One Click And A Whole New World Opens! Combo Cruiser On eBay!
1973 SHIP-A-SHORE COMBO CRUISER
VINTAGE COMBO CRUISER HOUSEBOAT WITH TRAILER 23′ 1973 THE LAST ONE MADE
This week has been crazy, we had each day planned out in advance. BIG MISTAKE by the way. We used to never do that. Each day was thought out in the morning on the fly. But we have been inundated with one great story after another from our fellow readers. Cool barn finds, up coming shows. But we report as stuff happens. If it can wait it usually does. Today, is no different. With only 1 day left on this special auction on ebay of this extremely rare Combo Cruiser, we had to report it.
Gotta love that original interior. This would make a fantastic party barge on a small lake.
Now.. Why do we feature such a crazy water craft on Woody Boater? Because it’s just cool! period, end of discussion. This thing is insane and goofy and cool all in the same thought. And it reminds me why I love this passion/ lifesytle/hobby/sport/culture. Because behind every barn door some other crazy concoction exists. I had no idea about these kind of boats. Like a cool pontoon boat of the day, mixed in with a camper thing. Like a Boston Whaler mated with a Winnebago.
Come on honey back that caddy up.Wait, whos driving the caddy? Three’s a crowd on this ride! Photo all-about-houseboats.com
Orig BW Ad , courtesy all-about-houseboats.com
It’s cool, and yet for me in our waters totally ridiculous; but on a lake, or smaller river. How cool would it be to go camping in this? A trailer on the water. I LOVE IT! So you have a day left to bid! So bid it up, this one looks like a magic one for preservation. It’s even from Michigan!Here is another one from classic trailer boats yahoo page, Click here to go there.
Love that AC
Cuts through the water like a shoe box.
Oh wait, I remember… they used this thing to explore the human body.
As so it starts!
Would be quite a “sleeper” if you put a big block V8 in it. What a way to trash a few Donzi’s on the lake!
With that hull shape, I believe it would take several big block V8’s just to keep up with a slow Donzi.
Twin Viper V-10’s on alcohol… (with upgraded stringers of course)
Good lord that thing is ugly! I never realized it was possible to make a pontoon boat look cool and stylish, but park that thing next to one and it will. Why did everyone in the design business go blind in the 60’s and 70’s?
Drugs!
So someone saw a Sears Rooftop luggage carrier (X-Cargo) and thought “Hey, that would make a cool boat if we just ramp up the size to ridiculous.”. I like Greg’s idea of smokin’ a Donzi , but I still don’t think you would get the girls.
I agree Mike, it looks like the plastic boat toys we had growing up.
But…I can see it pulled up on some riverbank with a young family playing alongside.
Just imagine it, Dad & little Matty fishing off the back, mom fixing the family a nice lunch of pb&j’s, grandpappy Texx napping in his lawnchair and little Suzy teaching her Barbies how to swim…
Oh, the memories they will have!
There is a boat similar to this parked by the side of the highway at Malakwa, BC. It has been lodged there for sale for at least 5 years. Every time I drive by it (which is at least a dozen times a year) I think I should take a picture before it disappears, lest WB decide at some point to hold an “ugliest boat contest” – this thing would win. It is even worse loking than this boat, if one cares to consider that such an accomplishment in the field of “generating visual offense” is even possible. I have actually seen a few examples of this “frumpy meets dowdy” design school, slinking about our waterways with the burden of self-aware humiliation painfully obvious upon the denizens who are cosnigned to the perpetual ignominy of operating and occupying them.
Here’s the sexy sister boat from Malakwa, BC.
I was wondering if you would have thought the same about that thing at Malakwa as I know you drive by there often as well. I bet it is cheaper than the feature boat!
What a combo – how long you think it has been sitting there? I think 5 years minimum, possbly longer. I do know that the house it is next to burned down. Perhaps the despondent dwelling could simply no longer tolerate being associated with the boat and a monk-like immolation protest was the only way out? Seems more likely than anyone buying this thing!
It would have to pass a sea trial on Lake MI when it is a rough day. Although I’m not sure I want to be buried at sea in that type of coffin.
A travel trailer and a boat, I’ve been waiting for this!
C’mon people. Remember, “it’s hip to be square.”
I’d do mine up like The Mystery Machine.
The Youngbloods(C’mon people, smile on your brother…), Huey Lewis(Hip to be Square) and Scooby-Doo in the same reference. I bet THAT’S a first.
If not done as a Scooby Doo tribute boat, then I’d do it up like one of Andy Warhol’s Brillo boxes.
COOL!
The value of this thing just went up.
I found the designer’s original rendering on eBay!
Chad – that is hilarious, you win!
I say grab it now and take it to Lake Dora. It can be Woody Boater Central / Shoot Boat / Accommodations / Evening Cruise Boat / Party Barge / Floating Banner / You Name It …..
Like a miniature Jobbie Nooner meeting place and hang out.
Then just leave it there for next year…
The “Mystery Machine” is for sale up here in Seattle – So one of you needs to buy it, then buy the boat, polish it up and head to Dora. The colors and interior are actually pretty close. It would be a stunning combination…
And if you drove with a bag over your head, everyone would just nod in agreement. 😉
It would be a great combo.
Saw one in Atlanta last year.
you could sell Chick-on-a-stick out of it?
The loaf of bread made me spit out my glass of water.
If any of you are the Angler types….it looks as though you could leave it on the lake in the winter for ice fishin’. It’s rather stylish as an ice fish hut.
But would it scare the fish away?
Texx, If you bring the right supplies (libations, again!) while fishn’…who cares if the fish are scared away.
Geeez Guys, it is beautiful, almost like an Airstream trailer, but in this case a Waterstream.
I nominate Dick to get the one is Seattle.
WOW! A first! If Matt wrote this story, he must have been really excited; I don’t think there’s a single curiously-spelled word anywhere! Betrayed by his own enthusiasm……..
I can feel the effects of this long brutal winter, just by where these posts are headed. If you all aren’t careful you could be attracting the pontoon, party barge set here amongst the “Platinum-circle”. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…just sayin …
Can’t wait for a hint of warm weather so we all can get back to normal, and talk about important things like boat babes ( of all types!) boat bling and libations!
Whilst trying to remain focused…what is that beauty in the Header position???
Surprised we are not seeing a meteor story today!
XO
Woody Diva
Meteor explodes in Russia, 3 feet of snow here on Long Island and Matt likes a floating breadbox. Sigh, it must be the End Of Days. Adios all.
Ha – We thought about a Meteor story but didn’t want to “jinx” ourselves… (ie wood, fire, gasoline, etc)
I can picture “Cousin Eddy” from Christmas Vacation pulling up to Clark and Ellen’s dock in this saying, “Clark, do you mind if we park it here for the summer?”
WoodenRookie, selling “chick-(sic)-on-a- stick?” Isn’t that illegal? Except Nevada?
A
Cousin Eddy
I am with Woody Diva, libations. That boat makes me want to drink to forget.
By damn that is really cool…I can’t believe it is going for such chump change…..most fiberglass houseboats look like portajohns…this one is really neat. Someone buy that baby….
John in Va.
I love this old barge. Imagine getting it a polished and clean and dropping it into Herb Halls marina for the Concours
It would win people’s choice. It’s so 70’s cool.