Flyer 15ft Custom Built Wooden Boat

Flyer 15ft - Class C Hydroplane The Flyer 15Ft. is a striking pre-war hydroplane originally designed around 1936 by Bruce N. Crandall. As the largest of Crandall's hydroplanes, built for Class C (135 cubic inch) racing, Flyer represents a bold chapter in early American powerboat competition-where lightweight construction and raw speed defined success. Our workshop faithfully recreates the Flyer using premium marine materials including Western Red Cedar, Mahogany, Teak, and US-made Hexcel fiberglass, sealed with System Three marine spar varnish. Each boat is handcrafted through the traditional plank-on-frame method, requiring approximately 4-5 months of dedicated craftsmanship. Clients may customize wood selection, finish, cockpit detailing, and structural options to match their vision while preserving the boat's historic racing character. Every frame has been carefully redrawn from the original line drawings and table of offsets to ensure accuracy and ease of assembly. The structure consists of 15 precisely shaped frames, dual keels, twin hatch assembly, vertical cleats, gas tank mounts, driver's bench seat, breast hook, and reinforced front and rear stems with knees. True to the original construction, the Flyer is designed for 3/8″ planking, maintaining the lightweight yet rigid structure essential to hydroplane performance. Low, narrow, and purpose-built, the Flyer embodies the aggressive stance and speed-focused engineering that defined 1930s racing culture. Principal Dimensions - Overall Length: 15ft - Waterline Length: 14.8ft - Length of Afterplane: 5.8ft - Step Height: 1.5in - Waterline Beam: 5ft - Beam of Running Surfaces at Step: 40in - Beam at Transom: 16in These carefully calculated proportions highlight the Flyer's stepped hydroplane configuration - designed to reduce wetted surface, increase lift, and maximize straight-line speed within Class C competition limits. This wooden boat crafted by us is built from Classic Wooden Plan, with full credit given to the original designers. For each custom commission, we acquire the appropriate plans and construct the boat to order-offering both full-size vessels and finely detailed scale models. Designed in approximately 1936 by Bruce N. Crandall, the Flyer 15′ was developed for the highly competitive Class C racing category, restricted to 135 cubic inch engines. During this era, American hydroplane racing was defined by technical experimentation and precision wooden construction, with designers striving to balance structural lightness and high-speed stability. As Crandall's largest hydroplane design, Flyer incorporated a stepped hull form to improve lift and reduce drag-an advanced concept for its time. Its carefully engineered dimensions, narrow transom, and defined running surfaces were optimized for acceleration and top-end performance. Today, the Flyer remains a powerful representation of pre-war hydroplane innovation-an authentic racing craft that preserves the daring spirit and craftsmanship of early American speedboat competition.