 Granted,
she doesn’t look like a workboat but given her job
of carrying passengers for hire, that’s what she is.
In the spring and fall, Keith Snyder runs fishing charters
on Idaho’s Lake Pond Orielle, but summer tourists
are more interested in sightseeing. As a result, between
June 15 and September 15, he moves his operation 30 miles
south to Lake Coeur d’Alene, where he sells 30-minute
boat rides at $15 a head. While the boat ride is an attraction,
the boat itself – a new 29’, all wood, 1930s-style
"Torpedo" runabout – is just as appealing.
Built last winter by Syd Young, owner of Stan-Craft boats,
Post Falls, Idaho, the triple cockpit, six-passenger boat
is powered with a 415-hp Mercruiser and will hit top speeds
around 50 mpg. Although such craft are associated more with
the rich and famous of years past than a modern commercial
tour boat service, Snyder believes it is ideal for the clientele
he has in mind.
"Idaho lakes have quite a history of using wood water
taxis," explained Snyder. "Our service is not
a water taxi as much as it is just a thrilling boat ride.
The opportunity to take a spin in such a classic boat is
part of what will sell the tour. It will leave the Coeur
d’Alene Resort every half-hour, and we’ll be
able to show passengers a lot of the lake’s north-end
highlights with that much speed."
Young’s father started Stan-Craft Bats in 1933 on
Montana’s Flathead Lake. Young moved the business
to northern Idaho, where he now does new construction (four
to five 25-30 footers annually), restoration of classic
runabouts, and general boat repair at a six-acre facility
in Post Falls. Other wood workboats built by Young include
two custom-designed, 30’ water taxis delivered to
the Coeur d’Alene Resort in 1990 that still look like
new after 9,000 hours of operation.
Construction of Snyder’s 29-footer features 1/2"
African mahogany planking with a double, diagonally planked
bottom. The first layer is 1/4" with a layer of vinyl
bedded in 3M 5200 between it and the 1/2"-thick second
layer. All frames are 3 1/2"x1" African mahogany
sawn to shape and assembled with double gussets at the 3
1/2"x1 1/2" chine bars; 3 1/8"x7 1/2"
longitudinal stringers run full length. Stainless-steel
fasteners and 5200 bedding compound are used throughout.
The wood hull and planked deck are stained, then finished
with five coats of epoxy and six layers of clear urethane
enamel. The final coat is sanded with 600- and 1,200-grit
sandpaper and buffed to a mirror finish.
In addition to good looks, this $140,000 classic speedster
will offer passengers an unusually smooth ride, despite
the lake’s often choppy water conditions. "Our
bottom design has been developed and refined over the years
until we now have an incredible set of lines," said
Young. "Although only six degrees at the stern, the
dead-rise becomes extremely deep in the bow, probably 50
to 55 degrees. It has a very soft entry, fabulous turning
characteristics, and no bad habits of any kind." |
