Q&A: Chatting with Donald Taylor of the Streblow Boat Owners Club
Don Taylor is a long-time Streblow Boat owner, and his love for these boats shines through the Streblow Boat Owners website, which shares breathtaking photos of the variety of custom Streblow Boats.
Q: Can you tell us a little about the Streblow boats?
A: These handcrafted wooden boats are built by the Streblow Custom Boats Company, a family-owned company in Lake Geneva, Wis. Larry Streblow founded the company in the 1950s. He devoted his life to these boats, and his son, Randy, operated the business for many years and passed away after the ACBS Boat Show in Fontana, Wis., in 2011. Randy’s daughter, Kris, operates the business today with the assistance of Steve Horton and their team at their rural Walworth facility. There are now over 125 Streblow boats on Geneva Lake, and every one of them has achieved a wonderful legacy of quality, style and craftsmanship that continues to this day.
Q: How did the Streblow Boat Owners Club get started?
A: In 2001, I received permission from Randy Streblow to start a website which would share pictures of our beautiful boats.
Q: How many members are there in the club?
A: Approximately 75 Streblow boat owners are involved.
Q: What makes the club unique?
A: This is a very private group that mainly shares photos of their boats and boating life with their Streblow boats. There are many beautiful photos on our web page.
Q: Does the Streblow Boat Club hold any events?
A: The original “WAKE THE LAKE” was huge! The anxious fleet waited for the fog to clear so the ‘photo – op’ could begin! The famed picture captured by Matt Mason appeared on the back cover of Larry Larkin’s first edition of “GRAND & GLORIOUS”! There have been two other such events. The last one was to honor Randy Streblow. This was a true “WAKE” for our beloved boat builder and friend. The boat owners look forward to this camaraderie!
Hagerty offers a 10% premium discount to all Streblow Boat Owners. To learn more about the club, visit http://www.streblowboatowners.com. Among the additional benefits of Streblow Boat Club membership are an annual membership directory; a subscription to Blackhawk Chapter’s bi-monthly newsletter; access to the ACBS website; and a subscription to the ACBS quarterly magazine, The Rudder.
