larger models i had a 23 foot thompson with a slant 6 chrysler in it great boat

  4. m-fine
    m-fine says:

    First of all, fiberglass Penn Yan’s are classics dammit.

    Now about the pictures. No matter how small I make the pictures before I ask the server to load them, they are all still and silent. I can’t seem to get any video, let alone something that is loud.

  5. Rick
    Rick says:

    Trying to velcro some extra wood onto my CC today to make it look lapstrake, not really working out too well. Dad 1st boat was a 19′ Pembrook lapstrake, wish I had a picture of it. Posted pics look great keep them coming.

  6. don hardy
    don hardy says:

    We have had more lapstrakes come to the shop for resto,
    now more than ever before. One from the Great Lakes.
    I think something is happening here.
    Don

  7. RRGadow
    RRGadow says:

    Oh yeah!…Heres our 56 Lyman…with the original 57 Johnson Javelin. She looks good with the 1940 33′ Chris Craft!

  8. John Baas
    John Baas says:

    I got your Lapstrake Love right here! Two Cruisers Inc Holidays and a Chetek Duchess. Guess which ones I’m still working on!

  9. Dan Kimball
    Dan Kimball says:

    We love lapstrakes…..sold our 1956 18′ Sea Skiff this fall and replaced her with a 1967 22′ Century Raven. Can’t wait for spring!

    • Allen
      Allen says:

      Did you buy your Raven in Cheboygan this summer? There was one for sale there. we have a place on Mullett Lake where we keep our 22′ Sportsman.

      • Dan Kimball
        Dan Kimball says:

        Yes it’s the same boat that was for sale in Cheboygan. We’ll be keeping her in Indian River this summer!

  10. Chad
    Chad says:

    Miss my baby, SCOUT

    Sold it a decade ago to a man on the Ohio River. I might be tempted to buy her back if I could find her.

    • Derek S
      Derek S says:

      You posted this a long time ago, but I would love to see more pictures of your boat! I have a ’61 202m as well.

  11. Bartlomiej
    Bartlomiej says:

    Lapstrake Love. My 25′ 1963 Lyman Soft Top Sleeper.
    NOSTALGIA is currently for sale as well! $5000 obo. Email me for details. bartlomiejwnek(AT)hotmail.com

  12. Dennis Mykols
    Dennis Mykols says:

    You guys are KILLIN ME HERE!!! 8 more days till I drive down to Cincini are sit in my NEW 1969 Lyman 22 footer. I hope there are no snow storms next weekend, so I can bring her home to Michigan.
    The last picture in the opening series of pictures is exactly like my new Lyman.
    Got to like all the LYMAN LOVE going on here today…
    Now Matt, stop killin me here!

    • Grant Stanfield
      Grant Stanfield says:

      Ravens are great boats; I worked on a 1957 22′ Raven briefly and I was fascinated by the neat Century detailing. Here’s an evocative illustration-

    • Grant Stanfield
      Grant Stanfield says:

      Here’s the object of my lapstrake love: SK-18-074 “BETSY”, a 1955 Chris-Craft 18′ Open Sea Skiff. More photos on CCABC Hull Registry. You, too, can love a lapstrake…save a skiff…join the Clinker Cult!

  13. Paul Poledink
    Paul Poledink says:

    I am restoring a 1955 Lyman Islander – and picked up a “54 parts boat which the owner was going to burn. Bottom was stove in under the motor. It was dropped on the trailer bunk. Deck and topsides all rotted out. Is there any need or interest in dismantling the remaining wood – the strakes and ribs for use in another restoration. I took out all the mechanicals and engine. Hate to see it go up in flames. Any advice, comments?

    • Grant Stanfield
      Grant Stanfield says:

      Islanders are wonderful, wonderful. It’s a shame to lose one- perhaps a little creative adaptation/re-purposing would give the parts boat another lease on life? Here’s my favorite Lyman Islander picture- look at all the period gear on board!

    • justin Cross
      justin Cross says:

      Hi Brian,

      My family use to own a penn yan just like that on Newfound lake in New Hampshire.. Do you happen to remember who you bought it from?

      thank you!

      Justin C

  14. RICH
    RICH says:

    Year round boating on San Diego Bay with our 1957 South Coast 23 powered by a Crusader Charger 250. Sweet yes?

  15. Grant Stanfield
    Grant Stanfield says:

    This is an accurate large-scale MODEL of a 1st-gen. Chris-Craft 22′ Open Sea Skiff- I think it really shows off the timeless style and spacious, user-friendly nature of an open lapstrake utility boat. I really enjoy seeing all the craftsmanship that went into their hull structure; the complex play of light across all those steam-bent ribs and strakes reminds me of fish bones. BEAUTIFUL creations, aren’t they?

    • Carl Garmhaus
      Carl Garmhaus says:

      When I was a kid between about 12 and 18 my folks had a 57 30′ Sea Skiff just like that one. Had twin 95 K’s and got about 3 MPG. The first owner took out the portholes in the front of the cabin and put full width windows across instead. It really brightened up the cabin. He also varnished the cabin sides. It really set it off. Even though I love my 1964 16′ Grady White and my 1964 38′ Sea Skiff Sea Hawk, the 57 was the best.

      • George Emmanuel
        George Emmanuel says:

        Carl,

        My dad bought a 1958 30′ Sea Skiff with twin K’s. It was less than a year old when we got it. The previous owner extended the cockpit top and matched it perfectly to the short top. It really added to the looks. The previous owner bought a 33′ Pacemaker thinking his wife would go if he had a larger boat—she didn’t! 2 years after we bought the boat we ran into the original owner and he wanted to trade us even for the Pacemaker. Dad said “No”!

        This is my lapstrake: 1948 Lyman 1948 Speedifour 5year old grandson.

  16. Texx
    Texx says:

    Where do lapstrake guys from Wyoming go for Christmas vacation? The Oregon coast of course… Here’s a note from fellow Woody Boater / Lapstrake Guy – Arnie Burnham… or as we like to call him “Wyoming Arnie”

    Hi Texx, I’m still on Christmas vacation on the Oregon coast. Can you please post this for all my lapstrake friends.

    “Does size really matter”. Picture taken at Curt Gowdy reservoir forty miles west of Cheyenne, WY. – Thanks, Arnie

  17. RICH
    RICH says:

    IT’S GREAT TO BRING BACK PEOPLES MEMORIES OF THEM GROWING UP WITH THESE OR THEIR PARENTS HAVING ONE. LAPSTRAKES ARE INSTANT FRIEND MAKERS.

  18. RICH
    RICH says:

    1957 SOUTH COAST 23′ POWERED BY CRUSADER 250

    ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT SAN DIEGO IS BOATING 365 DAYS A YEAR!!!!!

    OWNERS – RICH WILCOX & “BOSTON” ROB LAMBERT

  19. Andreas
    Andreas says:

    mmmmmmmm, lapstrake…..almost as good as peanut butter M & M’s!

    My 1957 Thompson Bros. 16′-7″ Sea Lancer with twin 1957 Johnson 35 HP outboards. love the lemande yellow paint colour

  20. Andreas
    Andreas says:

    Here I am a few years ago in fronof the family lapstrake! I’m the littlest Rhude boy in the red jacket. Son number five and one more appeared a couple of years later. The boat was named “My 5 Sons” and when son #6 appeared, the name was changed to “My 6 Sons”

    Parents still have the boat! she is a 1964 T & T Boats, Inc. 17′-11″ Breakers.

  21. Greg Lewandowski
    Greg Lewandowski says:

    You guys are making me feel like a second class citizen with my CC carvel planked Deluxe Runabout. Even though I also love the look and ride of lapstrake boats, enough already!!!

  22. John Baas
    John Baas says:

    In the words of that famous moonshiner, Tickle, “If you love your country, you’re gonna have to love lapstrakes.”

    • Ranger
      Ranger says:

      Stop it. You guys are killing me! I love the lapstrakes! Hubby hasn’t found the love yet. Little does he know of my evil plan to one day…

  23. Randy
    Randy says:

    As a kid in 1956, when I first saw the brochure for the 1956 Sea Skiff line I was instantly in love with their new 40′ cruiser. It was produced up thru 1960, and very few of this model exist today (like the Martinique).

    It landed right up there with the MATTHEWS Martinique as my favorite childhood ‘dream cruiser”, but with a convertible top the Martinique eventuall won out.

    Both beautiful boats — for some reason I just love that big open runabout look in cruisers!

  24. Rabbit
    Rabbit says:

    Hoping Mr. J F Karlson is docking his Raven on Minnetonka this summer so I can have a ride or two.

    • Texx
      Texx says:

      If there is room for one more, I would love to join you. Always wanted to visit Lake Minnetonka in the summer.

    • jfkarlson
      jfkarlson says:

      I hope to have it on Tonka briefly this spring prior to bringing it to its home port of Lake Okoboji, IA. There’s room for anyone who wants to participate in sea trials!

  25. randy Rush Captain Grumpy
    randy Rush Captain Grumpy says:

    This is my 61 Cruisers inc that burned, Im having this etched on my grave stone!

  26. Dennis Mykols
    Dennis Mykols says:

    What a great day of Lapstrake Love. I got my surveys back today with 60 some pictures of the insides/mecanical details, and have been coming back to this site off and on all day, drooling and dreaming of sittin in my new baby next week end!
    Also signed up with Hagerty insurance this afternoon. Work? what work???

    • Texx
      Texx says:

      I have to admit Dennis, it’s going to take a while to get used to seeing you in an open lapstrake after “Old School”…

  27. mike k
    mike k says:

    gave ours to our good friends joe and jenny, if you are near bristol tenn, look them up, they will be glad to take you out on mary lou.

    miss you mom

    mike k

  28. D. Lachance
    D. Lachance says:

    My second love.
    Can’t wait till the water softens up a bit up here.
    Thanks for the oppertunity to share our love of all things Lapstrake.

  29. Alex
    Alex says:

    Hat tip to the Vikings, no strangers to clinkers. The Oseberg ship shown here, measures 21 meters long x 5 meters wide. It dates from around ~800 AD.

    That makes it a shoe-in for the International ACBS “Best Preserved” award. Farfetched you say? Remember, Vikings tend to show up unannounced…

  30. floyd r turbo
    floyd r turbo says:

    This is “Loon Ranger” whose owner’s name I’ve forgotten, Maine registration I believe and have never seen a windshield like this on this model CC Sea Skiff. Anyone else? She was nicely maintained. This is on the line at Tavares 2009.

    • Arnie
      Arnie says:

      It looks like a 1959-60 22′ Ranger. The windshield is factory stock – cool angled side window vents just like in the cars of that era!

  31. Texx
    Texx says:

    As today’s “Lapstrake Love Day” comes to a close, two thoughts come to mind.

    The first is to thank everyone who participated in today’s story with comments and photos, it was a fantastic Love-In to say the least…

    Secondly, I have to say that every time the subject of lapstrakes and more specifically Lymans comes up, for me the first thing that pops in to my noodle is this spectacular yellow Lyman Sportsman that fellow Woody Boater Chad photographed during the 2011 Algonac boat show.

  32. Texx
    Texx says:

    “Just One More” is a 1965 28′ Lyman Sportsman powered by Twin 220 HP Grey Marine V-8′s which (at the time) was owned by Donald & Pat Hall from Harrison Township, MI.

  33. Wicked Wahine
    Wicked Wahine says:

    Texx, What can I say about today. I bought another one. 1955 CC picnic Sea skiff. That makes three. Still married, It`s a wonderful life.

    Gotta Luv a Lapstrake!

    Mahalo!

  34. Dane
    Dane says:

    Those big Lymans are really something. I had the great pleasure of riding in this 1972 30 footer at the Gull Lake show in 2012. Dave Bortner of Freedom Boat Service ran us past the entire parade of boats so that I could get photographs. There was rain and heavy chop in the main part of the lake and we were running pretty fast. I was able to stand with a telephoto lens and got nice stable photos. These things are smooth and powerful.

  35. Dick Dow
    Dick Dow says:

    Got me lookin’ again – 2 20′ Thompson Offshores and one 17′ er in my past… Tried to buy a little Cadillac a couple years back. There will likely be a lappy in the future – just because…

    Matt, Texx – 99 replies on this one – you’re on to something here!

  36. john
    john says:

    Here is our 1963 18′ Thompson Super Lancer on the Ohio River Cruise of 2011. Home port is Table Rock Lake near Branson, Missouri.

  37. john
    john says:

    And here is our 1984 24′ Skiff Craft on Table Rock Lake. Pound for pound and inch for inch it is hard to beat the utility and durability of a lapstrake.

  38. Steve Snider
    Steve Snider says:

    This is very inspiring form me while my Century Raven is torn apart! Cannot wait to get her put back together and in the water.

    • Steven Powell
      Steven Powell says:

      I recently bought a 1956 Cruisers, Inc. Lapstrake 20 foot Utility boat. I am repowering it and wondering the size of I/O engine that would cruise it at about 25 knots and max at about 32 knots. I have not found any information about the displacement of this boat and wonder if anyone knows of a similar craft?

  39. Ed Kriese
    Ed Kriese says:

    26′ glass Lyman hull, plywood deck & interior. Low hour Crusader 454. Deck was covered with Plasteak which trapped water & was a disaster. Deck joint let lots of water in and I filled up a dumpster with wet foam from the bilge which I removed with a shovel. Stringers were wet in places but not rotten so those were drilled, dried & epoxy infused to good effect. New decking will be epoxy coated on both sides, deck joint & deck glassed. End result will be traditional looking, low maintenance ‘resto-mod’.

  40. Walt
    Walt says:

    My family heirloom 1959 Elgin 17′ lapstrake still rocking it’s original gas guzzling Johnson Fat 50.

  41. Frank Hurst
    Frank Hurst says:

    I just landed this little Cruisers Inc. barn find and I can’t find anything on about it. The boat is a little dirty, but a time capsule except for the motor is a 1993 Mariner.

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