Classic Boat: American Beauty
Bruce and Linne Lemke's 1958 American C-150 Stylemaster proves that even a small boat can make a big impact on the water.
by Lee Wangstad
Wanting a boat is one thing, but buying one is another. Both Bruce and Linne Lemke knew they wanted
a boat, so they thought about it, discussed it and thought it over some more. They just weren't
sure what to look for when it came down to making a final buying decision.
Bruce wanted something traditional, maybe an older boat. Linne was open; she just wanted
something nice. Last spring - quite by accident - they found the perfect boat. Parked in a yard,
the boat was easy to spot with a "FOR SALE" sign displayed prominently on the windshield.
The Lemkes were able to bypass restoring their American
C-150 Stylemaster and head straight for the water.
"We stopped to take a look," says Bruce. "Linne liked it, and I liked it, so we bought it.
Our lives haven't been quite the same since. It was like the boat found us." What they had found -
or, as they suspected, had found them - was a 1958 American C-150 Stylemaster molded-plywood boat.
North American Marine produced its line of American Boats in Warsaw, Ind. It began building
boats in 1954 with a line of both sheet and molded-plywood boats, ranging from 13 to 22 feet in
length. In 1957, North American Marine presented four molded-plywood runabouts, including the
Stylemaster C-150 and C-160, which sported tastefully designed fins that really captured the
essence of high style in the '50s. In late 1959, the company was bought by Whitehouse Boat Co. of
Fort Worth, Texas, which produced the North American line until 1962 when it declared bankruptcy.
Bruce and Linne's 1958 15-foot Stylemaster has a beam of 66 inches and a maximum horsepower
rating of 50. It came with the windshield, navigation lights, deck hardware and vinyl upholstery,
all installed at the factory. The hull was one piece, formed of five-ply molded Philippine
mahogany. The decks were fabricated from Philippine mahogany marine-grade plywood.
The boat had already been restored when Bruce and Linne bought it. The Lemkes weren't looking
for a project; they wanted to go boating. When they bought it, the C-150 was still sitting on its
original American trailer, but the original engine had been replaced along the way with a 1961
40-hp Evinrude Lark.
"The boat has two gauges on the dash, a speedometer and a heat gauge," says Bruce. "After
running about 20 minutes the first time out, the heat gauge went hot. We got the boat towed in and
called it a day. I found a shop that works on these older motors and had a new impeller put in the
water pump. The carburetor was also rebuilt, and it's run great ever since. The mechanics remarked
on the great shape of the engine; it's practically like new."
Bruce really likes the American's uniqueness. "I like the fins, and just everything about
it," he says. "Running an older boat like this, you don't just get in and drive it. You have to pay
attention to what is going on around you. You're more a part of the boat."
Bruce adds that the American handles well. "But you do have to focus on what you're doing,"
he says. "It's only 15 feet long, which means you have to watch how you hit the waves. At first I
was worried, but it's well built. I don't worry about it any more."
Bruce and Linne never thought the American would be this much fun. "It's changed our whole
social life and has kind of taken over," says Bruce. "We never anticipated that. We've found
ourselves out in the boat at least every other weekend, spending more time closer to home. Whether
going out with friends or just cruising by ourselves, we just like going out. There's always a
discussion about who gets to drive."
