Antique and classic powerboats may not be the most practical boats in the world, but they’re certainly some of the most loved. Classic lines and glossy mahogany, teak, and cherry wood finish can make many antique and classic powerboats worthy of being considered true works of art. Yes, such materials do require far more maintenance than fiberglass or aluminum, but for many people, part of the allure of owning this type of boat is giving it hands-on TLC in the first place. And fiberglass has now been around for long enough that there are even plenty of “plastic” boats that qualify as true classics.

Like their more modern brethren, antique and classic powerboats come in all shapes, sizes, and flavors. There are speed boats, cruisers, fishing boats, and motor yachts which will all fall into this class. In fact, antique classics also have some genres that are more or less unique to the ages in which these boats were born. The “commuter,” for example, was a powerboat commonly used in bygone days as a mode of transportation for commuting to an office. Born in the early 1900s and very common in the roaring 20s, commuters were popular among New York businessmen who lived along the shores of Long island Sound and outside the city. Today hundreds still exist and are considered collectable treasures, and replicas are made with some regularity. Or consider the elegant draketail, a design originally meant for working watermen, yet one which was so elegant it outlived its usefulness as a commercial craft and became desirable as a classic pleasure boat. Both types of boats are excellent examples of Americana portrayed in powerboats – and gazing at one leaves no wonder as to why so many people fall in love with antique and classic powerboats.