Crownline



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Crownline Boats

Crown Line Mfg. Co.

Onarga, Illinois

History by Andreas Jordahl Rhude

Arnold O'Hare of Crownline actually had a small pond dug about 1958 outside of Onarga to float his boats.

Melvin Redeker started at Crownline Mfg. Co. at Onarga, IL after high school graduation in 1956. He worked in the glass department, molding decks. He built the deck mold for their one finned model, based on a Chrysler auto. In late 1958 he and two other co-workers departed and formed Bee Boat Company, which was incorporated in January 1959. Their first shop was at his father's farm in a shed. Then they moved to the other partner's parent's farm north of Piper City, IL. Paxton, IL was their third and final home. Bee was making their own line of glass boats. They also started making boats for Sea Sprite which was based at North Webster, IN and an Indianapolis firm called Jayhawk.

History

Crownline Boats in Use

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