Chris-Craft Boats was an American manufacturer of boats that was founded by Christopher Columbus Smith (1861–1939).

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Chris Smith built his first wooden boat in 1874 at the age of 13, years later he built a duck hunting boat. His friends liked the way he built them, and they asked him to build them one. This was technically the start of the boat company. He soon began to build more boats and joined his brother Hank in 1881 to begin producing boats full-time.

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In 1910, the brothers joined with other partners to form the Smith Ryan Boat Company. The firm's name was changed in 1922 to Chris Smith & Sons Boat Company, then to Chris-Craft in 1924. The company became well-known for its sleek racing boats in the 1910s and 1920s. Chris-Craft sold high-end powerboats to wealthy patrons such as Henry Ford.

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After the second World War, Chris-Craft introduced a new lineup of civilian pleasure boats in time for the massive American consumer expansion of the 1950s. That decade marked the height of company prestige, and the Chris-Craft brand name became virtually synonymous with pleasure boating selling to the likes of Elvis Presley and Dean Martin.

Their boats were often made from the finest mahogany and were considered to be amongst the best available.