A look at the boat builder’s legacy shows colorful past, promising future
3/24/2006 5:10:47 PM by
The GS 269, one of five models in the Glastron Sport Cruiser series, combines creature comforts of a cruiser with the agile, runabout-like performance that boaters have come to expect from Glastron.
An early Glastron Seaflite. Tail fins, two-tone color schemes and optional landau tops immediately set the company's products apart from its competitors.
Few developments have shaped recreation boating as greatly as the advent of fiberglass boat construction. It happened in the middle of the 20th Century, and it quickly put recreational boating within reach of the emerging middle class — families that had both money and leisure time to spend following World War II.
Since its birth in the 1950s, the fiberglass boat phenomenon has spawned scores of new boat companies, each hoping to make their mark in the business. But sort out those whose history spans the full five decades, and the list quickly narrows. The truth is, less than a handful of boat builders exist today who were around when it all started.
Glastron is one of them. Today, after building nearly 500,000 fiberglass boats, pioneering hundreds of boat-building techniques and creating countless cutting-edge designs, they continue to capture the spirit and fun of family boating with a flair for exciting performance.
The Glastron phenomenon began with a question: “What if we made a boat of fiberglass?”
That in itself was a forward-thinking question in 1956 and it was posed by Bob Hammond, a 27-year-old design engineer, and Bill Gaston, an automotive engineer and owner of a successful boat dealership.
Why not? Chevrolet had introduced the fiberglass-bodied Corvette three years earlier and America had raved. Out in California, a handful of companies were already starting to make boats out of the amazing new material. But none had the unique combination of talents and skill sets necessary to kick the movement into high gear – though the movement was just around the corner.
It happened in Austin, Texas. Gaston was selling fiberglass boats faster than his California source could make them. He shared his enthusiasm for fiberglass with a fellow Kiwanis Club member, local casket manufacturer Robert Shoop. The two approached Guy Woodard of Fort Worth-based H.B. Stuck Adhesives, a supplier of resins used in fiberglass manufacturing, who set up a meeting with Hammond, Gaston and Shoop. By the end of that meeting, a new company was born.
Sure, fiberglass boats were not a first, but early fiberglass boat builders were stuck in the tradition of designs forced on them by wood. Some even molded in lapstrakes, an ancient hull component that predated plywood.
Instead, these Texans created a boat that captured the enthusiasm and excitement generated by the incredible leaps in automotive design that were taking place at the time.
Tail fins, sleek designs and vibrant colors turned the heads of Americans like plywood and lapstrakes never could.
It takes a special chemistry to start a company with a pencil sketch and end up with your boats in the hands of Presidents, Royals and celebrities. To be coveted by kings, Glastron had to develop their boats on the leading edge of style, innovation and fun. But in just a few years, that is what the Glastron founding team accomplished.
Fifty years after that first prototype, Glastron has built a legacy that has paralleled — and in many cases, shaped — that of recreational boating. They’ve also built a history rich with great styling, countless manufacturing innovations and much more. From that start in the 1950s to the new millennium, Glastron has come of age with family boating and created generations of Glastron owners around the world in the process.
From the tailfins and rock ‘n’ roll of the ’50s, through Flower Power of the ‘60s, right up to today, Glastron has established and maintained its own unique sense of style. For 50 years, Glastron’s savvy designs and savoir-faire have combined to make it one of the most admired names in boating.
Throughout its history, on-water testing has been key to Glastron’s research and development efforts (as it still is today). In the ’60s and early ’70s, the company was also a regular competitor and recognized winner on the national racing circuit, which provided another method of evaluating new hull designs. The knowledge gained through testing and racing often translated to performance improvements in their production models.
Never camera-shy, Glastron boats have thrilled movie-goers in “Batman” and in James Bond flicks (“Moonraker” and “Live And Let Die”). They have made kids giggle in Disney movies (“The Boatniks”) and entertained adults in “Weekend at Bernie’s.”
Perhaps nothing sealed the Glastron name in the hearts of boaters like the world-record 110-foot jump in the 1973 Bond thriller “Live And Let Die.” From that exciting chase scene alone, Glastron’s GT-150 models became collector’s items — one of several Glastron models still highly coveted today by boating enthusiasts.
When Hollywood took the Caped Crusaders to the big screen, they turned to Glastron to design and build the Batboat. Two teams worked around the clock for 31 days to meet the tight deadline for 20th Century Fox.
More than a few celebrities and powerful people have owned Glastron boats over the years including Elvis Presley, Aristotle Onassis and the British Royal Family. President Lyndon Johnson (above, with Lady Bird and Secret Service escorts) owned several Glastron models.
Glastron's first product brochure.
Starting in 1972, Glastron put every new model through at least 40 hours of stress and inspection on the Gulf of Mexico. It marked the beginning of a longstanding
commitment to research and development.
Of course, the heart and soul of Glastron Boats was always family fun on the water. That is never truer than it is today.
To ensure that their boats appeal to today’s boaters, Glastron created family-friendly designs, spirited performance, and quality controls so strong that the boat builder has been recognized for it by the National Marine Manufacturers Association for three years running. (Its CSI awards are given to companies who attain the highest level of manufacturing integrity and after-the-sale customer service. A brand’s Customer Satisfaction Index is measured in terms of on-water reliability, durability and overall satisfaction by every new owner.)
Leading boating writers seem to agree that, with Glastron boats, when you hit the throttle you’re up on plane quickly, with a minimum of bowrise. And Glastron boats are known for staying on plane at low speeds, which makes them an ideal choice for families that like to tube or wakeboard.
In the opinion of one professional observer, “In my mind, Glastron has always had a performance image. Whether it was a Glastron/Carlson sportboat or a Glastron family runabout, there was always a little performance edge. When you get to that last 5 percent of throttle and trim it out, a Glastron’s hull always seems to lift itself out of the water and feels real light and fast. It’s been designed into every boat that they’ve ever built and that I’ve run for the last 20 years or so.”
But with family boats, performance shouldn’t come without safety. And that’s where 50 years of boat-building experience has come in handy. At Glastron, safety has been a company priority from day one. With 50 model years and nearly half a million boats behind them, they’ve capitalized on thousands of opportunities to study every aspect of boat design. Over the years, Glastron models have been perfect examples of ergonomic, family-friendly functionality with safety designed in from bow to stern.
Today Glastron has a line of boats that covers the spectrum from sporty 17-foot bowriders easily towed behind mid-sized SUVs…to deck boats capable of popping a skier out of the water while hauling the entire family…to cruisers that make weekend boating a never-leave-the-water affair.
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Glastron/Carlson: The Ferrari of sport boats Glastron successfully capitalized on the performance-boat cult that was growing in Los Angeles. With the 1969 acquisition of Carlson Boats in Anaheim, California, they melded thespace-age designs of Art Carlson with Glastron’s marketing prowess. Itwas an event that generated a whole new level of excitement amongboaters. “The Glastron/Carlsons were the Ferrari of sportboats,” voiced a marine industry observer. “Art Carlson’s studio was in LA, right in the middle of the hot boat culture, and the lines of hisboats reflected it. If you had one, you were going fast and people were watching.” Awarded “Boat of the Year” honors in 1980, the Glastron/Carlson Scimitar boasted a hardtop with removable roof panels, wrap around safety glass windshield, power seats, center console and overhead switch panel. Glastron performance is nothing short of legendary in boatingcircles. Their boats are known for fast planning, impressive top speeds and superb handling.
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The 1990 Glastron/Carlson 19 CSS. This particular Glastron/Carlson series included seven models from 16 to 33 feet.
Glastron’s deck boats are social settings unto themselves, perfect for entertaining family and friends on the water without feeling cramped or overcrowded. Shown here is the DS 215.
When something with Glastron’s success comes along, the business world notices. In the 1980s one successful entrepreneur in particular noticed Glastron’s unrelenting march. Irwin Jacobs, CEO of Genmar, a holding company that had begun acquiring marine manufacturers, took special notice of Glastron.
Jacobs’ expertise came in his ability to let boat companies do what they do best, while providing them with the financial resources and creative thinking to allow them to do it better. In the case of Glastron, the company’s momentum (and their sales) have increased almost every year since becoming a part of Genmar.
From this marriage came the introduction in 2000 of VEC (Virtual Engineered Composites) that made even Glastron’s superior hull designs better.
Until this time, all fiberglass boats were built with traditional open-mold fiberglass lamination. Molds were created in the desired shape, and then gelcoat and fiberglass were layered into the mold by hand. The trouble with this process is that it sometimes results in inconsistent construction.
VEC hulls are created in a highly automated, computer controlled closed-mold system. The result is hulls made with more precision — and to tighter tolerances — than ever before possible. They’re so uniform in their construction that Glastron is able to give all VEC hulls a lifetime limited warranty. Few companies offer that kind of security to boating families.
In the process, VEC not only met the goals of fun seeking boaters, but was recognized by the EPA for meeting pollution reduction requirements — making Glastron a top innovator in environmentally friendly boat building techniques.
A 50th anniversary is certainly cause to celebrate, and it’s hard to imagine a boat building history richer than Glastron’s. With that kind of heritage, the Golden Anniversary of this remarkable company points to a glittering future of on-water fun.
The GXL 205 Collector’s Edition was created to commemorate the company’s 50th year, and is a great example of Glastron’s stylish ingenuity.
Unlike what many often see with limited edition boats from other manufacturers, this isn’t just another warmed-over model with a few bells, whistles and a “Special Edition” decal added. Glastron’s GXL 205 Collector’s Edition is an entirely new boat.
What immediately grabs your attention is the boat’s striking copper metallic finish. The color is reminiscent of the classic Glastrons of the ’70s and ’80s, but it looks even better and richer in this 2006 rendition. Beauty is definitely more than skin deep on this bowrider. Check out the rear seating configuration, for example. It would have been easy to add a walk-through transom at the expense of a cockpit seating, but Glastron wouldn’t make that sacrifice. Instead, they devised an ingenious design that allows a walk-through transom and full U-seating—made possible by means of a hinged flip-up in the center of the sun lounge.
Innovative in spirit and application, the GXL 205 Collector’s Edition is evidence of why Glastron has managed to be on top of their game for 50 years.
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quicksplash GXL 205 Collector’s Edition Length: 19 Feet, 11 Inches Beam: 96 Inches Dry weight: 3,045 pounds Fuel capacity: 35 gallons Maximum horsepower: 315 Construction: VEC hull, unitized fiberglass deck/floor construction Standard equipment: Clarion 4-speaker audio system with CD,dash-mounted stereo remote, hour meter, depth sounder, wood grain tilt steering wheel, Suspension Aire wraparound bucket seats with flip-upbolsters, cockpit courtesy lights, stainless steel cupholders, sculpted snap-in carpet, stainless steel rub rail, pull-up cleats and dockinglights. For more info: www.glastron.com This highly-automated boat building system results in hulls built to previously unattainable tolerances. Part work of art, part collector’s item, the GXL 205 Collector’s Edition was created by Glastron to commemorate the company’s fifty years of family boating. Each limited edition model comes complete with a certificate of authenticity and a 50th Anniversary placard personalized with the owner’s name.
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