Larson: Fearless Company, Fast Boats

Like many other boat manufacturing companies, Larson Boats history sounds like something out of a quintessential American business dream -- a young boy dreams of days on the water, and builds his first boat at age 11. He grows into a well-known boat racer and then builds his company with good ol' U.S. determination and hard work.

Throughout the 1920s and 30s, Paul Larson's Little Falls, Minn., boat factory more than doubled its size as the demand for wooden boats accelerates. In an act of utter Americana innovation, Larson develops the Falls Flyer, a modern wonder that had the look of an airplane, and today, is practically a cult classic for collectors.

When fiberglass hit the boat-building word, Larson took on the new material with brave abandon. Unlike some companies that shied away from the opportunities fiberglass offered, Larson partnered with Earl Geiger, who put into play the Rand Gun, which made fiberglass application a breeze and took Larson Boats into the national market.

Not a company to rest on its laurels, in the 1960s, Larson began experimenting with new hulls, such as the lapline, deep V and tri-hull. And it branched out into other recreational pursuits, making skis, snowmobiles and pool tables. In the 70s, it was all about added entertainment, by adding 8-track tapes to the runabouts, and then venturing into the cruiser and sportabout markets throughout the 70s and 80s. As the American dream often goes, the company was purchased by Genmar in the late 1980s, according to the company's website.

Today, Larson has mastered composite mold manufacturing and builds a wide variety of bowriders, sports boats, day cruisers and fishing vessels.

POP Yachts currently lists more 70 used Larson boats, such as the 2001 Larson 290 Cabrio pictured above, a moderately priced vessel with twin Volvo Penta 5.0 V8 engines.

If she's not exactly what you're looking for, keep perusing through our listings, or contact us today so we can help you find the exact boat of your dreams.