I haven’t found out much about these yet….Bryant was a lumber company in Seattle during the 1920’s and also a large marina on Lake Union from the 1930’s through at least the 1960’s. I don’t know if they made these boats on Lake Union or simply brought them in for resale. I do know that Bryant hired shipwrights all through the 1960’s. Perhaps there are Seattle runabout enthusiasts who can help me learn more about the boat.
Surprisingly nice lines for a plywood production boat, it’s a good-sized runabout at 19’ and over 7’ beam, seating 6 adults comfortably with even room for a nap in a v-berth beneath the foredeck.
This particular one was owned only by one Seattle family who recently donated it to the CWB museum, where I bought it at auction for next winter’s restoration project. The boat is entirely complete, to include its 1956 Johnson 35 electric-start motor that still runs. From examining the boat, I can tell they used the boat for fishing from 1955 to sometime in the 1960’s when they repainted it once….then used it until the late 1970’s when it was stored under cover until now.
The trailer is a tilting, fully-adjustable roller model, still with good bearings and tires.
These were made entirely of mahogany plywood with a well-thought-out mix of White Oak, H.Mahog and Port Orford Cedar framing. Joinery is excellent throughout.
Fasteners are bronze ringshank nails throughout, with galvanized bolts fastening the oak keel, keelson, bilge keels and transom that will be replaced with bronze, as will all other galvanized parts.
Continued….
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