Classic Wooden Speedboats and the Celebrities Who Love Them [SLIDESHOW]

Originally published in the August 2015 issue of Robb Report Collection as “The Enthusiast: Fast Company.”

Brigitte Bardot, Gianni Agnelli, and George Clooney may be the names most associated with wooden speedboats cutting a glamorous wake through lakes, rivers, and coastal seas around the world. But the names we appreciate most are the master craftsmen who can pour more than 1,000 hours into building a single vessel and the restorers who keep the antique mahogany beauties afloat. After a spring and early summer of admiring Rivas and Chris-Crafts at events from Lake Tahoe, Calif., to Venice, Italy, we took a closer look at the builders of classic and modern (but classically inspired) wooden boats. Some of them can also be appreciated on dry land at the upcoming Cannes Yachting Festival, Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, and St. Petersburg Power & Sailboat Show.