Boat Wheels

We provide the finest quality wheels for many boats, especially classic Chris Craft vessels.

Chris Smith built his first wooden boat in 1874 at the age of 13.^[1] Years later, he built a duck hunting boat. His friends liked the way he built them, and they asked him to build them one. This was technically the start of the boat company. He soon began to build more boats and joined his brother Hank in 1881 to begin producing boats full-time.

In 1910, the brothers joined with other partners to form the Smith Ryan Boat Company.^[1] The firm’s name was changed in 1922 to Chris Smith & Sons Boat Company, then to Chris-Craft in 1924. The Detroit-area company became well known for its sleek racing boats in the 1910s and 1920s. Chris-Craft sold high-end powerboats to wealthy patrons such as Henry Ford and William Randolph Hearst.

Share this: