Lake 'n Sea Boats Owners Association
The Boat You've Been Waiting For
Lawrence Meyering, ca. 1960 Michigan Fiberglass Company (MFC) cannot be blamed for killing the Lake 'n Sea boat line but it was part of the end for the brand. Parsons Corporation contracted with MFC in March 1960 to save money and refocus on the fiberglass products they could sell at a profit but the plan... Continue Reading →
The biggest mystery surrounding the Lake-N-Sea/Lake 'n Sea boat brand is how many boats were actually made, when, and by which of the four companies. Well, here is what I have been able to ascertain after years of collecting data from original factory records, owners, and oral history interviews with builders or their families. I... Continue Reading →
https://youtu.be/ozKBDARyl8g Eric Zelman has just added Part 7, and the final, final episode, to his ongoing video series documenting the restoration of his Michigan Fiberglass Company-made 1962 Lake ‘n Sea 14′ Caribbean (5039). Part 7 covers the running of his restored 50 h.p. Merc 500 and some crusing. This is only one of seven total 14’... Continue Reading →
Without a doubt most of the Lake 'n Sea boats models are unique and easy to spot, largely due to the design of the transoms and graceful lines. This is especially true for the 18-ft Saratoga model. I dream of owning one of these beauties. A lot. The 18 foot Saratoga model was introduced in... Continue Reading →
Model year 1960 for the Lake 'n Sea Division of the Parsons Corporation was a big year of change for the company when they moved the manufacturing of two of its boat models from their plant in Traverse City to a subcontractor in southwest Michigan in March. During this change very little changed in the... Continue Reading →
While rarely seen in vintage boat collector's collections the Lake 'n Sea Division of the Parsons Corporation did make small utility and runabout boats designed for fishing, hunting, and fun at a low cost. In the spring of 1958 Parsons Corporation introduced a limited number of models to the public which included the 12-ft Utility... Continue Reading →
On March 15, 1960, an agreement between John T. Parsons of the Parsons Corporation and Lawrence Meyering of the Michigan Fiberglass Company (MFC) of Zeeland, Michigan, was reached to have MFC produce the 15-ft Caribbean and 17-ft Arrowhead from their four model year line. These two models were identical to the 1959 model line in... Continue Reading →
On June 18, 1957, the Chris-Craft Corporation purchased the rights and molds to the Lake N Sea boat line from Lakensea Boat Corporation of Boca Raton, Florida, to get into the fiberglass boat building business, but it did not last long. On January 7, 1958, the Parsons Corporation of Detroit, Michigan, purchased the Lake... Continue Reading →
Eric Zelman has just added Part 6, and the final episode, to his ongoing video series documenting the restoration of his Michigan Fiberglass Company-made 1962 Lake 'n Sea 14' Caribbean (5039). Part 6 covers the final assembly and "the reveal." This is only one of six total 14' Caribbeans I have documented from this manufacturer. Eric... Continue Reading →
Lake 'n Sea boat at the Zagreb International Trade Fair, 1959. (Image courtesy of the John T. Parsons collection (Ms-1987-016), Digital Library and Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, https://spec.lib.vt.edu/) In September 1959 the Lake 'n Sea Division of the Parsons Corporation had completed its first production year of its redesigned 1959 Lake... Continue Reading →
