Any experience with Webbcraft?

paulspaddle

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Mar 2, 2009
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Might be taking a look at a 1982 21' Webbcraft powered by Mercruiser 260.

I've done some googleing and know they were built by Bill Webb in Oklahoma. Found a few opinions online, but there's very little out there.

Did a search here and this question has been asked before, but I'm going to ask again to see if anyone has any experience / heard of them / opinions on the boat?

Thanks....
 

haulnazz15

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Re: Any experience with Webbcraft?

They were/are good boats. I would have put them on par with Cobalt back in the 70's/80's. The were built in Claremore, OK I believe (just NE of Tulsa), and were typically a mid-V runabout design. If you've ever looked at the 70's Mark Twains/Cobalts, the Webbcraft is VERY similar in design. They were easily spotted on the Oklahoma lakes because the 70s/early 80's models had a twin stripe down the deck/upholstery. They also tended to have swim platforms and lots of teak accents.

Overall a solid boat, but just like anything else, you will need to search for wood rot.
 

paulspaddle

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Re: Any experience with Webbcraft?

Thanks, your on the money from what I've learned so far. I really like the teak accents. Something cool about a boat with real wood and not a plastic decal on fibreglass. IMO.

I hear ya on wood rot.

Wonder how many were made?
 

18WCmerc

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Re: Any experience with Webbcraft?

not that it matters, i think they were built in collinsville or connersville Ok , at least thats what my emblem says
 

haulnazz15

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Re: Any experience with Webbcraft?

Ahh, sorry 'bout that. It was Collinsville, OK (but if you know Okla they're pretty close to each other ~20mi apart).
 

18WCmerc

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Re: Any experience with Webbcraft?

there is little known about the webbcraft, i have researched the crap outta them here is what i can tell you and might be the largest chunk of information found about the webbcraft on the entire internet, so bare with me.


webbcrafts were built from 1972-1997. Bill Webb was owner/builder and built a quality runabout. Some argue that he built the best open bow runabouts of the 70's. Being a very small familiy owned company the boats rarely escaped the OKlahoma/kansas area and still can be found littered all over.

Now there are many stories of why they went out of business, i have heard three, one of which is that Bill Webb wanted his son to take over the business and the kid didnt want to so he closed down shop and Bill Webb now works/owns parts and boat dealership. I have also read that the factory burnt down, but they say that happened in 1991? doesnt match up. finally and most true is that they could not get a foot in on larger offshore boats. they were said to be very heavy and slow, but very strong and dependable. the company later shut down not being able to expand to bigger boats, though many were made i beleive the webbcraft concorde? the origional factory does infact still exsist. I have heard this from the mouth(writing actually) of Alex Webb who i once found a post on a forum which the Webbcraft was being discussed just like this one.

Alex wrote: "Hi everyone. I heard from "MR.Lake-XII" that there was a forum on this page talking about Webbcrafts, and people looking for parts and whatnot. I have some help for those of you looking for parts. Especially emblems, crests, etc. I also can answer pretty much all of your questions about Webbcrafts. My name is Alex Webb and my family owned Webbraft for all the years it was in existence. 1972-1997. Lots of changes have taken place at the old plant and what parts were left from years past are in a storage building. If you would e-mail me with parts requests I will do my very best to locate what you need.My e-mail address is alex_webb12@hotmail.com. I would also like to say thank you to all of our loyal customers. You made it possible for our family to do what we loved for 25 years. Not to shabby I'd say. Please don't hesitate to e-mail me your parts requests. Keep in mind that we don't have tons and tons of parts leftover, but we do have some things and you'll never know what we have until you ask. I'll also keep checking this thread for questions. Again thank you to everyone who supported us, and to offshoreonly.com for putting us all in contact.

I have ran into an address of the origioanl factory and two phone numbers in which Bill can be reached. Im not sure if Alex's email or the phone numbers are any good, i have emailed him in a despereate search for webbcraft emblems for my boat. still no reply. Note his post was in 2007 and later that week he posted again saying that parts are flying off the shelves, sooo hmmmm.


Alex had also mentioned that during webbcrafts attempt to enter the offshore and cig boats, his son maybe, well at least named brad webb introduced his own boat make called Nexus, which sold at Webbcraft dealerships and according to alex was a "big problem".,


this is all i know, true or false, however webbcrafts appear to be loved by their owners and many claim you wont know untill your ride in one. I like mine but then again i havent been in a lot of different boats...


hope this sheds some light on the webbcraft mystery.
 

haulnazz15

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Re: Any experience with Webbcraft?

The info about the Webbcraft Concorde you mentioned is true. It was a cigarette-style power boat usually with twin engines. I still see them pretty often on Grand Lake/Lake of the Ozarks, etc. They are cool looking boats, but they were much heavier than their offshore counterparts, so they never made the top speeds that the others had. The Concordes I've seen usually have a forward facing arch and I recall seeing them as short as 27' and maybe as long as a 35'.

Again, the Webbcrafts, Mark Twains, and Cobalts of the 70's all look VERY similar in their lines. Mark Twain and Webbcrafts specifically share a lot of similar qualities in their runabouts as they weren't *quite* as deep-v hulled as the Cobalts.
 

paulspaddle

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Re: Any experience with Webbcraft?

Thanks for all that 18WCmerc. I think it's fascinating that an individual can make a go at building boats.....got love capitalism. :)

I actually noticed your boat in your signature on another thread, great to hear some first hand experience with these boats.
 

crqflier

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Re: Any experience with Webbcraft?

My best friend in high school (in the early 80's) had first a 21' then a 23' webbcraft - so I'm guessing 1982 model year. At the time it was one of the greatest boats on the water. Really high quality and yes, lots of wood - full swim platform and wood all over the cabin area. We could get 3 folks up on skis no problem.
 

paulspaddle

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Re: Any experience with Webbcraft?

My best friend in high school (in the early 80's) had first a 21' then a 23' webbcraft - so I'm guessing 1982 model year. At the time it was one of the greatest boats on the water. Really high quality and yes, lots of wood - full swim platform and wood all over the cabin area. We could get 3 folks up on skis no problem.

Ya, I really like all the teak accents....real wood!....hard to find in today's fibreglass and plastic.
 

haulnazz15

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Re: Any experience with Webbcraft?

Ya, I really like all the teak accents....real wood!....hard to find in today's fibreglass and plastic.

Oh it's there, you just have to pay lots of $$$ to get it. Go look at a new Chris Craft. :eek:
 

18WCmerc

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Re: Any experience with Webbcraft?

mine just came with teak along the gunwhale and the swim platform, needed a lot and still needs more oil to bring back to life.
 
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