Greavette Boats, Ltd was a manufacturer of wooden inboard runabouts located in
Gravenhurst, Ontario founded in 1930 under the name Rainbow Craft, Ltd.
[1] Greavette had previously worked
Ditchburn Boats and later for his brother, Herbert.
Greavette's first boats were produced under license from Dart Boats of Toledo, Ohio, consisting of four models: The Ensign, Roamer, Mohawk, and Comet. Following protests from Ditchburn over the use of the "Rainbow" name, Greavette changed his company's name to Greavette Boats Limited in 1932. The company changed strategy in 1933 following weak sales of mass produced boats due to the Great Depression, focusing on custom work. In 1933 John Hacker became the exclusive designer for Greavette producing the Streamliner design in 1934 featuring a smooth transition between deck and hull in lengths of 18 to 28 feet. Later Douglas Van Patten joined the team in 1937.
The company produced several racing boats in the 1930's under the Miss Canada name, several of which won competitions on the Muskoka Lakes and the Canadian National Exibitions.The Miss Canada III set a North American speed record in August 1938 of 119 miles per hour. The Miss Canada IV, powered by a Rolls Royce Griffin engine set a North American speed record in 1949 of 138.6 mph.
In 1936 Greavette Boats acquired the rights to the Lindsay Disappearing Propeller Boat Company, producing 400 Dispros over the next 20 years.
Production of civilian boats was suspended during World War II when the company built components for the wooden Fiarmile patrol cruisers for the Canadian Navy. Civilian production resumed in 1946.
Tom Greavette died in 1958 at which time his daughter Lorraine and her husband Ron McNabb directed the company. In 1962 the company was sold to Herman Heintzmann. Following his death the company was sold to Bruce Wilson, who discontinued building wooden boats in the face of declining demand, concentrating instead on restoring older models. The company introduced fiberglass-hulled boats in the 1970's but demand was light due to high cost. The company closed permanently in 1978.
gg [2]
References
- ^ Storey, Mary (2016). The rich history of Greavette Boats Ltd. Muskoka Publishing Company. pp. 4–6.
- ^ Ballantyne, Phillip (2005). Classic American Runabouts: Wood Boats, 1915–1965. MBI Publishing Company. pp. 66–67.
Category:Canadian boat builders Category:Companies based in Ontario
Greavette Boats, Ltd was a manufacturer of wooden inboard runabouts located in
Gravenhurst, Ontario founded in 1930 under the name Rainbow Craft, Ltd.
[1] Greavette had previously worked
Ditchburn Boats and later for his brother, Herbert.
Greavette's first boats were produced under license from Dart Boats of Toledo, Ohio, consisting of four models: The Ensign, Roamer, Mohawk, and Comet. Following protests from Ditchburn over the use of the "Rainbow" name, Greavette changed his company's name to Greavette Boats Limited in 1932. The company changed strategy in 1933 following weak sales of mass produced boats due to the Great Depression, focusing on custom work. In 1933 John Hacker became the exclusive designer for Greavette producing the Streamliner design in 1934 featuring a smooth transition between deck and hull in lengths of 18 to 28 feet. Later Douglas Van Patten joined the team in 1937.
The company produced several racing boats in the 1930's under the Miss Canada name, several of which won competitions on the Muskoka Lakes and the Canadian National Exibitions.The Miss Canada III set a North American speed record in August 1938 of 119 miles per hour. The Miss Canada IV, powered by a Rolls Royce Griffin engine set a North American speed record in 1949 of 138.6 mph.
In 1936 Greavette Boats acquired the rights to the Lindsay Disappearing Propeller Boat Company, producing 400 Dispros over the next 20 years.
Production of civilian boats was suspended during World War II when the company built components for the wooden Fiarmile patrol cruisers for the Canadian Navy. Civilian production resumed in 1946.
Tom Greavette died in 1958 at which time his daughter Lorraine and her husband Ron McNabb directed the company. In 1962 the company was sold to Herman Heintzmann. Following his death the company was sold to Bruce Wilson, who discontinued building wooden boats in the face of declining demand, concentrating instead on restoring older models. The company introduced fiberglass-hulled boats in the 1970's but demand was light due to high cost. The company closed permanently in 1978.
gg [2]
References
- ^ Storey, Mary (2016). The rich history of Greavette Boats Ltd. Muskoka Publishing Company. pp. 4–6.
- ^ Ballantyne, Phillip (2005). Classic American Runabouts: Wood Boats, 1915–1965. MBI Publishing Company. pp. 66–67.
Category:Canadian boat builders Category:Companies based in Ontario