A Proud Tradition on the Shores of White Bear Lake

Although White Bear Boat Works was formed in 1998 when Johnson Boat Works was sold, the history of this family business goes back over 100 years. 

The Early Days

For 2 years, J.O. worked for Amundson, building rowboats and traditionally styled displacement sailboats for the inland lakes of Minnesota, but he was more fascinated with boat design than he was with construction.  He was convinced that the displacement sailboats offered too much resistance and began designing a radically different type of sailboat; one that would ride on top of the water, instead of plowing through it.  He proposed this new design to Amundson, who would not hear of it.  If Johnson wanted to build such a boat, he would have to do it on his own time and in his own shop. 

One afternoon, while conversing with one of Amundson’s customers, Johnson “leaked” his idea.  This customer agreed to foot the bill for this new design, just for the fun of putting one over on his friends at the White Bear Yacht Club, the exclusive domain of some of Minnesota’s wealthiest sailors.

When the Yacht Club called one of their regularly scheduled races in 1896, and with a minimum of preparation, Johnson entered his new design.  Johnson’s boat looked so different that all his friends laughed and teased him saying, “It looks like a slice of bread” and “It looks like a scow”.  This jeering was short-lived, however, as the Johnson Scow not only lapped the fleet, but was home with the sails down by the time the second place boat crossed the finish line.

This invention was the first sailing scow.  It became the heart of a family business which Johnson established within a block of the Amundson Boat Works.  His old boss became his competitor, but they remained lifelong friends.

J.O. Johnson the Inventor

J.O. Johnson was always interested in new designs, innovations, and inventions.  In 1909, he designed a bi-wing airplane with a 20-horsepower engine.  This design was totally unlike the Wright brothers, as the wings were arranged in front of each other, and the structure carrying the motor and the aviator’s seat hung beneath the 2 wings and right between them.  In January of 1910, on frozen White Bear Lake, he flew his originally designed plane a distance of 200 feet at 20 feet in the air, making him the first Minnesota aviator to fly that distance.

In 1923, he designed and subsequently received the US patent on the first rotary snowplow.  Five years later, he sold the patent for $50,000.00 and this money was used to expand and modernize the Johnson Boat Works.  He was made an honorary member of the White Bear Yacht Club for this achievement.   The Boat Works began to build E Scows in 1923, as well.

A Family Business

J.O. Johnson had 3 sons: Walter (Buster), Iver, and Milton, all of whom worked all their lives at the Boat Works.  They were equally creative, and encouraged the growth and construction of other scow classes, such as the 20-foot D Scow, and the conversion from wood to fiberglass in the mid 1960s.  One of their most amazing feats, however, was in 1972, when they produced a totally vacuum-formed, plastic 16-foot scow, from their own hand-built equipment.  Unfortunately, the cost of this material was prohibitive, making it unable to compete with fiberglass.

Iver’s son, Skip, and Buster’s son, Steve, both went to work at the Boat Works in the 1960s.  In 1979, Skip took over the ownership and management of the company.  Skip’s stepson, Jason Brown, who grew up in the business, worked as sales manager for Johnson Boat Works, as well.

In the 1980s, the Boat Works expanded into the recreational sailing market, by building a variety of daysailors, such as the Mini-scow, Weekender 18, and Johnson J Sailor.  In addition, contract work was accepted to build boats such as the Impulse 21.  Outside dealer boats rounded out the recreational sailing line.

In 1988, recognizing the need to stimulate sailing, the Johnson Optimist Dinghy was first produced.  This led to explosive growth in the junior sailing market.  Johnson Boat Works produced over 450 Optimists in its history!

1994 brought the development of the Johnson 18.  Rodger Martin Yacht Designs was hired to finalize the design concept, and 75 Johnson 18s were built in the first year and a half of production.  The nationwide dealer distribution of this boat was a departure from the normal direct sales of the company, and opened many new doors.  1996 commemorated the 100^th anniversary of Johnson Boat Works.

White Bear Boat Works – The Next Generation

Current owner Jason Brown began his career at the Boat Works drilling sailboat molding at the age of 5 and with guidance from his stepfather Skip and mother Marge he eventually worked in nearly every capacity at the Boat Works.  Jason grew up sailing just about everything and after the Johnson Boat Works manufacturing operation was sold, he and his wife Angie opened White Bear Boat Works with a new focus: helping customers with all their sailing needs--no matter their age, ability, or interest!