top of page

Boat Builders

Finger Lakes Boating Museum strives to have the most accurate information on boat builders in the Finger Lakes.  We are always learning about new builders and will update our list as the information becomes available.

Click on the Map to start Interacting

Airships, Inc. - Built runabouts in Hammondsport in the 1920's
Angler Boat Company (1951 - 1962) - contract builder of outboard runabouts for Sears, Roebuck & Co. and Montgomery Ward & Co.
Bauter, Mish (1883-1964) - An early employee of Glenn Curtiss, he built rowboats in Hammondsport from 1920-1947.
Bourne, Harry - Operated marina on Seneca lake and built Star sailboats.
Burroughs, Alma - Built flat bottom rowboats, double-enders, "cat" type sailboats, and small steam-powered launches in Bridgeport (now part of Seneca Falls).
Bowdish Manufacturing Company (1876 - 1893)  Skaneateles builder of launches, canoes and rowboats. Became Skaneateles Boat & Canoe Co. in 1893.
Brainard-Bilt Boats - Trumansburg
Campbell, Vince (Campbell Boats) - Built boats in Trumansburg.
Charles Ernst (1906-1968) - Built trout boats and sailboats including Stars in Keuka Park circa 1930's.
Charles Pilgrim & Sons - Built troutboats and motor boats in shop on east side of Keuka Lake near Hammondsport (ca. 1910 - 1940).
Curtiss, Glenn - Yes, the man of aviation fame. Built racing outboards in Hammondsport .Dundee Boat Co. (1926 - 1962) - Founded by Charles Wixom (1875 - ?), a classmate and employee of Glenn Curtiss'. He built rowboats and outboard runabouts.
Elderlee, Inc. - Oaks Corners, NY

Emmons Boat Company - Brewerton, NY - Nearing Emmons built popular Snipes and Lightnings, among other boats.
Ericson, Charles - A builder of canoes in Branchport.
Fairbanks, Grant - Ithaca
FayBow (1928-1937) - A successor to Fay & Bowen, built inboard and outboard runabouts.
Fay & Bowen (1904-1928) - Established a boat building business on the Seneca Lake waterfront in Geneva. Built marine engines, rowboats and launches.
Furerr - A rowboat builder in Canandaigua in about 1930.
Griswald, Pete - Built rowboats in Dresden on Seneca Lake.
Hall, George (1864-1939) - Built rowboats and ran a boat livery in Branchport on Keuka Lake in the 1920s and 1930s.
Hemmert, V.J. - Built sail boats in Penn Yan about 1907.
Hill, Harley - Built rowboats at his cottage on Cayuga Lake during the 1940s & 1950s
Houck, George (1856-1939) - Built rowboats and steam yachts in Grove Springs and Himrod.
Lacy, Fred (1880-1952) - Built Rowboats in Penn Yan in the early 1900s. He borrowed building forms from Henry Sutherland.

Long, Edwin - Designed and built outboard runabouts, sailboats and cruisers on Irondequoit Bay from 1900 to 1930.
Pierce Marine - Operated a marina in Penn Yan, NY and built inboard and outboard motor boats.
Mitchell - A builder of rowboats in Canandaigua from 1890 to 1910.
Morehouse Boat Co. - Built wide variety of motor and sailboats on Cayuga lake between 1918 and 1962.
Mulray Products, Inc. - Built sailing dinghys, catamarans and iceboats in Lakemont in the 1950s and 1960s

Penn Yan Boat Company (1921-1935) - Founded by Charles A. Herrmann in Penn Yan, 1921. Became Penn Yan Boats in 1936. Built full line of wooden boats until 1966 when production was converted to fiberglass. The largest of the Finger Lakes Builders, in Penn Yan.
Penn Yan Boats - Successor to Penn Yan Boat Company (listed above).
Pragel, George - Built troutboats in Wayland, NY.
Reno, Ben (1855 - 1951) - Built fine troutboats and motor boats in his shop at Keuka Village from 1910 - 1940.
Ribble, Fred - Built rowboats in Penn Yan
Rochester Boat Works - Built large cruisers, tug boats, military craft, runabouts, and sailboats at Charlotte Station.
Skaneateles Boat & Canoe Co. (1893 - 1932) - Skaneateles builder of canoes, rowboats and sailboats. A successor to Bowdish & Company, it became Skaneateles Boats Co. in 1932.
Skaneateles Boats Inc. (1932 - 1964) - Built wide variety of centerboard sailboats and dinghies including the famous Lightning sailboat which they introduced.

Smith, Pat (current) - West Hollow Boat Company, builder and restorer of fine canoes and kayaks in Naples.

Smith, H. Seymour (1878 - 1947) - Built fine troutboats and outboard motor boats in his shop at Dresden ca. 1920 - 1940. In later life, carved duck decoys that are highly sought after today by collectors.
Springstead, Benjamin and Alonzo (1844-1939) - Father and son, most prolific builders of steamboats and other commercial craft used throughout the Finger Lakes and beyond.
Syracuse Launch - Syracuse, NY
Sutherland, Henry (1875-1914) - Built rowboats and launches in Branchport
Tillman, Fred (1919-1985) - Built rowboats and outboard motor boats in Branchport.
Thompson Brothers Boat Manufacturing Co. -Founded in Prestigo, Wisconsin in 1904. Opened plant in Cortland, NY in 1924. and built full line of boats there until 1962.
Todd, Adelbert - Built rowboats (and violins) in Penn Yan from 1909 until the 1930s.
Wright Built Boat Co. (1932 - 1975) - Founded by Murray Wright (1906 - 1990), who designed and built the K series of sailboats.

bottom of page