JAMES “JIM” UMBARGER

914 Laguna Drive

McHenry, Illinois 60050

(815) 385-0431

E-mail: umbarger@Ameritech.net

 After high school I went to work for Switzer Craft Boat Co. in McHenry building wooden boats.  I worked for them for ten years when I received a Supervisor position working at OMC in Waukegan building fiberglass boats for three years.  I quit my job in 1965 and started designing and building my own line of fiberglass boats under the brand name of Hustler.  We shipped boats to several countries, and licensed my designs to be built in England where they were displayed at the London Boat Show.  Among my most interesting sales, was a boat to Johnny Carson for his kids to use, also one to the congressman from Hawaii in 1968.  View Hustler Boats Built Between 1962 and 1984

At the same time I was designing and building boats, I was also racing some of them.  In 1967 I became National Champion in the duo engine unlimited class and was inducted into the Boat Racing Hall Of Fame.  My wife Jane and I went to New York to the Essex House for the award ceremonies. 

We started retailing boats in McHenry in 1972 and still do to this day.  I sold the boat building business in 1982 to concentrate on the retail business.  We built a storage and boat service center in Solon Mills near Richmond, IL in 1988 where we can store over 400 boats.  My three sons, one daughter, and my wife Jane work in the business with me.

Jane and I have 6 children three boys three girls 14 grandchildren and four great grandchildren. We have lived in the same house on the Fox River in McHenry for the past 39 years.