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Employees lay mahogany in a 26-foot boat under construction at Grand Craft in Genoa City. The company moved there in June after it was purchased by Patrick and Rose Gallagher, who hope to build 35 of the high-end boats during the next three years.
Gallagher, right, has been fascinated with wooden boats since spending summers on Lake Geneva as a teen. He purchased this 26-foot Grand Craft about 15 years ago.
Ed Cox purchased Streblow Custom Boats in 2020. During the past 10 years most of the Lake Geneva company's work has been in restoration, but it recently resumed boat production.
Streblow Custom Boats are prolific on Geneva Lake but haven't been manufactured since 2011. The Lake Geneva company, founded in 1950, recently resumed production at its facility, where Sam Jahnke last week worked on the hull of what will become a 26-foot boat with twin engines.
Bill Krumpen, left, and Will Robbins, carefully fit each piece of wood on a Grand Craft boat under construction in the company's massive wood shop in Genoa City. It can take more than eight months to build a boat.
A "clean" space, void of sawdust, is where Grand Craft boats are finished. This is where they receive their engines, chrome trim, electronics and other components before hitting the water.
A Grand Craft boats emblem is displayed on the hull of a boat under construction at the company’s production facility in Genoa City.
Tools for filing and shaving wood laid onto Grand Craft boats are essential in the production process, which relies on expert craftsmanship.
A wooden instrument panel awaits installation in the rigging facility of Grand Craft Boats in Genoa City.
Photos: Grand Craft and Streblow boats
Grand Craft Boats
Tools for filing and shaving wood laid onto Grand Craft boats are essential in the production process, which relies on expert craftsmanship.
Grand Craft Boats
A wooden instrument panel awaits installation in the rigging facility of Grand Craft Boats in Genoa City.
Grand Craft Boats
A Grand Craft boats emblem is displayed on the hull of a boat under construction at the company’s production facility in Genoa City.
Grand Craft Boats
Employees lay mahogany in a 26-foot boat under construction at Grand Craft in Genoa City. The company moved there in June after it was purchased by Patrick and Rose Gallagher, who hope to build 35 of the high-end boats during the next three years.
Grand Craft Boats
Gallagher, right, has been fascinated with wooden boats since spending summers on Lake Geneva as a teen. He purchased this 26-foot Grand Craft about 15 years ago.
Grand Craft Boats
A "clean" space, void of sawdust, is where Grand Craft boats are finished. This is where they receive their engines, chrome trim, electronics and other components before hitting the water.
Grand Craft Boats
Grand Craft Boats owner Patrick Gallagher converses with workers on the floor of the company’s production facility in Genoa City.
Grand Craft Boats
Keith Busch takes a measurement from the interior of a boat under construction at Grand Craft boats in Genoa City.
Grand Craft Boats
The interior of a finished boat at Grand Craft boats in Genoa City.
Grand Craft Boats
Bill Krumpen, left, and Will Robbins, carefully fit each piece of wood on a Grand Craft boat under construction in the company's massive wood shop in Genoa City. It can take more than eight months to build a boat.
Streblow Custom Boats
Ed Cox purchased Streblow Custom Boats in 2020. During the past 10 years most of the Lake Geneva company's work has been in restoration, but it recently resumed boat production.
Streblow Custom Boats
Juan Ruiz adds a coat of stain to a boat undergoing restoration at Streblow Custom Boats in Lake Geneva.
Streblow Custom Boats
Streblow Custom Boats was founded in 1950 in Kenosha and moved to Lake Geneva in 1987.
Streblow Custom Boats
Streblow Custom Boats are prolific on Geneva Lake but haven't been manufactured since 2011. The Lake Geneva company, founded in 1950, recently resumed production at its facility, where Sam Jahnke last week worked on the hull of what will become a 26-foot boat with twin engines.
Streblow Custom Boats
Mick Snead of Streblow Custom Boats hand sands a boat undergoing restoration at the business in Lake Geneva.
Barry Adams covers regional news for the Wisconsin State Journal. Send him ideas for On Wisconsin at 608-252-6148 or by email at badams@madison.com.
