Ken Rodeck always wanted a new wood boat. When he moved to Fontana on Geneva Lake in south-eastern Wisconsin in 2000, he became aware of the 130+ locally built Streblows plying in the lake. Knowing he wanted a new boat, the local fiberglass boat dealer order a modal with all the option he thought Ken wanted and deliver it unannounced on afternoon, even knocking over three posts backing into the driveway. Arriving home from work, the surprised Ken, already the owner of a classic, declined the unordered boat.

When Ken took his Century Coronado to Streblow Custom Boats for refinishing, he was impressed with the flawless workmanship. Ken often bumped into Randy Streblow around town and decided to order a 26-foot Streblow. He had a choice of three basic hull styles in lengths of 23, 26, or 28 feet. Ken spent considerable time with Randy on the design, but didn’t stop there. During the construction, Ken typically spent two days a week at the shop, from the time the first board was laid to the launching of the boat. Anytime Randy called saying they needed a measurement for the customized interior, it was only a 5-6 minute drive for Ken to Streblow’s countryside location.

The Streblows build only one or two boats a year. As Kris Streblow says “Our customers wouldn’t want our boats if they were made in mass. When boats are mass produced, something gets lots.”