John Benckert’s 1959 Lake ‘n Sea 14 Caribbean

John Benckert drove all the way from New Jersey to Holland, Michigan to pick up a free 1959 Lake ‘n Sea 14’ Caribbean model. Less than a year later he finished the project and with fine results.

Leak ‘n Sink: The Chris-Craft Years

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, making it the second company to manufacture the Lake 'n Sea line of boats. Six months later Chris-Craft gladly sold the company to the Parsons Corporation of Detroit,...

The Tale of the Transoms

When the Lake 'n Sea Division of the Parsons Corporation unveiled its new line of 1959 Lake 'n Sea boats the most striking feature for many of the models was the transom which looks a lot like a rear end of a 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air or 1959 Chevy Impala. Wherever the inspiration came from...

Seat Cushions Patterns and Model Years

A Michigan Fiberglass Company-built 14' Caribbean owner contacted me about the correct seat cushion pattern he should use for his restoration. Until he had brought it up I had not taken the time to study this question. Well, today I did, and realized that the seat cushion patterns for the 1960 Parsons Corporation-made boats are...

Restoring a 1962 Lake ‘n Sea 14’ Caribbean (Part 3)

Eric Zelman has just added  Part 3 to his ongoing video series documenting the restoration of his Michigan Fiberglass Company-made 1962 Lake 'n Sea 14' Caribbean (5030). This is only one of six total 14' Caribbeans I have documented from this manufacturer. Eric acquired the boat in 2016 and has been diligently restoring the boat...

Road Tripping to Wisconsin

My wife and I spent last weekend road tripping to Madison, Wisconsin to pick up a rare 1960-1961 Michigan Fiberglass Company-made 16' Arrowhead (hull number 7023) from all around great guy Dennis Tweedale. According to Dennis he purchased the boat in 2010 from a man that had acquired the boat from a farmer that had...

Restoring a 1962 Lake ‘n Sea 14’ Caribbean

Eric Zelman has just added  Part 2 to his ongoing video series documenting the restoration of his Michigan Fiberglass Company-made 1962 Lake 'n Sea 14' Caribbean (5030). This is only one of six total 14' Caribbeans I have documented from this manufacturer. Eric acquired the boat in 2016 and had been diligently restoring the boat...

New Lake ‘n Sea for Me!

This week, fellow Lake 'n Sea owner Mike Cramer and I struck a deal and his 1959 Lake 'n Sea 16' Arrowhead model became my latest fiberglass boat, along with a big 1959 Johnson Super Seahorse 50 h.p outboard, and sweet Alloy brand trailer. I have not owned a Lake 'n Sea in some time,...

A Museum Piece

In 2013, Keith Moore contacted me as he was looking to find a new home for his all original, including the seat cushions, Parsons Corporation-built 1959 Lake 'n Sea 14' Caribbean model (hull number 9475 0925). The tropical suntan and white boat even sat on the original Alloy brand trailer, made in Algonac, Michigan. Moore...