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Here at Hornbeck Boats we don't just build them, we use them. Not only are our staff skilled at their trades, they are fundamentally paddlers. From designing the forms, to tying the boat on the customer's car, the staff's know-how has shaped every aspect of the 'Hornbeck Experience'. We made a fundamental decision to only sell our boats through our location. This not only allows us to lower your cost by removing the middlemen, but makes the process of looking for a boat more than a sales pitch. We truly want to have a conversation with you (whether it be by phone, email, or in person) so we can make sure you get the right boat to meet your goals and needs.  If shopping in person, you can also see where your boat is made and we can get you into a boat on the water at our on-site pond, so you can see how it fits, feels, and paddles.

Hornbeck Boats are hand made from beginning to end at our facility. From the layup shop, to the wood shop, then directly to you. 

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History

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Peter and Ann Hornbeck have owned and operated Hornbeck Boats on Trout Brook Road, Olmstedville, for more than 40 years. 

​Peter started building boats in the garage in 1971. His original design was inspired by boat builder John Henry Rushton (1843-1906) of Canton, NY and specifically Rushton's boat, the Sairy Gamp. Rushton built the first of several lightweight canoes for the guide George Washington Sears, also known as Nessmuk, whose articles for Forest and Stream magazine popularized the first solo wilderness canoeing, similar to the "Ultralight" movement of today.  By 1975,Peter had fine-tuned his design to create the 10' Classic; also known as the Lost Pond Boat. To this day, it is one of our best sellers, year after year.

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In 1990, Peter built a boat for the author Christine Jerome. She went on to publish the book, An Adirondack Passage: The Cruise of the Canoe Sairy Gamp. This boat is now on display in the Adirondack Experience, in Blue Mountain Lake, NY next to John Henry Rushton’s original.

In 1992, Peter retired from teaching elementary school and went to full time boat building. He devoted time to design, adding more and more models, following the guidelines of that original boat. In 2005, Peter strayed away from his Classic design to create a whole new line known as the New Tricks. These offered a completely different feel and style continuing to fine tune that perfect fit for different styles and activities.

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In May of 2018, Pete and Ann hired their son-in-law, Josh Trombley, as CEO and Pete transitioned to Creative Director and “president for life.” Josh grew up in suburbia, outside Philadelphia. His first experience with pack boats was in the Hornbeck's pond. Josh developed a passion for paddling, culminating with his competing in the Adirondack Canoe Classic. “So much of my life is centered around these boats and this pond. My wife, Leigh, and I got married along its edge. It felt like a natural fit for me to bring Hornbeck Boats to the next generation.” Josh and Leigh have two sons, Rushton (named for boat builder John Henry Rushton) and Devlin. 

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