Brothers Bill and Chick Ward invented the aluminum flat bottom welded seams boat in 1945. It was patterned after a wood cypress flat-bottomed boat of that period.
After some experimenting the brothers discovered that with more flair on the sides and rake on the bottom, this Jon Boat was easier to paddle and maneuver. It responded better to an outboard motor, was easier to load and unload, and pull out of the river onto the riverbank. The Dura Craft was the new name, and the Ward family made their way into history.
Soon the fiberglass boat was invented and the Wards needed something to keep them in the industry. By now leadership of the company was in Kim Wards hands. The seamed aluminum boat soon birthed the seamless all-welded boat, and in the 1970's the US Coastguard and the Air Force contracted use of these boats, and one of these boats was involved in the recovery of the space capsule Apollo.
Team Ward was incorporated in 1990, and are still building strong. In 1992 the War Eagle was created and the Ward family had done it again by creating a new boat that people loved. They are still going strong today.
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