Messing about with boats: the pre-war joys of wheels and water

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Before the war, people found pleasure in simple things: gently drifting across the water, surrounded by peace and nature. The act of being involved with a boat — cleaning it, preparing it, and simply being out on the water — brought a sense of calm and satisfaction. But for those who don’t live near a river or lake, there’s a practical challenge: how to get the boat there? And what better solution than a sturdy and dependable American car?

It is not often one sees pre-war cars used in conjunction with boats, so we publish these photographs in the hope that some of the boating enthusiasts who read this magazine might see fit to employ a capable pre-war car instead of a modern one, the next time they intend to take a trip to the river. The size of the vessel, will, of course, have a bearing on what's a suitable tow car, but we assume the 1933 Chevrolet Master sedan was content to pull quite a large boat behind it, whereas the small one would barely have been noticed by the 1935 Plymouth.

It looks to us like another fun way to enjoy a pre-war car. When summer comes round again, those of you with a little boat and a decent-sized car can have a go at combining the two...

Words: Zack Stiling
Photograph: Stiling Collection

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