Crew Launch University of Wisconsin Badgers
This rare Gar Wood has an unusual history, as it was purchased new in 1937, for the Rowing Team at the University of Wisconsin, as the Crew Launch. She was named VAIL in honor of their famous coach Harry “Dad” Vail. Her crew duties ended suddenly in 1947, when an 8-man shell rammed a hole in VAIL’s side.
She languished for fifty years until she was given a major restoration. Missing her engine, a nationwide search found an original Scripps 678 cubic inch straight six marine engine. Totally rebuilt, the Scripps runs like a Swiss watch with a soft, melodic bellow.
Vail’s owner & his family used her for special dinner trips across the Lake. Her cockpit layout allows close to a dozen passengers to freely move about the boat. She has been kept in a boathouse and is in pristine condition. Her owner is moving from the Lake and with sadness is offering VAIL for a new owner to enjoy the splendor of this great boat. $145,000.