How Shipyards Are Future-Proofing Classic Race Boats and Runabouts

Select runabouts and speedboats, between 24 and 42 feet, have emerged as boating’s latest crown jewels. They’re not retro replicas, but their subtle curves, tumblehome sterns, and wood accents retain clear connections to a century ago, when Gar Wood’s personal mahogany race boats set the standard for athleticism and style, and later, when became the tony transport for royalty and Hollywood glitterati visiting the French Riviera.

Today, custom projects like Alpha Z and Victoria Z embody that lineage. Designed by and built by in Michigan, these bespoke vessels—created more than two decades apart—show the ways that mahogany runabouts can evolve with enhanced modern performance. Launched in September, the 35-foot Victoria Z exudes the warmth of wood while pairing twin Ford 427 engines (