Johnny Johnson IV
YEAR: 1926
This boat was custom built for William Randolph Hearst and shown at the New York City Winter Boatshow, & delivered to his New York estate for spring 1926. The 33' Baby Gar was the Epitome of American built boats of the 1920's. Garfield Wood was a wealthy industrialist who made a more significant impact on boat racing than any other individual since. He took this fame and notoriety, & started his own boat company. Lee Anderson purchased this boat from the second owner's family in 2013.
LENGTH: 33'
Johnny Johnson IV has had a colourful past. After its first couple decades with Hearst, it was sold to a young playboy by the name of Johnny Johnson. He used the boat to boot-leg liquor in prohibition, and when the boat came to Peter Breen, it still had the auxiliary engine used to idle in and out of patrolled waters. The dash also looked like an airplane with controls and levers for all kinds of things.
BUILDER: GAR WOOD BOAT CO.
Though she came to Breen in one piece, much of the wood was starting to deteriorate. Lee Anderson decided that since it was the last of the original 33' Baby Gars to be restored it was worth doing right, and preserving as much original wood as possible. Each plank was taken off one at a time, re-inforced with a new layer on the backside, and re-fastened. This 3-year forensic restoration resulted in a masterpiece of preservation.
