The modern recreational boating industry was just beginning to take shape in post-World War II America. A growing middle class was demanding affordable cruisers, and shipyards that had adopted production-line manufacturing techniques to fulfill wartime government contracts were prepared to meet that demand. One of the notable production boats to emerge during this period was the 20-foot plywood Cruis-Along. Built by M.M. Davis & Son Shipyard in Solomons, Maryland, it became an immediate success when it launched in 1946.
Founded in 1883 by Marcellus Mitchell Davis, M.M. Davis & Son was one of the largest industries in Solomons during the early 20th century. Davis ran the company until 1924, when he turned it over to his son, Clarence E. Davis. Known for custom yachts, the yard produced many wooden vessels throughout the 1930s that brought fame to the Chesapeake Bay yard.
Clarence E. Davis ran the shipyard until his death in 1936, when it was purchased by George Townsend of Greenwich, Connecticut. A former three-term president of the American Power Boat Association and two-time winner of the Gold Cup Motor Boat Classic, Townsend was determined to find new ways to keep the shipyard profitable during the Depression.
As demand for custom boats declined amid looming war in Europe, the yard developed its first concept for an affordable stock boat, building a 26-foot plywood cruiser called the Davis 36 in 1939. The boat generated no interest after two months, and the company abandoned plans to put it into production. Even so, the design likely provided inspiration for the Cruis-Along.
Like many American industries, the yard soon shifted focus to wartime production. To fulfill contracts for the U.S. Army Transportation Corps, it modernized its infrastructure and established production lines, laying the groundwork for future mass manufacturing. When the war ended, Townsend resumed his goal of producing a plywood stock boat.
The yard developed the first Cruis-Along prototype in 1945. It measured 20 feet and had a spacious cockpit and cabin accommodations for two. After extensive testing in Essex, Connecticut, M.M. Davis & Son commenced production in March 1946.
Far from a yacht, the Cruis-Along was without frills, but it was practical and economical. Being built from plywood, it weighed only 1,500 pounds and was easy to trailer. The cabin included two full-length berths and a marine head, sink, stove and icebox. It had a 6-foot, 9-inch beam and an 18-inch draft.
“The object of the builders is to provide a sound but simple craft, inexpensive to buy, operate and maintain,” reported the January 1946 issue of Yachting magazine. “She should appeal to a lot of yachtsmen with Spartan tastes and slim pocketbooks, which is to say, a very large number of people.”
The Economy Model with a 16-hp inboard cost $1,980. Buyers could upgrade to a 25-hp engine capable of 14 knots for an additional $100. The Speed Model, powered by a 45-hp engine, cost $2,140 and could reach 17 knots.
Demand for the Cruis-Along was robust during its first year of production, with more than 300 hulls delivered despite postwar supply shortages. In 1947, M.M. Davis & Son set a record during the first few days of the National Motor Boat Show in New York by receiving 500 orders for the Cruis-Along, amounting to more than $1 million. The yard built and shipped about 500 Cruis-Alongs that same year.
This article was originally published in the October 2026 issue.
