Glass-Jet
Encyclopedia
Glass Jet is the name brand of a line of fiberglass
runabout boats
manufactured in the 1950s. These boats are some of the earliest examples of fiberglass boat construction. Inspired by aviation
and the arrival of jet airplane technology, the boats have extra large tail fins like many of the automobiles
of the same era. Glass Jet boats were manufactured by the J&R Plasticraft Corporation in Reeseville, Wisconsin
. This firm later ceased boat manufacturing and relocated to Waterloo, Wisconsin. Boat manufacturing continued in Reeseville, Wisconsin
however by Quality Plastics, Inc. which produced the "Quality Glass" line of fiberglass boats. This firm went out of business in 1961 . Though production numbers are unknown, many Glass Jet boats are known to exist and are presently sought after as collector's items.
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
runabout boats
Runabout (boat)
A runabout is any small motorboat holding between four and eight people, well suited to moving about on the water. Runabouts can be used for racing, for pleasure activities like fishing and water skiing, or as a ship's tender for larger vessels...
manufactured in the 1950s. These boats are some of the earliest examples of fiberglass boat construction. Inspired by aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
and the arrival of jet airplane technology, the boats have extra large tail fins like many of the automobiles
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
of the same era. Glass Jet boats were manufactured by the J&R Plasticraft Corporation in Reeseville, Wisconsin
Reeseville, Wisconsin
Reeseville is a village in Dodge County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 703 at the 2000 census.-History:Reeseville was named after an early settler, Samuel Reese, by his son Adam Reese who surveyed and platted the area.-Geography:...
. This firm later ceased boat manufacturing and relocated to Waterloo, Wisconsin. Boat manufacturing continued in Reeseville, Wisconsin
Reeseville, Wisconsin
Reeseville is a village in Dodge County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 703 at the 2000 census.-History:Reeseville was named after an early settler, Samuel Reese, by his son Adam Reese who surveyed and platted the area.-Geography:...
however by Quality Plastics, Inc. which produced the "Quality Glass" line of fiberglass boats. This firm went out of business in 1961 . Though production numbers are unknown, many Glass Jet boats are known to exist and are presently sought after as collector's items.
