Cherokee

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Cherokee Boats

McKenzie Boat Mfg. Co.

McKenzie, Tennessee

An unrelated manufacturer, the Rathburn Boat Company of Maple Rapids, Michigan also made Cherokee Boats but used sheet plywood and molded plywood hulls.

For the 1961 Chicago Boat Show, McKenzie Boat Co. showed a sterndrive-powered aluminum runabout, the KX-919-1 (see article photos below). A prototype in 1961, it originated with Kaiser Aluminum's Department of Industrial Design who conceived and designed the boat along with the Valco welded aluminum catamaran prototype. Carl W. Leveau was Kaiser's marine industry sales manager at the time and responsible for the display at the Chicago Boat Show. The boat was powered with a 100 HP Interceptor engine and Eaton Marine Powernaut outdrive was independently tested, reaching an average top speed of 38 mph on a 1-mile long salt water course.

Model Information