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| Burger Boat Company | |
|---|---|
| Name | Burger Boat Company |
| Type | Private |
| Founded | 1863 |
| Founder | Henry B. Burger Sr. |
| Headquarters | Fond du Lac, Wisconsin |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Industry | Shipbuilding |
| Products | Yachts, workboats, commercial vessels |
| Employees | ~700 |
Burger Boat Company Burger Boat Company is a historic American shipbuilder established in the mid-19th century, noted for constructing custom steel and aluminum yachts, commercial craft, and government vessels. The company, based in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, has produced a lineage of vessels that served clients across the Great Lakes, international private-ownership circles, and municipal fleets. Its operations connect to maritime traditions embodied by firms such as Bath Iron Works, Newport News Shipbuilding, and shipyards on the Saint Lawrence Seaway.
Founded in 1863 by Henry B. Burger Sr., the company began during the era of the American Civil War and the expansion of inland water transport. Early activity intersected with shipbuilders on the Great Lakes like Fruehauf Trailer Corporation and contemporaries such as W. A. Mackenzie & Company in wooden hull construction. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Burger adapted to industrial shifts driven by innovators like John Ericsson, the development of steam propulsion popularized by Robert Fulton, and advances in naval architecture associated with figures like William Froude. The yard survived periods of economic upheaval including the Panic of 1893, the Great Depression, and the wartime demands of World War I and World War II, when vessel production paralleled contracts issued to firms including Bethlehem Steel and Submarine Boat Company. Postwar diversification followed patterns seen at Electric Boat and Ingalls Shipbuilding, with Burger transitioning from wooden pleasure craft to steel and aluminum yachts influenced by designers such as John Alden and Philip Rhodes. Over decades the company interacted with regional transport developments like the expansion of the Erie Canal and the commercial activity of ports such as Milwaukee and Chicago. Leadership included members of the Burger family and executives linked to midwestern industrial networks involving institutions like the University of Wisconsin–Madison and financial centers such as Chicago Board of Trade. Throughout its history, Burger vessels have been registered under classifications administered by organizations like American Bureau of Shipping, Lloyd's Register, and standards influenced by international accords negotiated through bodies including the International Maritime Organization.
Burger manufactures custom motor yachts, expedition yachts, and commercial vessels comparable in market segments to offerings from Feadship, Lürssen, and Nordhavn. Typical product lines address private clients, government agencies, and municipal operators such as harbor authorities in Cleveland, Detroit, and Buffalo. Services include naval architecture coordination with firms like Groupe Finot and engineering partners akin to Glosten Associates, structural fabrication aligned with practices at Fincantieri, and outfitting comparable to work by Rybovich. Burger also provides refit, repair, and maintenance services used by owners who might otherwise consult yards such as Blohm+Voss or Meyer Werft. Commercial offerings have included crewed yachts, pilot boats for ports such as New Orleans, and fireboats serving municipal fleets like the Boston Fire Department.
The primary yard on Lake Winnebago in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin incorporates enclosed construction halls, fabrication shops, and launch ways similar to facilities at Meyer Werft and Fincantieri Marinette Marine. Burger’s infrastructure supports steel and aluminum plate forming, heavy gantry cranes like those used at Bath Iron Works, and CNC machining comparable to Rolls-Royce Marine installations. The company adopts marine systems integration using navigational suites from suppliers akin to Furuno and propulsion packages inspired by OEMs such as MTU Friedrichshafen and Caterpillar Inc. for auxiliary systems. Structural engineering follows standards developed by institutions including Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers and testing practices akin to those at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Launch and commissioning procedures mirror protocols used at yards along the Chesapeake Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.
Over its history Burger built yachts and commercial craft that entered registries and maritime records alongside vessels from yards like Chris-Craft and Halter Marine. Notable examples include private yachts that have visited ports including Monaco, Marseille, and Newport, Rhode Island, and commercial launches employed by dredging and towing firms operating on the Mississippi River and the Saint Lawrence Seaway. Some Burger-built vessels have participated in public events comparable to the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac and have been displayed at boat shows similar to the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and the Monaco Yacht Show. Historical ships from the yard have been documented in registries maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and archives like the Smithsonian Institution’s maritime collections.
Burger has operated as a privately held company with ownership evolving through family stewardship and private investment, following patterns seen at legacy firms like Gulfstream Aerospace and Kaiser Shipyards. Governance has included boards that engage with regional economic development agencies such as Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and workforce partnerships with institutions like Fox Valley Technical College and University of Wisconsin–Fond du Lac. Commercial relationships extend to classification societies such as American Bureau of Shipping and certification authorities like Underwriters Laboratories. The company’s procurement and supply-chain relationships bring it into contact with manufacturers like Alcoa, ArcelorMittal, and marine systems firms similar to Siemens Marine.
Safety and environmental management at the yard align with standards set by agencies and organizations like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and voluntary frameworks such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. Pollution prevention and wastewater controls reflect practices implemented in cooperation with state authorities including the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and regional programs connected to the Great Lakes Commission. Energy-efficiency retrofits and hull-design optimizations have been influenced by research from institutions such as Michigan Technological University and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Waste management and materials recycling occur in concert with industrial partners resembling Veolia and scrap processors like Nucor. Certification for life-saving appliances and firefighting systems follows guidance from bodies such as International Association of classification Societies and procurement of equipment from suppliers akin to Kidde.