Speedliner

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Speedliner Boats

General Marine Co.

St. Joseph, Missouri

Also found listed as Speedliner Marine Co. at Sixth & Oak Streets in St. Joseph, Missouri.

The December 26, 1954 St. Joseph News-Press reports General Marine worked with Kiekhaefer Corp. to supply boats and motors for the Paramount film "3 Ring Circus" and its boats had been in use for five years by the Tommy Bartlett Florida Water Ski and Jumping Boat Thrill Show in the Wisconsin Dells and around the US.

General Marine Co. changed its name to Speedliner Marine Co. in 1961 and was purchased in 1962 by Barkley Vineyard, a real estate professional, from the estate of C.H. Boxmeyer and other investors. The purchase included the fiberglass boat molds and the 36,000 square-foot plant which was equipped to manufacture plywood for its own boats. At the time of purchase Cliff Schomburg was plant manager, Carl H. Peterson sales manager. C.H. Boxmeyer and Wayne Harding formed General Marine as a boat manufacturer in 1936 (St. Joseph News-Press, Aug 2, 1962).

In fall 1967, Speedliner bought the St. Joe Trailer Manufacturing Co. which had made boat trailers for 11 years. The company became a subsidiary of Speedliner overseen by Carl Peterson who was also sales manager. Barkely Vineyard was president of Speedliner at this time (St. Joseph News-Press, Oct 17, 1967).

Speedliner Boats continued to be manufactured well into the 1970s. In 1965, Alan and David van Weele bought the plans and patterns for the Speedliner A and B class boats and currently offer them for sale as Aeroliner Boats. Their website also includes some history and original literature. The Speedliner company records, restoration services, and new boats are available from Sea Jay Boats of St. Joseph, Missouri, operated by Stephen J Schomburg.

Model Information