John Hacker was a well-known designer of runabouts during the first half of the 1900s. His designs were notable for the time. Flicker began life sometime before WWII as rough sketches on the drawing board of John L. Hacker. Decades later, the unfinished vision was discovered and completed by Frederick Ford, N. A. of Harbor Springs, Michigan. In 1988, Ford and two other businessmen came to Van Dam to build them each a copy, living up to the tradition of both speed and beauty of a Hacker design. However, the construction of Flicker is far different than Hacker had ever envisioned.

Van Dam’s modern building techniques assure a boat that is light, yet much stronger and more rigid than could have been built in the early 1900s. The hand selected wood was expertly fashioned by Van Dam craftsmen into a boat that is second to none in craftsmanship and detail.

Flicker and two sister-ships (Pretty Pattie and Adieu) were custom built for discriminating yachtsmen who appreciate the aura that only a wood boat can provide.