It’s Time To Play Our Favorite Classic Boat Game Show. Whatizit!

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Hello Ladies and Germs, welcome to the latest episode of WHAT IZ IT!

Fellow Woody Boater Paul Poledink emailed us the other day, right after the Dingle story to ask our fellow Woody Boater audience about his model spped boat. Take it away Paul..

Hi Matt and Texx,

Seeing the picture of Gerry Lo and the accompanying one word comments about its design and styling motivated me to take another look at a model wooden runabout boat I purchased at an estate auction several years ago.  Here’s the story.

You can click on it and it will blow up! BAM!

My mahogany model is 48″ long with a 12″ beam.  It is entirely open as you can see from the pictures.  It’s powered by a McCoy 35 engine converted for marine use with a water collar over the cooling fins.   The interesting aspect , of course, is the boat’s  proportions.  Scaled up, it would have a length of 48′ with a 12 ‘ beam.  I have no idea about the builder or the design, but the construction is most unique and well thought out, and appears home-made. The sides are single pieces of mahogany varnished and in good condition.  The deck and interior seems a bit worn.

Easy to work on motor. Anyone have a 3333333333333/16th wrench?

The Dog toy may be a clue?

The steering is functional by means of cable attached to the rudder post.  The lights are functional powered by two batteries in the transom.  There is a water pickup under the hull and a discharge out the side just like my vintage hydroplane, White Lightning.  Mounted on the transom deck is a plastic dinghy, also bearing the name of the boat, 7-11.  The tail fins running to the back give it a very sleek appearance, but do they date it any way?  Was there ever any real boat built with these proportions?

Another question.  It appears that it was run a one time, but how was it controlled?  No evidence of any radio control mechanism. Was it just started and let run by itself until it stopped?
As was mentioned in the comment section, I wonder how hard this runabout would be to turn.

Thanks for your help.

Paul Poledink

/10 Comments/by
10 replies
  1. Rick
    Rick says:

    Proportionally the dinghy would hold what? The cat? A little small for the occupants. A twelve foot beam would would have given the Captain about 4(ish) feet of seat room, very large for the period. I’m thinking just a personal toy project. Very nice though and worthy of display.

  2. m-fine
    m-fine says:

    I don’t think it is a 1:12 scale model, maybe 1:6 or 1:8. As for steering, I am thinking along the lines of Stewart Little, or perhaps The Indian in the Cupboard.

  3. floyd r turbo
    floyd r turbo says:

    Before r/c it was either tether control (the attachments points don’t seem to be visible) or fixed rudder where you set the rudder for the turning radius of your pond, which is possible except for the design length of your model. A 4′ boat that narrow looks more like something built for straight runs or just a static motorized display.

  5. Larry Forget
    Larry Forget says:

    ..I also vote for something TETHERed.. Recently there was a A&E show of STORAGE WARS, where guys auction bid for the contents of storage lockers.. GAS hobby race car of 40’s design, was described to run on oval board track with the hand held cable….. If this boat has a smaller pitch prop, maybe speed not that fast & a rowboat type operator would attach his fishing rod line to this model to avoid a collison , or retrieve after gas runs out.. ?? Yes, nice open model utility river / big lake style.

  7. Guy
    Guy says:

    Back in the day of that sweet little craft,there were few cottages and little traffic on the smaller lakes.
    Judging by the size of the fuel tank,it was started and pointed away from shore and let go.
    Then row out after it.

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