At just 10 years old, Larson Sailor purchased a 1964 Sanpan from his neighbor, the same neighbor to whom he delivered newspapers to. The original owner had bought the boat new, but because he was dying he wanted the young boy to have the boat.

That purchase marked the start of a memorable childhood. Like many in Indiana, Larson and his family enjoyed years on the local waters. He credits that first pontoon with sparking his lifelong passion for boating.

“My dad delivered papers to the guy who bought the boat, and that fellow was dying and wanted my dad to have it,” recalls Brent Sailor. “He went home and asked my grandpa if he could buy it. I believe the actual money came from my Grandpa. However, the boat was always considered my dad’s. His parents had other boats, but this boat was his to do with as he wished.”

Over the years, the vintage Sanpan remained in the family, eventually being used with his own young family. Brent recalls barely being tall enough to see over the steering wheel, but he would steer the boat while trolling at a slow speed while his dad fished off the back.

Fast forward to last year when Brent saw a Facebook post from Godfrey Marine, who was looking for the oldest Sanpan still in existence.

“I saw the post and I thought, ‘Oh, do I have a boat for you!’” recalls Brent. “And now here it is all refurbished and looking like new.”

The Indiana-based manufacturer has a long history of innovation in the boating industry, dating back to 1958. Its plan was to track down the oldest Sanpan they could find, fully restore it, and then display it at the Godfrey model year 2026 dealer meeting, which took place last summer. All they needed was to find the oldest boat, and Brent was excited to be working with them.

Brent and his father Larson were invited to the dealer meeting back in August to see their 1964 Sanpan, which had been beautifully restored to like-new condition.

“When I walked in and first saw it, I thought it looked great—maybe even better than when it was new,” said Larson with a smile. “I never expected to see it in this condition ever again. Every summer, I would paint the boat. It started out red, so seeing it like this today is great.”

Godfrey included plenty of nostalgic touches on the boat to bring back the ‘60s vibe, leaving show attendees in awe.

Although their 1964 Sanpan remained in the family all these years, both the father and the son moved on to newer pontoons. However, they always stayed with the Godfrey brand.

“They make great boats,” said Larson. “I’ve never had any issues with a Godfrey boat.”

The restored Sanpan is currently at Godfrey’s campus in Elkhart, Ind. It is on display to showcase the manufacturer’s legacy and its proud history in the aluminum pontoon business.