Hand-crafted since 1908, the Hacker Craft Co was started by naval architect John L. Hacker, who designed some of the most beautiful mahogany boats ever built. Dubbed “The Steinway of Runabouts”, his boats were used by Gold Cup racers, celebrities, royals, and captains of industry. In 1916, Hacker built the Kitty Hawk II, the first 50mph boat in the United States. By 1921, he had built 6 runabout boats for E.W. Gregory of the Belle Isle Boat and Engine Company; his reputation grew to be the most influential runabout designer in America. In 1933, Hacker built the Lockpat II for race car driver Dick Locke, which was very different from the usual runabout he built, as this one was a 40-foot torpedo shaped runabout. To help with the World War II effort, Hacker, in 1941, redesigned the Army Air Force rescue boats, and in 1944 he won an Army-Navy E award for excellence of its war production.
Today, The Hacker Boat Company is considered one of the most authentic American brands and is the world’s largest builder of classic mahogany motorboats with facilities located in upstate New York. The Hacker-Craft fleet includes runabouts, racers, sport boats, sportabouts, sterlings, and one-of-a-kind yacht tenders.
