anybody out there familiar with Henry Grebe wood motor yachts ?
anybody out there familiar with Henry Grebe wood motor yachts ?
anybody out there familiar with Henry Grebe wood motor yachts ?
anybody out there familiar with Henry Grebe wood motor yachts ?
Senior Member
Yeap, VERY stoutly built!
Senior Member
Yeap, VERY stoutly built!
Senior Member
Yeap, VERY stoutly built!
Super Senior Member
Grebe was located on the banks of the North Branch of the Chicago River. Wasn't too long ago you could see remnants of the yard. I think it's gone condo in the last few years:
Grebe & Co. Shipyard, 1952
Super Senior Member
Grebe was located on the banks of the North Branch of the Chicago River. Wasn't too long ago you could see remnants of the yard. I think it's gone condo in the last few years:
Grebe & Co. Shipyard, 1952
Super Senior Member
Grebe was located on the banks of the North Branch of the Chicago River. Wasn't too long ago you could see remnants of the yard. I think it's gone condo in the last few years:
Grebe & Co. Shipyard, 1952
Senior Member #1976
Mostly by reputation... Top quality.
Senior Member #1976
Mostly by reputation... Top quality.
Senior Member #1976
Mostly by reputation... Top quality.
Senior Member
They built to high standards. Are you looking at a Grebe built boat?
Senior Member
They built to high standards. Are you looking at a Grebe built boat?
Senior Member
They built to high standards. Are you looking at a Grebe built boat?
Senior Member
And not too far from there was Tony Bonds boatyard.My Dad kept his Crowninshield Pup class there. When you wanted to launch you had to catch Tony when he was sober.
Tony also had an old Cord on blocks in the barn.
Old Sailor
P.S. The North Branch of the river was not a pleasant bit of water to be on.
Senior Member
And not too far from there was Tony Bonds boatyard.My Dad kept his Crowninshield Pup class there. When you wanted to launch you had to catch Tony when he was sober.
Tony also had an old Cord on blocks in the barn.
Old Sailor
P.S. The North Branch of the river was not a pleasant bit of water to be on.
Senior Member
And not too far from there was Tony Bonds boatyard.My Dad kept his Crowninshield Pup class there. When you wanted to launch you had to catch Tony when he was sober.
Tony also had an old Cord on blocks in the barn.
Old Sailor
P.S. The North Branch of the river was not a pleasant bit of water to be on.
Senior Member
Now you are talking about something I know. Henry C. Grebe yachts were beuatifully built. Their yard was right off of Belmont Avenue in Chicago on the other side of the North Branch of the Chicago River behind Riverview Amusement park.
During WWII they built, among other things, PT boats. There used to be one PT boat left before it burned up in a yard fire at Rowe Storage.
This boat was the first "Cigaret" boat to crank it up on Lake Michigan. Boy, did she fly!
My neighbor across the street bought the yard to do repairs but he later retired and the yard was no more.
However, when I was a bachelor in Evanston, IL, in the early 70's, H.C. Grebe's lead shipwright opened a cabinet shop down the street and helped me with my 16' Wooden Daysailor.
He was a cabinet maker/shipwright and his work was fantastic.
His shop became a place I loved to visit. I don't think I ever have been to a shop that had so many clamps. He made four times as much money as a cabinetmaker than he did as a shipbuilder.
One of the things that he used to do was build a highly detailed wooden model of each yacht that H.C. Gebe would build for a client so that it could be visualized before being built.
I wish Woodenboat would do more reporting on Midwest boatbuilding.
[ 07-20-2005, 08:56 AM: Message edited by: John Hastie ]
Senior Member
Now you are talking about something I know. Henry C. Grebe yachts were beuatifully built. Their yard was right off of Belmont Avenue in Chicago on the other side of the North Branch of the Chicago River behind Riverview Amusement park.
During WWII they built, among other things, PT boats. There used to be one PT boat left before it burned up in a yard fire at Rowe Storage.
This boat was the first "Cigaret" boat to crank it up on Lake Michigan. Boy, did she fly!
My neighbor across the street bought the yard to do repairs but he later retired and the yard was no more.
However, when I was a bachelor in Evanston, IL, in the early 70's, H.C. Grebe's lead shipwright opened a cabinet shop down the street and helped me with my 16' Wooden Daysailor.
He was a cabinet maker/shipwright and his work was fantastic.
His shop became a place I loved to visit. I don't think I ever have been to a shop that had so many clamps. He made four times as much money as a cabinetmaker than he did as a shipbuilder.
One of the things that he used to do was build a highly detailed wooden model of each yacht that H.C. Gebe would build for a client so that it could be visualized before being built.
I wish Woodenboat would do more reporting on Midwest boatbuilding.
[ 07-20-2005, 08:56 AM: Message edited by: John Hastie ]
Senior Member
Now you are talking about something I know. Henry C. Grebe yachts were beuatifully built. Their yard was right off of Belmont Avenue in Chicago on the other side of the North Branch of the Chicago River behind Riverview Amusement park.
During WWII they built, among other things, PT boats. There used to be one PT boat left before it burned up in a yard fire at Rowe Storage.
This boat was the first "Cigaret" boat to crank it up on Lake Michigan. Boy, did she fly!
My neighbor across the street bought the yard to do repairs but he later retired and the yard was no more.
However, when I was a bachelor in Evanston, IL, in the early 70's, H.C. Grebe's lead shipwright opened a cabinet shop down the street and helped me with my 16' Wooden Daysailor.
He was a cabinet maker/shipwright and his work was fantastic.
His shop became a place I loved to visit. I don't think I ever have been to a shop that had so many clamps. He made four times as much money as a cabinetmaker than he did as a shipbuilder.
One of the things that he used to do was build a highly detailed wooden model of each yacht that H.C. Gebe would build for a client so that it could be visualized before being built.
I wish Woodenboat would do more reporting on Midwest boatbuilding.
[ 07-20-2005, 08:56 AM: Message edited by: John Hastie ]
Senior Member
As a boy, I religiously read every issue of Yachting magazine as it came out--- this was in the fifties and sixties, and back then it was very good.
Grebe had great ads in Yachting, and got good comments from their writers, who seemed well-informed and independent.
In my dock-walking days, I saw several Grebe boats which impressed me, but I never managed to talk my way onto one, so I've never had a close on-board look...
Alan
Here's Lady Grebe---
[ 07-20-2005, 10:45 AM: Message edited by: Alan D. Hyde ]
Senior Member
As a boy, I religiously read every issue of Yachting magazine as it came out--- this was in the fifties and sixties, and back then it was very good.
Grebe had great ads in Yachting, and got good comments from their writers, who seemed well-informed and independent.
In my dock-walking days, I saw several Grebe boats which impressed me, but I never managed to talk my way onto one, so I've never had a close on-board look...
Alan
Here's Lady Grebe---
[ 07-20-2005, 10:45 AM: Message edited by: Alan D. Hyde ]
Senior Member
As a boy, I religiously read every issue of Yachting magazine as it came out--- this was in the fifties and sixties, and back then it was very good.
Grebe had great ads in Yachting, and got good comments from their writers, who seemed well-informed and independent.
In my dock-walking days, I saw several Grebe boats which impressed me, but I never managed to talk my way onto one, so I've never had a close on-board look...
Alan
Here's Lady Grebe---
[ 07-20-2005, 10:45 AM: Message edited by: Alan D. Hyde ]
Senior Member
Some further photos---
Plenty of mahogany...
Alan
[ 07-20-2005, 12:51 PM: Message edited by: Alan D. Hyde ]
Senior Member
Some further photos---
Plenty of mahogany...
Alan
[ 07-20-2005, 12:51 PM: Message edited by: Alan D. Hyde ]
Senior Member
Some further photos---
Plenty of mahogany...
Alan
[ 07-20-2005, 12:51 PM: Message edited by: Alan D. Hyde ]
Senior Member
John Hastie, you were very fortunate. It's a small minority that has had the same opportunity as you. Secondly, I agree with your point regarding "Mid-west" boatyards/boat building and our sponsor. Grebe built boats can be found everywhere around the US. My experience with them is that they were built to last, therefore easy to repair. It goes hand-in-hand you see.
[ 07-20-2005, 05:30 PM: Message edited by: RGM ]
Senior Member
John Hastie, you were very fortunate. It's a small minority that has had the same opportunity as you. Secondly, I agree with your point regarding "Mid-west" boatyards/boat building and our sponsor. Grebe built boats can be found everywhere around the US. My experience with them is that they were built to last, therefore easy to repair. It goes hand-in-hand you see.
[ 07-20-2005, 05:30 PM: Message edited by: RGM ]
Senior Member
John Hastie, you were very fortunate. It's a small minority that has had the same opportunity as you. Secondly, I agree with your point regarding "Mid-west" boatyards/boat building and our sponsor. Grebe built boats can be found everywhere around the US. My experience with them is that they were built to last, therefore easy to repair. It goes hand-in-hand you see.
[ 07-20-2005, 05:30 PM: Message edited by: RGM ]
Senior Member
I have a Grebe-built sailboat. The "Escapade" is a 24' sloop built at the Grebe yard in 1940. Originally named "Escape" she was kept at aforementioned Bonds boatyard for many a year.
Senior Member
I have a Grebe-built sailboat. The "Escapade" is a 24' sloop built at the Grebe yard in 1940. Originally named "Escape" she was kept at aforementioned Bonds boatyard for many a year.
Senior Member
I have a Grebe-built sailboat. The "Escapade" is a 24' sloop built at the Grebe yard in 1940. Originally named "Escape" she was kept at aforementioned Bonds boatyard for many a year.
Super Senior Member
I had a boat at Bonds yard in recent years. But I think I've heard they've 'gone condo' also. No, the North Branch was not (and may still not) have the cleanest water but that's not enough to stop urban gentrification...
Super Senior Member
I had a boat at Bonds yard in recent years. But I think I've heard they've 'gone condo' also. No, the North Branch was not (and may still not) have the cleanest water but that's not enough to stop urban gentrification...
Super Senior Member
I had a boat at Bonds yard in recent years. But I think I've heard they've 'gone condo' also. No, the North Branch was not (and may still not) have the cleanest water but that's not enough to stop urban gentrification...
Senior Member
I assume Tony Bond is long gone as my experiences go back to the early 40's.
Tony was running the winch one day pulling my Dad's boat over to the railway and he couldn't see the boat. I was signalling between Dad and Tony. All of a sudden the boat started to drift to the side and there was my Dad standing under it. I screamed at Tony to stop, thankfully he was reasonable sober at the time and stopped the winch. A frightening moment.
Old Sailor
Senior Member
I assume Tony Bond is long gone as my experiences go back to the early 40's.
Tony was running the winch one day pulling my Dad's boat over to the railway and he couldn't see the boat. I was signalling between Dad and Tony. All of a sudden the boat started to drift to the side and there was my Dad standing under it. I screamed at Tony to stop, thankfully he was reasonable sober at the time and stopped the winch. A frightening moment.
Old Sailor
Senior Member
I assume Tony Bond is long gone as my experiences go back to the early 40's.
Tony was running the winch one day pulling my Dad's boat over to the railway and he couldn't see the boat. I was signalling between Dad and Tony. All of a sudden the boat started to drift to the side and there was my Dad standing under it. I screamed at Tony to stop, thankfully he was reasonable sober at the time and stopped the winch. A frightening moment.
Old Sailor
thank you for all the input from everyone yes ive been looking at a classic motoryacht to purchase and ive got my eye on a couple of H.C. Grebe boats , it does seem the general opinion is of extremely high quality. Boy ! who would have figured the midwest to produce high quality sea going motor yachts!!!!!!! It does make sense if you look at the exceptional quality Dutch steel yachts what makes them so special besides the round bilges is the remarkable interior woodwork , from the old Dutch cabinet makers just like H.C. Grebes background!
thank you for all the input from everyone yes ive been looking at a classic motoryacht to purchase and ive got my eye on a couple of H.C. Grebe boats , it does seem the general opinion is of extremely high quality. Boy ! who would have figured the midwest to produce high quality sea going motor yachts!!!!!!! It does make sense if you look at the exceptional quality Dutch steel yachts what makes them so special besides the round bilges is the remarkable interior woodwork , from the old Dutch cabinet makers just like H.C. Grebes background!
thank you for all the input from everyone yes ive been looking at a classic motoryacht to purchase and ive got my eye on a couple of H.C. Grebe boats , it does seem the general opinion is of extremely high quality. Boy ! who would have figured the midwest to produce high quality sea going motor yachts!!!!!!! It does make sense if you look at the exceptional quality Dutch steel yachts what makes them so special besides the round bilges is the remarkable interior woodwork , from the old Dutch cabinet makers just like H.C. Grebes background!
I built a house next door to a retired carpenter who worked at the yard during WW11. He also had many stories to tell. He gave me some tools that were custom made there by some of the workers.
I built a house next door to a retired carpenter who worked at the yard during WW11. He also had many stories to tell. He gave me some tools that were custom made there by some of the workers.
I built a house next door to a retired carpenter who worked at the yard during WW11. He also had many stories to tell. He gave me some tools that were custom made there by some of the workers.
Senior Member
You might also consider Burger, built in Manitowoc Wisc
[ 07-25-2005, 09:38 PM: Message edited by: Gary E ]
Senior Member
You might also consider Burger, built in Manitowoc Wisc
[ 07-25-2005, 09:38 PM: Message edited by: Gary E ]
Senior Member
You might also consider Burger, built in Manitowoc Wisc
[ 07-25-2005, 09:38 PM: Message edited by: Gary E ]
Senior Member #1976
An add for Henry Grebe.
[ 07-28-2005, 07:39 AM: Message edited by: nedL ]
Senior Member #1976
An add for Henry Grebe.
[ 07-28-2005, 07:39 AM: Message edited by: nedL ]
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