George Pragel built troutboats at his home in Wayland, NY over a 40-year period, beginning in the 1920s. All of the boats he built, with the exception of the one shown here, were framed with white oak and planked with cedar. However, during World War II Mr. Pragel decided to temporarily depart from this tradition and build one special boat completely with Philippine mahogany. (At the time he was a foreman at the Gunlock Chair Company, a manufacture of fine office furniture in Wayland, NY, which provided him access to a supply of fine hardwood lumber.)

The workmanship in this boat is outstanding. Mr. Pragel was a skilled cabinet maker who incorporated that skill in his boat building. Note the cutout section in the aft deck to enable use of an outboard motor.