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^ _MfrCo_: Introduction, History, Contact Information, etc.
^ _MfrCo_: Introduction, History, Contact Information Links, etc.
^ _Mfr_Model_: Overview, History, etc.
^ _Mfr_Model_: Specifications
^ Documentation: Catologs, Brochures, SpecSheets, OpManuals, Parts Lists, Shop Manuals, etc.
^ Forum Posts, Tech Tips & Tech Notes.
^ Publications & Media: Books, Magazines, Articles, Websites & Videos.
^ Related AEABoats Webpages (including Main Topic Page Links).
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^ Discover how to become an Academy Member and gain access to additional pages and programs!
NOTES:
PAGE CONTENTS:
^ _MfrCo_: Introduction, History, Contact Information, etc.
^ _MfrCo_: Introduction, History, Contact Information Links, etc.
^ _Mfr_Model_: Overview, History, etc.
^ _Mfr_Model_: Specifications
^ Documentation: Catologs, Brochures, SpecSheets, OpManuals, Parts Lists, Shop Manuals, etc.
^ Forum Posts, Tech Tips & Tech Notes.
^ Publications & Media: Books, Magazines, Articles, Websites & Videos.
^ Related AEABoats Webpages (including Main Topic Page Links).
^ Disclaimer: Use our website at your own risk. Report errors, omissions, dead links, additions, etc.
^ Visit our FEATURED ARTICLES Home Page!
^ Academy Members must SIGN IN to access the Comments Section! Renew!
^ Discover how to become an Academy Member and gain access to additional pages and programs!
NOTES:
(ROUGH DRAFT – PAGE UNDER DEVELOPMENT)
Cruisers Yachts is a brand of pleasure boats owned by KCS International. The company builds boats ranging from 30 feet – 58 feet, and is headquartered in Oconto, Wisconsin. Most models in the lineup are offered with both gasoline and diesel engine options. The company was one of the first boat builders to utilize the Volvo Penta IPS propulsion system.
History
The company was founded in 1953 in Oconto by Ray, Glenn, brothers Roy and Grant, and brothers Bob and Ted Thompson. They were second-generation members of the Thompson family, involved in boat building at Peshtigo, WI and Cortland, New York. Roy and Grant were following in their father Chris’s footsteps, as he had co-founded the Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Company in 1904 in nearby Peshtigo, Wisconsin. The company was originally known as “Cruisers Incorporated”, or “Cruisers Inc.” for short. They set up operations in the former Holt Lumber planing mill in Oconto. In the first year of operation, Cruisers constructed 14- and 16-foot lapstrake boats, and sold them to the Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg Co. with the Thompson name badge on the hulls. The first shipment left the Oconto factory on November 18, 1953. The first cabin-cruiser model was a 19-foot 3-inch lapstrake boat, which was introduced at the 1954 New York Boat Show; she featured a sink, alcohol stove, water closet, cushioned bunks to sleep four, cabin lights and a collapsible table.
In 1956, the first Cruisers product catalog debuted. The company was producing 60 boats per week then, and the work force had grown from 20 to 101, over 5 times its size, in three years. By 1961, 300 people were employed at the company. At this time they were producing 12 different models, ranging from 14 feet to 20 feet long. Cruisers claimed to be the foremost lapstrake boat builder in the world. In 1959 and 1960, they made 3,000 boats annually. Then the bottom fell out of the wooden-boat market.
A reorganization of the three Thompson family owned boat plants at Peshtigo, Cortland, NY and Oconto went into effect on 1 January 1959. Cruisers, Inc. became the sole property of Roy and Grant Thompson. Ray Thompson and family gained control of Thompson Bros. boat Mfg. Co. at Peshtigo. A new corporation was formed at Cortland, NY to run that operation; Thompson Boat Company of New York, Inc. with Bob, Ted and Glenn Thompson as owners.
As fiberglass boats hit the scene, customers abandoned wooden vessels en masse. Cruisers resisted the change, with the Thompsons believing firmly that a well-built wooden boat would outperform and outlive any fiberglass version of itself. Cruisers sold less than 800 boats in the 1965 season, and wooden boats were eliminated from the line by the end of 1966.
In 1982, Cruisers acquired the fiberglass portion of the boat division of Mirro Aluminum Company.
Cruisers International in Coventry was set up in 1985, creating 24 ft – 30 ft fiberglass cruising boats for the European market. The best sellers were the Cruisers Intl 224 Holiday and Vee Express 267. The Vee Express 267 was a smaller 6–8-berth version of the USA constructed Vee Express 296. Cruisers International folded in 1992 as the result of a fault in the 267 mouldings that occurred when the UK company moved to a smaller location and left the mould outside in the elements.
Cruisers Yachts today
In the early 1990s, the boat building business suffered as the economy worsened. Venture Capitalist K.C. Stock, an experienced businessman in the Oconto area, saw potential in the struggling company and knew that if the biggest employer in the town were to close, it would be devastating to the town’s economy. In 1993, his company KCS International purchased the company and renamed it Cruisers Yachts. Soon after, the industry saw an upswing in sales and an increasing demand. The company expanded its model lineup year after year. Today, the company builds express cruiser and flybridge style yachts, and has recently introduced new models that fit into the new sport coupe class of express boat. The company currently employs approximately 1,000 people, with an annual sales figure exceeding $94 million.
Other KCS International boat brands
Rampage Yachts
Azure Sport Boats
References
- BoatQuest.com. “Cruisers Yachts History”. Boat Quest. Archived from the original on 2008-09-18.
- Coneybear, John (24 September 1982). “Action Flurry Characterises Boat Industry”. The Hour. p. 29. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
- “Cruisers Yachts: Pairing Technological Advances with Handcrafted Details”. Retrieved 2014-11-02.
- “KCS International, Inc.”. Manta.
External links
From Wikipedia
• Cruisers, Inc. began operations in 1953 and became known around the western Great
Lakes for its wood lapstrake runabouts and cruisers.
• By 1961, 300 employees worked at Cruiser’s Oconto, WI, facility during peak season.
• The company began the transition to fiberglass production in 1965 and wooden boats
were eliminated from the line by the end of 1966.
• In 1972 Cruisers was purchased by Mirro Marine. In 1982 Cruisers was sold to private
interests, and in 1993 the company was purchased by its current owner, KCS International.
• Cruisers endured its share of financial difficulties in the early 1990s thanks to the
downturn in the U.S. economy and the ill-fated 10 percent luxury tax of 1991–93.
• By the mid 1990s Cruisers returned to full production with a series of all-new family
cruiser and motor yacht models as well as an expanded network of dealers.
• Cruisers Yachts has long been recognized by marine industry professionals for producing
affordably priced, well-engineered motoryachts and family cruisers.
From PBG
History
1904
In 1904 Thompson Bros. Boat Manufacturing Co. made its first home in the small, northern town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin starting the legacy of a family boat-building business.
Always thinking big and confident in the craft and durability they brought to the boat industry, the second generation of Thompson’s started building wood lapstrake outboard cabin cruisers in Oconto, Wisconsin in the early 1950s.
The first known Cruisers, Inc. catalog debuted in 1956, as prior to that the company was building 14′ and 16′ boats under the Thompson Bros. label.
In 1965 wood boats were replaced with fiberglass as the new technology was wreaking havoc with the wood boat business.
In 1971 Cruisers, Inc. was sold to Mirro Aluminum Company of Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
It wasn’t until 1979, when Roy Thompson retired, that someone other than a Thompson ran the company.
In 1980 the fiberglass product line of Mirro Marine Division (Cruisers) was sold to T.J. Bogard (the former President of Mirro Marine Division) and T.A. Lisle (formerly of Eaton Corporation).
In the early 1990s K.C. Stock, who was born and raised in the Oconto area, saw the potential for opportunity.
So in 1993 Stock’s KC International Inc. purchased the company and changed the name to Cruisers Yachts.
The Cantius Series was born with the launch of the 48 Cantius.
In 2015, Cruisers Yachts unveiled its largest yacht by introducing the 60 Cantius.
From Cruisers Yachts.
Contact Information
Cruisers Yachts
804 Pecor Street
Oconto, Wisconsin 54153
Telephone: (920) 834-2211
Fax Line: (920) 834-2797
Owner’s Desk: (866) 734 2770
Website: www.cruisersyachts.com
From Cruisers Yachts.
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General Specifications For _Mfr_
Specifications For _Mfr_Model_
_Description_
TABLE KEY:
⊕ = Data from Multiple Sources. ⊗ = Data Not Available from Data Source. ? = …? = ¿…? = Unconfirmed.
DS = Data Source: …+ = ++ = Data combined from Multiple Sources. BD = BoatDiesel.com = …B.
^ …f = Forum. …w = Webpage. …c = Catalog. …b = Brochure. …s = SpecSheet.
^ …o = Owner’s/Operator’s Manual. …m = Service/Repair/Technical/Workshop/Shop Manual.
^ …1,2,3,A,B,C,etc = Source #, Version, Revision.
CYL = Cylinder Configuration-Number−Liner Type:
^ Cylinder Configuration: u… = Vertical (Upright). s… = Slanted (Inclined). n… = Inverted.
^ ^ h… = Horizontal (Flat). o… = Outward Opposed Piston. i… = Inward Opposed Piston.
^ ^ S = Single Cylinder. I = In-Line. V = V Pattern (eg V8). W = W Pattern. Y = Y Pattern. D = Delta.
^ ^ R = Radial. …r = Rotary. Wr = Wankel Rotary.
^ Liner Type: W = Wet Liner(s). D = Dry Liner(s). WD = Combo Wet+Dry Liners. S = Sleeved (Press fit?).
^ ^ C = Independent Cylinder(s). P = Parent/Native Bore. b… = Borable Oversize. …s = Sleevable.
^ ^ Liner type sometimes had to be determined from Shop Manual and/or Parts List.
BORE & STROKE: …mm = Millimeters. …” = …in = Inches.
DISPLACEMENT: …cc = Cubic Centimeters (cm³). …L = Liters (Litres). …ci = Cubic Inches (in³).
⇑ = Base Engine Manufacturer. ⇒ = Engine Marinizer (Mariniser).
MODEL: EC = Engine Code. Cylinder Block Capacity ID Code. TC = Turbocharged.
RATING: See the Engine Duty Ratings at the end of the table.
ASP: Aspiration-Fueling: N = Naturally Aspirated. T = Turbocharged. S = Supercharged.
^ …c = Crankcase Scavenged. …b = w/Blower. …i = Intercooled. …a = Aftercooled.
^ …R = …r = w/RawWater (Seawater) Cooled Intercooler/Aftercooler (Charged Air Cooler).
^ …F =…f = w/FreshWater (Engine Coolant) Cooled Intercooler/Aftercooler (Charged Air Cooler).
^ -Fueling (Petrol): c = Carbureted. i = Injected.
^ -Fueling (Diesel): M = Mechanical Injection. iI = Integral Injector. Cr = Common Rail.
^ ^ E = Electronic Injection.
POWER: kW = Kilowatts. HP = Horsepower. BHP = Brake Horsepower. MHP = Metric Horsepower.
@RPM = Power Ratings @ Revolutions Per Minute.
YEARS MFR’d: Beginning-Ending. Trailing “–” (Dash) without an Ending Date = Still in Production (BOLD).
_MFR_PAGE_
Click on Model Links below for individual Model Pages that contain more detailed information and specifications, plus Data Source Links to Catalogs, Brochures, SpecSheets, Owner’s/Operator’s Manuals, Shop Manuals, etc.
Click on Model Links below for Detailed Specifications and Data Source Links to Catalogs, Brochures, SpecSheets, Operator’s Manuals, Shop Manuals, etc.
_PRODUCT_PAGE_
Click on Model Links below for other Model Pages. Click on Data Source Links to Catalogs, Brochures, SpecSheets, Operator’s Manuals, Shop Manuals, etc.
| MODEL | BASE ENGINE | CYL | DISPLACEMENT | kW | HP | @RPM | YEARS MFR'd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| _Model_ | _Mfr_Model_ | ⊗cc / ⊗L / ⊗ci | ⊗ | ⊗ | ⊗ | 19??-19?? | |
| _Model_ | _Mfr_Model_ | ⊗cc / ⊗L / ⊗ci | ⊗ | ⊗ | ⊗ | 19??-19?? |
NOTES:
| BASE ENGINE | DS | CYL | BORE | STROKE | BORE | STROKE | DISPLACEMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| _Mfr_Model_ | DS | ⊗mm | ⊗mm | ⊗in | ⊗in | ⊗cc / ⊗L / ⊗ci | |
| ⇑ _MFR_ | |||||||
| MODEL − RATING | DS | ASP-F | kW | BHP | MHP | @RPM | YEARS MFR'd |
| _Model_ − ⊗ | DS | ⊗ | ⊗ | ⊗ | ⊗ | 19??-19?? | |
| ⇒ _MARINIZER_ | |||||||
| MODEL − RATING | DS | ASP-F | kW | BHP | MHP | @RPM | YEARS MFR'd |
| _Model_ − ⊗ | DS | ⊗ | ⊗ | ⊗ | ⊗ | 19??-19?? |
NOTES:
Engine Duty Ratings
Con = Continuous = Commercial
Int = Intermittent = Pleasure Craft
Gen = GenSet = Generator (Constant Speed)
Documentation
If you can help us add information, Catalogs, Brochures, Spec Sheets, Pictures, OpManuals, Parts Lists, Shop Manuals, etc. that we lack, please submit the info or link in the Comment Box below, or attach the PDF to an email to the Editor♥EverythingAboutBoats.org (Replace “♥” with “@”). Thanks!
Go to _Mfr_, _Mfr_ and _Mfr_ webpages for additional documentation!
Catalogs:
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Brochures:
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SpecSheets/Data Sheets:
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Charts and Graphs:
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Pictures:
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Press Releases:
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Model History:
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Serial Number Guide – Manufacture Date Code Identification:
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Installation Instructions/Manuals:
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Installation Diagrams & Drawings with Dimensions:
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Owner’s/Operator’s Manuals:
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Parts Schematics with Exploded Views & Parts Lists:
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Parts Bulletins:
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Repair/Service/Technical/Workshop/Shop Manuals:
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Wiring Diagrams:
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Service Bulletins:
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Product Recalls:
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Forum Posts, Tech Tips & Tech Notes
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please submit the Link in the Comment Box below or via email to
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More Forum Posts, Tech Tips & Tech Notes may be found at Propulsion Machinery, Engines,
DIY: Propulsion Machinery, DIY: Engines, and the main AEABoats _Mfr_ webpage.
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Publications & Media:
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More Books, Magazines, Articles, Websites & Videos may be found at Propulsion Machinery, Engines,
DIY: Propulsion Machinery, DIY: Engines, and the main AEABoats _Mfr_ webpage.
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