Snark Boats

Snark boats trace their roots to the late 1950s, originating from Siltronics Corp. in Pennsylvania with early foam-filled models like the Sea Devil/Sea Swinger. The "Snark" branding emerged in the early 1960s under Kransco Manufacturing (San Francisco), marketed aggressively as affordable, unsinkable dinghies for beginners. By the 1970s, they exploded in popularity through promotions—famously, a 1971 Kool cigarette campaign redeemed carton flaps for a Snark, yielding 18,000 orders alone. Sold via retailers like Sears (as Whirlwind or Jetwind) and Montgomery Ward, Snarks became icons of mass-market boating. Ownership shifted: to Doyle Dane Bernbach agency (1971), back to Kransco, then Lockley/Entwistle (1984), and finally Meyers Boat Co. (1996, Adrian, MI). Nearly 500,000 units produced; they're credited with teaching more people to sail than any other recreational boat. Modern Snarks retain the foam-core, ABS-clad design for durability and car-top portability.