Vintage Boat Tales

Photo courtesy of Ben Vens Photography

by Tegan Shockley

Every summer weekend, the Lake of the Ozarks shines with flashy new boats, from catamarans to cruisers. But on the quieter days, a rarer breed of boater comes out to play: vintage boat owners.

The 1956 Larson Falls Flyer – Ernie Lierman 

Photo courtesy of Ben Vens Photography

Ernie Lierman has lived a lot of life on his 1956 Larson Falls Flyer. Bought new in 1956 by his father, it’s the boat he learned to ski behind, in a cove near what is now Captain Ron’s, on the 34.5 Mile Marker. As a young man, he brought a young lady aboard for dreamy outings on the water; she’s now his wife.

“We spent many weekends at the Lake back in the ‘50s and ‘60s,” said Lierman, who lives in Independence, Mo. “Now 60 years later, we’ve still got the boat.”

Photo courtesy of Brad Glidewell

Time passed, and the family heirloom, which will someday pass to Lierman’s son, needed some TLC after spending years in storage. It took a few months for the work to be completed, but the Larson is now restored and looks just the way it did when his dad bought it.

Larson first began building Falls Flyers out of wood in 1939; in 1954, they relaunched it as a fiberglass boat. The vessel earned its name from being built in Little Falls, Minn.  

“It’s been a durable boat that runs pretty good across smooth water,” Lierman said. The Flyer can reach about 25 mph with 30 hp. “We’re proud of it. It’s probably the only boat I’ll ever have.”