Sea Sprite
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Sea Sprite Boat Co., Inc.
600 W. 10th Ave.
Monmouth, Illinois
The Sea Sprite Boat Co. was a continuation of Speed Queen Boats. In the undated brochure below, the photo of the Catalina Cruiser model clearly shows a Speed Queen badge.
History Thanks to Lee Wangstead
Glastex started building Speed Queen boats in Tinley Park, Illinois in 1953. In 1958, looking to expand, they moved to Monmouth, Illinois. The company was sold to Felt Enterprises in 1961 and around 1963 they changed the name of the boats to Sea Sprite. By 1967 there were differences between two factions of management with one group moving to Crescent City, Illinois and continuing the Sea Sprite line and the group staying in Monmouth building Sea Star boats. Confusing? You bet, but not any more confusing than the rest of the industry at that time. The Sea Star boat plant closed in 1981 when the Felt's sold the boat building operation. In 1982 they were back at it again building Mach I boats, sold in 1991. In 1993 they formed Envision Boats, still in business today. That's about all I know about them, anyone else have more? I'd like to hear more about William J. Horvath, founder.
History Thanks to Andreas Jordahl Rhude
Sea Sprite was a marine dealer founded at North Webster, Indiana in 1962. In 1968 the company was purchased by Melvin Redeker who had been selling his "Bee Boat" fiberglass boats to Sea Sprite. At that time he started making boats badged as "Sea Sprite" at Crescent City, IL. He had 115 employees at the peak period and was makng 13 boats per day. He sold the firm in 1984 to Robert F. Smith. Smith owned it until 3-4 years ago when a bank seized it. Apparently some of the molds are still sitting outside the former factory complex near Watseka, IL. Previous to starting to make Sea Sprite boats in 1968, this man was partner in Bee Boat Co. of Paxton, IL. Both had started out with Crownline Mfg. Co. in Onarga, IL- departing in 1959 to start Bee Boat.
Literature thanks to Andreas Jordahl Rhude
1960s Brochure
1960s Brochure, Page 1
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1960s Brochure, Page 3
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1960s Brochure, Page 8
1966 Information
1966 Brochure, Page 1
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1966 Brochure, Page 11
1968 Information
1968 Brochure, Page 1
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1968 Brochure, Page 3
1968 Brochure, Page 4
1968 Brochure, Page 5
1968 Brochure, Page 6
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1968 Brochure, Page 10
1968 Brochure, Page 11
1968 Brochure, Page 12
1969 Information
1969 Brochure, Page 1
1969 Brochure, Page 2
1969 Brochure, Page 3
1969 Brochure, Page 4
