PEGASUS
A classic wooden boat
Not for sale ever again....
1937 Gar Wood
19 & 1/2' Dual Cockpit Custom Runabout, hull #6123“PEGASUS”
1937 Gar Wood 19 & 1/2 foot Dual Cockpit Custom Runabout
“PEGASUS”, constructed in 1937 by the legendary Gar Wood Company in their Marysville, Michigan factory is one of the popular first custom runabouts handmade in 1937. She has been carefully preserved by only a few owners. She was given a Gar Wood Hull number 6123 and is number 21 of 122 nineteen and a half foot custom runabouts produced. She was originally purchased on July 2, 1937 by Mr. Fitzgerald and Mr. Lee and shipped to Alexander Bay, in the 1000 islands area of New York. “PEGASUS” has always been in use and cared for by her owners.Previously named “Osprey”, she was repowered in the mid 1970’s with an OMC 230 hp V-8 engine (Chevrolet 350 cubic inch, by OMC marine), giving her a much lighter, dependable power plant with more than double her original horsepower. Now reliably powered and fast, it is a pleasure to experience her handling. All fitments are original and have been completely reworked and sorted. She has all original ribs and keel with a new bottom in the well known and reliable “West” method done properly and professionally by her previous owner, John DeQ. Briggs of Washington, D.C. Her current owner, Dr. Robert Slayden, purchased her in 2007 renamed her “PEGASUS” and her name was professionally hand gold leafed on her handsome stern.Dr. Slayden commissioned the Antique Boat Center of Cincinnati, Ohio to refurbish her including engine removal, full cleaning and repainting of her bilge. The original hull number (6123) is clearly visible in many places in her structure. Her engine was tested and found to be in top condition and then repainted with all new electrical components. Her hull was inspected and any minor issues were attended to by their technicians. A new stainless steel fuel tank and braided stainless marine grade fuel line was fitted as were new stainless steel lift rods, along with new Teleflex controls for throttle and shift. A complete new interior was also professionally installed . In November, 2007, Bob and his wife, Beryle, picked “PEGASUS” up in Cincinnati and delivered her to their Lake Burton home in northeast Georgia, Flying Horse Lodge (www.FlyingHorseLodge.net) . Subsequent to her arrival at Flying Horse Lodge to the custody of the Slayden’s, “PEGASUS” had all her chrome redone, instrument panel professionally rebuilt by Kocian Instruments LLC, a new custom 4 blade cupped bronze propeller was installed, her wiring was reworked with fuses for all circuits and her water pump was rebuilt. She has been custom fitted to a heavy duty all aluminum Magic Tilt dual axel trailer with surge brakes. Clocked at 45 mph on GPS with more throttle left, she can be an exciting ride. She has been enjoyed by the Slayden family for cruises on Lake Burton, Georgia over the past few years with fun trips to classic boat events such as Lake Hartwell, Lake Keowee, SC and Mount Dora, FL. The Slayden’s now have had to face a challenge that they need to part with “PEGASUS” due to competing interests of their 3 grandchildren who would appreciate a ski boat more than they would a classic boat. With no extra space in the boat house, “PEGASUS” will have to go, moving on to a new custodian who hopefully will care for her in the manner in which she has become accustomed. “PEGASUS” comes equipped with all gear including a winterize kit, a complete safety bag, custom fenders, black nylon braided lines and custom “PEGASUS” embroidered towels. “PEGASUS” is ready for turnkey use, just add water and go.Pegasus was is priced at $59,900 in 2010 but is NOT FOR SALE ANYMORE..
Have “PEGASUS” beome yours before July 30, 2010 and take her to the Clayton, NY Show featuring Gar Wood boats in the 1000 lakes area, her original home! http://www.abm.org/antique-boat-show.asp
Contact: Bob Slayden
(770) 396-0033~~~~~~~~~~
Early Gar Wood History from the Gar Wood Society
"Worlds Finest Boat Factory"
Early Background
Garfield Wood never intended to go into the boat building business. His goal was to personally set every speed record on water and be recognized as the world's speedboat king. However, as he set forth to achieve these goals, he was influenced by colleagues and friends and as a result built the world's finest line of production recreational sport boats. Today Gar Wood boats are among the most sought-after classic boats in the world. The fascinating events that led to the development and production of Gar Wood boats is one of the most interesting stories in boating history.Garfield Arthur Wood was born in l880 the oldest of l3 brothers and sisters. He was named after both the nation's President and Vice President, James Garfield and Chester Arthur. When his father was just a lad he ran away from home to join the Union Army as a drummer boy so it was only natural that he would name his first son after America's leaders.As Gar grew up his father was a ferryboat operator on Lake Osakis in Minnesota. He often took his oldest son with him to help crew on the ferries. Frequently a race between ferry boat operators would emerge. It was good for business to have a reputation for speed, so races were often taken seriously. Young Gar Wood learned early that speed on water meant recognition and fame. Working with his father, Gar also developed unusual mechanical skills far beyond his years. More important still was the development of an aptitude for inventing devices to solve mechanical problems. These skills would continue to develop within him and result in hundreds of patents in his lifetime. However, one invention and patent would create a personal fortune and make him a racing legend.Invents Hydraulic Lift
By the turn of the century Gar and his wife Murlen lived in St. Paul where he was involved in a number of enterprises including a traveling repair shop to service machines and early automobiles. In spite of the rapid industrial growth that was all around, he was still on the outer edge and had not begun to prosper from it. Then in 1911 at age 31 he focused his creative skills on a mechanical device that would unload coal trucks. Coal was a common fuel for home and industrial use, yet the only way to unload trucks was slow and difficult. He convinced a local coal company to lend him a truck to try out his new invention. With Murlen by his side, and their life savings invested, Gar demonstrated his hydraulic lift. He had attracted several potential investors who insisted on getting in the truck bed to see how it worked. When Gar dumped them in the street with the pull of a lever, they knew he had a marketable product. So vast was the market for the hydraulic lift that Gar built an industrial empire around it.Soon Gar's eight brothers joined him and they moved everything to Detroit where they established the Wood Hoist Co. Along side other emerging giants like Ford, Dodge and Chalmers, Wood's fortunes grew and the time was right for him to participate in his first love – speedboat racing.World's Finest Boat Factory
His experience with hydraulic hoist production demonstrated the value of efficiency of facilities design. His new boat plant would be designed to be the finest boat building factory in the world. In 1930 at Marysville, Michigan Gar Wood opened the new factory that could produce 1200 custom quality boats a year. The same excellent standards of quality, finish and performance that had been a Gar Wood tradition would be maintained, with higher production and a new variety of models. Such was the optimism when the new Gar Wood factory opened right on schedule just 3 months after the nation was rocked by the stock market crash.The first production year for Gar Wood at Marysville included 2 basic models: the 28' Runabout and the new 22' Runabout. The 28' runabout was also offered as a limousine, a sedan and a landau. The Algonac plant continued to produce the 33' runabout which would be the new stock version of the Baby Gar hull. In addition a stock 40' Commuting Cruiser was being built at Algonac.The line remained the same in 1931 but was expanded in 1932 to include an 18' split cockpit runabout and a very well-received 25' triple cockpit runabout. Both the 28' and 25' runabouts were given the famous Gar Wood folding V-windshield that would become a trademark for the next 10 years. This windshield was an extremely well-designed feature that was far ahead of its time and never exceeded for beauty.By 1937 boating popularity was growing throughout the United States. Dealers were expanding their inventories and the outlook was very bright. The new Gar Wood catalog had a full color cover and had 30 pages filled with photographs of their full line. The utilities proved so popular that in 1937 they introduced a 24' model that would remain in the line until 1942. A sedan version was offered and proved to be very popular. This was also the year that the very popular 19 1/2' runabout made its debut.Contact: Bob Slayden
(770) 396-0033Click on any image ~ "Close" is on lower right
Click below to see Videos of Pegasus in motion:
Well guess what! We bought Pegasus back, May 20, 2020 from the guy we sold it to 10 years ago! Welcome home to Lake Burton.
