The ''wooden runabout boat'' we know today did not exist prior to the early part of this century, and, for the most part, ceased to be built shortly after its heyday of construction during the mid-1950s. Today, only small numbers of all-wood runabouts are built. The runabout is characterized by the all-wood construction of its hull (whether it is painted or stained and then varnished, and whether its deck is all-wood as well, or canvas-covered), and its inboard motor.