A Gar Wood boat isn’t just mahogany and chrome. It’s pride. It’s heritage. It’s speed sealed into every grain. At Tahoe Runabout Co., based in Lake Tahoe, CA, we don’t just restore Gar Woods—we protect their legacy. These boats weren’t built for mediocrity, and we don’t settle for it. Each one that enters our shop gets the time, tools, and expertise it deserves. Because when you own a Gar Wood, you don’t maintain a boat. You carry a legend forward.
We Study The Original Before Restoration Begins
Every Gar Wood tells a story, and we begin by listening. We document the frame dimensions, hardware placement, and planking layout, comparing it all against the original design specs. We inspect the keel, frames, bottom, and transom—not for guesswork, but for truth. We measure. We photograph. We plan.
We don’t reach for the sander. We reach for the blueprint.
We Rebuild Structure With Purpose & Precision
A Gar Wood hull isn’t just a shell—it’s a performance machine. If the frame flexes or twists, everything changes. That’s why we rebuild using white oak ribs, steam-bent and in-house to match factory curvature. We craft new battens, chines, and keelsons using traditional scarf joints and marine-grade adhesives, respecting every original joinery decision.
Each cut, bend, and placement is intentional. We build to blueprint—not to “close enough.”
We Replace Bottoms With Absolute Accuracy
Most Gar Woods need bottom work, but few shops do it right. We disassemble each layer, inspect for delamination or water intrusion, and rebuild using period-correct techniques. For traditional double-planked bottoms, we bond each layer with 3M 5200 or restore the original fastening pattern with bronze hardware.
We finish by sealing every seam and testing the hull for watertight integrity. When a boat leaves our shop, it’s not just pretty—it’s ready to plane.
We Finish Every Surface With Concours-Level Craftsmanship
Varnish doesn’t hide flaws. It reveals them. That’s why we sand every inch to bare wood, even out inconsistencies, and apply up to 14 coats of marine-grade varnish. Each layer is cured, sanded, and polished in a controlled environment. The final coat is wet-sanded and buffed to a mirror shine.
Painted accents are matched to the boat’s original color palette and sprayed with HVLP equipment for a smooth, durable finish. When we finish a Gar Wood, we don’t just restore it—we make it gleam.
We Source Real Hardware—Or Recreate It Flawlessly
Gar Wood boats are known for their unmistakable chrome details. These aren’t off-the-shelf parts—they’re history. We track down original cleats, flag holders, and scoops whenever possible. When we can’t find them, we fabricate exact replicas using marine-grade materials and precision machining.
We Understand These Boats Because We See Them Run
Gar Woods weren’t designed to live behind glass. They were made to tear across the water—and many still do in Lake Tahoe. We know how Tahoe’s altitude affects finishes, how cold mornings cause seams to shift, and how the bright sun can break down inferior coatings. We restore boats with those realities in mind so they don’t just survive—they thrive here.
Every decision we make reflects what we’ve learned from restoring these legends in the exact place they were born to run.
At Tahoe Runabout Co., located in Lake Tahoe, CA and serving Tahoe City, Kings Beach, Incline Village, Homewood, and beyond, we don’t offer basic restoration. We offer exact restoration. We treat every Gar Wood like it’s the last of its kind—because someday, it might be.
Call Tahoe Runabout Co. at (775) 315-0309 today. If your Gar Wood needs more than a polish—if it needs to live again—we’re ready.
