The history of the Alcan Housecruiser seems to start around 1967. At the time it was common for pleasure-craft to be made of wood and larger boats were made of steel. Fiberglass had hit the market and was gaining popularity in smaller boats. Alcan, logically, felt that boats should be made of aluminum. Somehow they sold the idea internally, and they ended up making a line of aluminum boats they called “Housecruisers” and developed the dealer network to sell them throughout North America. At the time, Alcan had a relationship with Alloy Manufacturing of Montreal to do the manufacturing. Around 1971, Alcan exitted the business leaving Alloy Manufacturing with a number of unfinished hulls in their boatyard. Slightly later, Alcan and the Alwest Marine division of Western Tools & Industries of Gimli Manitoba struck a deal that sold the design and manufacturing rights to Alwest Marine. Alwest Marine manufactured and sold the boats under their own label from 1971 to around 1973. There the history becomes a little fuzzy from my perspective. It appears that the business collapsed around 1973.
Manitoba Business Journal – around 1969
Text of the article here. Scan of the article here
Alcan Newsletter – February, 1969
Donated by Robert Stork of Toronto, Ontario
Article in Family Houseboating Magazine – Nov ’69
“Sailor Meets Houseboat” Article in Motor Boating Magazine – Dec ’69
Any further information regarding manufacturers, brands, build volumes, etc. would be much appreciated to add to the history section. I can be reached at webmaster@alcanboats.com