An interesting article about the bluewater boats
Bluewater Boatel History
by: Al - Creature Comforts - Chicago
1950's - The Beginning
Elmer Klapmeier initiated what is now Bluewater Yachts in the early 1950's because of his love of the outdoors and desire to sleep in a bed rather than a bedroll. The first craft he developed was used to transport the sportsman to a base camp many miles by water from a landing in northwestern Ontario. Due to high quality manufacturing, some of these boats are still in service.
Elmer Klapmeier quickly copyrighted the name "Boatel" and brought his newly graduated engineer son into the business on a part-time basis by way of an outing on the craft. Jim Klapmeier became very enthused and brought a friend into a venture named Northernaire Floating Lodges. These entrepreneurs had the idea to rent the Klapmeier-built boats on Rainy Lake on the U.S. and Canadian border. By 1958, the company was renamed "Boatel Company" and Jim joined his father full-time to increase service to Northernaire and offer Boatels throughout the United States.
The 1960's - Domination of Rental Business
By the mid-1960's Boatel's market had expanded throughout North America and the company built a larger facility to serve the growing demand. As buyer sophistication grew, Boatel capitalized on its success by introducing a full hull steel boat with inboard/outboard power rather than outboard power. In 1967, Boatel added a full hull model made of fiberglass.
The significant and attractive feature of the Klapmeier design was the shallow draft of just 24 inches. This performance feature allowed the 37-foot craft to operate safely in shallow water and to be beached-a popular feature with inland waterway cruising enthusiasts.
Boatel also capitalized on their welding and boat building expertise by bidding on navy contracts for landing barges.
The 1970's - Transition Into Retail
The continued success of the boats provided an ample international base on which to grow similar but distinct products with appeal to the moneyed yachtperson's desire for more living space than a traditional motor yacht configuration. The result was a highly-demanded line of yachts from 35 to 45 feet in length, which appealed to a niche customer that no other design could satisfy.
Originally offered in the houseboat markets, the target was redefined as intercoastal waterways and larger inland bodies of water in 1973. Despite the oil crisis in 1973 and the rising cost of petroleum-based construction materials and marine fuel, yacht sales of as many as 100 boats per year continued throughout the 1970's. In 1979, the yacht division became so popular it was given its own identity - "Bluewater."
