Words: Guy Aubrey Devito
What is it about the classic motor – or sailing – boat that remains so desirable? After all, modernity and the digital age have encroached upon almost every facet of human life. It seems impossible to even boil a kettle without a gleaming digital interface informing you of stuff you didn’t even need to know.
A classic car is considered to be an overly expensive indulgence; try avoiding cyclists on the Elephant and Castle ring road in a Cadillac Eldorado, or attempt to negotiate the Dartford Crossing in a Hudson Hornet… You’ll quickly realise that vintage cars just can’t cut it in the busy metropolises of the 21st century.
A boat doesn’t need to cut anything other than the azure swell of the open ocean, there’s no psychotic white-van-man tailgating you, no spandex clad media node dicing with death on his bicycle. The sea is mercifully free of such tiresome aspects of urban life and therefore most boats are ‘future-proof’. There’s no need to buy modern, why would you need an onboard computer on a boat when you got onto that boat in the first place to avoid the stresses of modern life? The water means peace, the water means get away from it all and what better way to get away from it all than in a classic model from the golden age of boating.
If you’re after a runabout or a racer, Hacker-Craft makes some of the best in the business. Founded over 100 years ago in Detroit, the company has become known for making ‘the Steinway of runabouts’, each one is handcrafted and the hull is made with the finest New England mahogany.
For those after a schooner Alfred Mylne has a gaff yawl inspired by Mylne’s 1908 First Rule Twelve Metre Javotte, it has apparently been converted into a yawl in order to increase speed. This being the case, sailors can enjoy the speed and finesse of a 1930’s J-class – whilst tacking in a boat that is essentially Edwardian.
Original designs, over a century old, are being revived today – but for those who want a vessel actually from early/mid 20th century there are options. Chris-Craft, one of America’s most famous powerboat manufacturers, is still making models today, but they are also restored in great numbers. For those after an original runabout, they’re your best bet – though you may have to go to Florida to get a good deal. Whether you want the real deal from 1948 – or a 2014 variant – just buy classic and keep the ocean elegant.
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