The invitation for an evening picnic at their lake front home was nearly impossible to turn down. Even better was the fact that transportation to the event had been aboard a classic mahogany-hulled inboard runabout. In fact, almost everyone at the soiree had arrived in a similar manner.

     Before the guests in attendance knew, the sun was dropping below the horizon and darkness now enshrouded the once bright and sparkling lake. Thanking the hosts, the guests made their way to their boats - it was time to head for their respective homeports.

     While many skippers fumbled around the bilge, under seats and in toolboxes for a source of light to guide their way home, one couple stepped confidently into the cockpit of their runabout, started the motor and reached for a timeworn knob on the dashboard. Instantly, those still searching for an elusive flashlight were blinded by the piercing rays of the chrome spotlight mounted on the boat's foredeck. Casting off, the two made their way from the dock and into the ink black night, being led by an invention that was nearly as old as the boat itself - an Iva-Lite.

     The original patent application for this "dual-motion spotlight" was filed on April 18, 1928 by its inventor, a Mr. John K. Russell of Los Angeles, California. On November 24, 1931, U.S. Patent No. 1,833,308 was issued to Mr. Russell and assigned to National Accessories Corporation of Los Angeles, California.

     In the paraphrased words of Charles Dickens, it was the best of lights and the worst of lights. Very ingenious in concept, but extremely complicated in design, this light used a pinion and worm gear for the elevation adjustment and a bevel gear and pinion for the rotation. All gearing was protected by a spring system, which would return the light to its former position if it were moved by external forces (e.g. - an "external force" like the Cass St. Bridge on the Boardman River under high water conditions?)

     Due in part to the depression that ravaged the country during the 1930s, it became immediately apparent that the light was much too complicated and expensive to be manufactured by National Accessories Corporation. The product was subsequently dropped. His eyes still fixed on success, Mr. Russell set out to redesign his light and simplify its construction. On June 20, 1933, he filed a new application and on September 17, 1935, U.S. Patent No. 2,014,454 was issued. Unfortunately, due also in part to the economic conditions of the time, Mr. Russell was unable to find a manufacturer willing to invest in his product, which he had since named "The Russellite Spot Light."

     Using his own financial resources, Russell set out to acquire the dies, fixtures and special tooling required to manufacture his invention. The record does not show, however that Mr. Russell ever started manufacture of the light. Whether economic conditions or financial difficulties were the cause is unknown, but on January 8, 1936, John K. Russell sold his entire interest in the spotlight to George T. Rich of Chicago, Illinois for $6,000. This price included all his new tooling and the Letters Patent to the end of their term.

     Mr. Rich made arrangements with Ivano, Inc. of Chicago to manufacture the light and on January 15, 1936, sold a one-half interest to them. Ivano, Inc. was a division of the Simoniz Co., the manufacturer of car wax. Since the light was originally designed for use on cars and trucks, it was thought to be a logical extension of their product line. Ivano coined the name Iva-Lite in January 1936 and it has been a registered trademark ever since. Ivano produced this light until October, 1944, when the rights were sold to Arnold Motor Co., which merged with Arnolt Corporation in early 1946.

     The Arnolt Corporation was owned by Stanley Harold Arnolt II, an engineering graduate of the University of Wisconsin. At some point in his career he acquired the nickname of "Wacky" and was affectionately known as Wacky Arnolt to his friends. Back in 1939, S.H. Arnolt had one employee and one product: a 20 horsepower marine engine. Within twenty years, he built it into a 450-employee organization that made everything from Solex carburetors and Arnolt-Bristol sports cars to industrial furniture and of course, Iva-Lites.

     Under the leadership and engineering genius of Wacky Arnolt, many parts of Iva-Lite were improved and manufacturing costs lowered. Arnolt passed away in December 1963 on Christmas Eve.

     In 1975, the Iva-Lite product line was acquired by Hoosier International Corporation, which was owned and operated by Stanley H. Arnolt III, one of Wacky Arnolt's sons. Hoosier International Corporation produced the Iva-Lite until it closed in 1988. What might appear as the conclusion to more than fifty years of product innovation, however, was not to be.

     After a two year "sabbatical" from the marketplace, the assets of Hoosier International Corporation were purchased in 1990 by Karyl Manufacturing, Inc. of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Under the able engineering skill of Gerald Stockinger and accounting skill of Karyl Stockinger, Iva-Lite was once again revived to its old glory. Gerald rebuilt the tooling, dies, molds and patterns. He then "cleaned house" by getting rid of unnecessary and unusable inventory. His wife Karyl took orders, paid the bills and was great support for her engineering husband.

     Upon Stockingers' retirement, Iva-Lite found a new home. Grand Craft, manufacturer of fine new mahogany runabouts and a lifetime supporter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society (ACBS), purchased Iva-Lite in November of 1997. All manufacturing and repair of these timeless icons of nautical hardware now takes place at the Grand Craft plant in Holland, Michigan. Accordingly, Richard Sligh, president of Grand Craft, spent considerable time with the Stockingers after the sale had been finalized, learning the intricacies and nuances of the Iva-Lite and the processes involved in its manufacture. Save for a few minor refinements, the basic design has remained unchanged over the years. Nonetheless, this passing of knowledge to Grand Craft is integral, as they not only will manufacture new lights, but also stand ready to repair any Iva-Lite ever produced.

     Although based relatively on the original design, Iva-Lite now offers a wide variety of models from which to choose, depending on each application. While the standard size spotlight has been and continues to be a 6" diameter, a limited edition 8" model will also be available. Controls are available in two styles: direct (rod) controlled, which are mounted through the cabin top on cruisers and sedans or cable controlled, with cable lengths available from 12"-120". Sligh indicated that adaptations of this classic design may be seen in the future, as well as looking at the potential for expanding the product line.

     From its inception during the Roaring '20s, survival through the tumultuous years of the Great Depression and World War II, as well as outlasting the introduction of "plastic" boats in the modern era, Iva-Lite continues to be available for both old and new boats of classic era design. Most products in today's marketplace are either non-repairable or soon obsolete. Through a product made by hand of quality materials, the Iva-Lite has not only withstood the ravages of time and the fickleness of consumer demand, but can be repaired virtually indefinitely. Very few companies can, within a matter of weeks, repair one of their products that left the factory fifty years ago

     "Where it all began" has been the slogan most endeared when speaking of the role that the state of Michigan has played in the formative years of American boat building. Now, another name can be added to that list of marine industry pioneers. Through the efforts of people like Sligh and Grand Craft, the legend of Iva-Lite continues and is preserved for generations yet to come.

     In the words of Richard Sligh, "the Iva-Lite is the strongest, most-reliable marine spotlight in the world. We at Grand Craft are proud, that Iva-Lite lives on - helping carry on a longtime boating tradition."

     True classics never die!