Wheeler

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Wheeler Yachts

Wheeler Fibre Glass Boat Corp.

Subsidiary of the Wheeler Yacht Company

Clason Point, New York, New York

History by Andreas Jordahl Rhude

Wheeler FibreGlass Boat Corporation of the Bronx, New York was an attempt by Wheeler Shipyards/Wheeler Yacht to get into RFP in 1960. They were very short lived, maybe out of business by 1963.

Wheeler Yacht made beautiful wooden yachts such as Ernest Hemingway's Pilar.

They were involved with McCollum Industries who got controlling interests in Span America Boat Company and Red Wing Fiberglass Products, Inc. in 1961. The intent was to merge all three boat builders into one entity. As it turned out, it did not materialize.

Howard Wheeler operated the Wheeler Yacht Company with the assistance of his sons- Wesley, Eugene, and Robert. The company first entered into fiberglass boat-building in 1960 with a 25' sea skiff model (May 1, 1960 New York Times). Also in 1960, Wheeler Yacht Co. bought a boat importer located in Stamford, Connecticut- the Van Breems International Corp., which imported yachts from the Netherlands under Arie Van Harwegen Van Breems. This company was to organized as a subsidiary of the Wheeler Fiber Glass Boat Corp. (November 6, 1960 New York Times). The new fiberglass models were a hit at the 1961 New York Boat Show with the 30' model selling for $15,000; the 26' model for $7,000. At this time, Wheeler had organized a dealer network and was selling wholesale only (January 21, 1961 New York Times).

Model Information