Keel Boats of the Frontier: A Voyage with Mike Fink and Davy Crockett

The Mike Fink Keel Boats set sail on December 25, 1955—Disneyland’s very first Christmas. Inspired by the legendary Davy Crockett television series, the attraction featured two rustic vessels, the Bertha Mae and the Gullywhumper, replicas of the keelboats once commanded by Crockett and his rival, the rowdy Mike Fink. Initially using the actual screen-used boats from the show, Disneyland later replaced them with sturdier, fiberglass models designed for theme park touring.

Guests boarded the two-deck keelboats for a full-circle journey around Tom Sawyer Island, gliding along the Rivers of America. Those seated up top enjoyed open-air views of Frontierland’s wilderness, while the lower deck offered a shaded, close-to-the-water experience. Along the route, a lively boat pilot—channelling the frontier spirit—shared tales of wildlife, landmarks, and river lore.

Patterned after real 1800s riverboats from the Ohio and Mississippi, these vessels honored a bygone era when river travel was the lifeblood of the American frontier. Powered by natural gas and rich with storytelling charm, the keelboats brought guests face-to-face with the adventurous legacy of America’s earliest river explorers—and with the brash, legendary Mike Fink himself, who embodied the wild, untamed spirit of the keelboat age.