“I had this special background built at the Borum Boat Co. so we could take pictures of the new boats. Once again the background would be taken out for the ads.” LS
Loyd Sandgren did photographs for both the Borum Boat Company and Huckins Yacht Corporation during the 50’s and 60’s. Huckins is still around today located on Jacksonville’s Ortega River but Borum is a historic relic. The Borum Boat Company set up shop in the Ford Model A plant on Jacksonville’s waterfront in 1954 and produced 12 different models of wooden boats (all named after cars) during it’s time there. In 1961 the city of Folkston, GA lured the company from Jacksonville but that plant only stayed open a couple of years before closing it’s doors. They came back to Jacksonville and produced fiberglass boats until 1980.
Great story. But it is spelled Huckins Yacht Company.
thanks
Thanks for the catch. It has been corrected. Bob
What a wonderful discovery! I’m thrilled to see photographs of my grandfather’s work included in Mr. Sandgren’s archive. That Borum logo visible on the trailer is the same one my dad has printed on his business cards TODAY. It’s a classic.
interested in the sea campers that were built up until 1980 , do you have any photos or info on those sea camper boats !
Michael, So happy that you found the site. I appreciate any additional background that you can add to any of the posts.
Thanks, Bob!
My dad tells me the woman in this photo is the late Carolyn Pickett, who became my grandfather’s second wife (in the 1950s, I think). She was a model around town, and he met her through the photo-shoots she did for Borum Boats at the time.
My dad kept a sailboat moored at a rickety marina just upstream from the Huckins Yacht Co. I remember being fascinated by the factory out over the water.
I was honored to have Don Borum come by my home today with another Borum boat owner friend,
Bill Humphries of Apopka. We had a very lovely visit and I gained a lot of history of the Borum Boat Co.
I have a 1959 Ranger 15′ Utility. HIN: 6595. It was named after the Ford Edsel “Ranger”. It is pushed by a 1960 Johnson 40hp outboard. This boat has been sitting in a barn for the past 35 years and is as solid as the day it came out of the factory. It sits on a Gator trailer. Hopefully, I can finish the restoration for the 2016 Lake Dora get-together.
Just ran into this by seeing a FB post by Marcis Borum.
My dad bought the first boat for the family in 1959 and of course
it was a 16′ Borum on a Gator trailer. Came new with a 35hp Evinrude. He immediately changed to a 40hp Johnson. It was green. I was 6 years old. The wooded interest started then and I am forever hooked on wooden boats. We enjoyed the boat for many years. I was away at college around 1974 when he sold it.
If it were available or found I would buy it and begin a restoration. John from Michigan.
My Great Uncle worked for Ford in that building and in 1980 I went to work for All Terrain Engineering In that same building . Borum Made our fiberglass parts for us .
My Father worked for Borum Boats in Jacksonville when I was a little girl, 1959 I think. Bill Borum was his boss. I remember it like it was yesterday. I have a Photo of my dad building a boat in our driveway.
I am a retired JSO Police Officer in Jax.. I would love for You to E-mail or text the photo of Your Dad building a boat in His driveway. We had a Borum boat when I was 8 yrs old.. Thanks Larry T cell 904-219-8314
My father worked for Borum boats in 1958. I have pictures of him working on a boat in our driveway.
I purchased the model in the photo
in 1957/58. Red with white trim and
red cushions. Great boat with a 25hp
Gale outboard. Lasted forever. I traded
In a 12’ Aristocraft on it. Not sure which
one I loved the most.
Love the History on the Borum boats. So happy I happen to come upon this site.
Thank you for publishing all of this.
Susanne B. Borum
Daughter of: James A. Borum Jr.;son of James A. Borum Sr.;
son of James A.R. Borum ; son of James T. Borum; son of John Smith Borum of Matthews County, Virginia!!
Forgot to mention that I presently have a brother John who loves the water and his boats!!
Susanne B, Borum
Interesting article. Thanks for putting it out for all of us to enjoy.
We married in 1977, and shortly after that we mad our first big purchase- a Borum fiberglass 13′ Lil’ Scrambler. Purchase from Mr. Borum on North Main St in Jacksonville. He was a very nice, and very talkative, gentleman.