The Lost and Found Slides Of A Fellow Woody Boater.
What is it?
Thanks to fellow Woody Boater “Smitty” who sent us the following. How cool is this?
Help!!!!!!
I as a committed follower of the Woody Boater,(frankly should we not all be committed in this affliction) I request at anyone’s thoughts and expert opinion on this boat , pictures attached.
I found the following slides in my folks house, after my Dad’s tenure in the Air Force, he and a pal had a boat in Chicago, I am unsure of the vintage or model , I believe that it is 22′ to 26′ and the photos are circa 1949-1956 (I guess) and am in n search of the ,who , what where and when, and God forbid if, it is around.
The photo quality is superb, slides projected on a basement wall , with borrowed projector from crabby neighbor, and shot with first mate and Woody Babes camera phone, Lisa.
Your Brother in varnish fumes,
“Smitty”
Thanks Smitty for a fun diversion from the work day. Hope someone out there can help you id the boat! Fun treasures like these lost slides are priceless. Thanks….
Not just in Chicago but does the DMV keep the old records and allow them to be researched?
No idea, but what pretty lines!
Matt – the header looks great. FYI to all – the boat on the right is the brand new 2013 Riva Iseo. On the left is S. Aquarama #140 from 1966. Shot the picture last week in Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe. Old and new.
Yep that sure is a great header Marty.
In fact everyday theres a new great header. I was thinking about this over the weekend and I had an idea.
Wouldn’t it be brilliant if Matt and Texx gathered up all the headers and produced a large format ‘ coffee table ‘ book?
No need for much copy, maybe just the date and a sentence if there was a relevant point to make. Imagine a beautifully printed big book the same shape as the headers. How cool would that be. Who wouldn’t buy one? What do you reckon?
Can anyone tell me if they know where you can buy those small ‘fat’ (donut) lifebuoys like in the 3rd photo? All the ones today have a much larger diameter & are skinner.
Alan – I just noticed this link on Facebook. May be of some help re the custom (donut) lifebuoys.
http://www.ssnautical.com
Ok guys and gals back to the original question “who built Smitty’s dad’s day cruiser?”.
After plowing through vintage ads on e-may till my eyes bugged out I ultimatley concluded (possibly incorrectly) that Smittly senior and his buddy ( or the guy they boiught it from) must have carried out a major cabin modification. No offence Smitty Jr but that cabin extends WAY too far forward on to what should be the fore deck , upsetting the lines of what would otherwise be a very nice looking day cruiser . It’s snub nose reminds me of a 1950s tour boat … designed for flat water use and maximum passenger room. Was dad using the boat as a water taxi to transport tourists too and from Navy Pier?
i’s also pretty sure the underlying woody “original” emerged from a mainstream manufacturer either. Given the Chicago connection it might be the product of a smaller “local ” builder… possibly Truscott
Dang it! I need typing lessons! Last paragraph of above post should read “I am also pretty sure the underlying woody original DID NOT emerge from a mainstream manufacturer. Given the Chicago connection, however, it might be the product of a smaller “local” builder… possibly Truscott?”
Kid,
The boat was used to woo the gals, as far as major modifications goes they , were done previous to pops owning it, he sold the boat before he met mommy.
As far as tracking it through the registration I was unable to find much of anything. I do appreciate everyone chiming in and I too like the Rivas on the header.
Is the port side helm a clue to anyone? Please do not find this, if it is around……..oh god.
Back to Phillip’s point about a header coffee table book: I’ve thought about exactly the same thing, including the shape. You have the content (and it’s stunning.) The question is, how many do us nuts need to buy in order for Matt and Texx to make a nickel or two.
Ahh yes thanks Rabbit. Back to the book question. The only reason this might not happen is the resolution of the shots might not be high enough. Other than that Im ready to order my own Christmas pressies.
Matt you will get this. “I`ll buy two copies for my mother”
Mahalo!
especially if you’re on the cover…..
Check with Joy Smith …she published “Transoms”
last year…….I have a boat like that located near Algonac…1947 26′ enclosed
I am going to guess that this boat is a Gar Wood sedan but I am at a loss to remember the model name. Truscott took some of the designs and built similar models after Gar Wood stopped boat production in 1947. The hull design of the 1937 thru 1941 24 ft. utility was used on other models. I could be all wet on this guess. If the boat still exists, the detail of the stringers dropping down to intermediate frames would tell you it is a Gar Wood. I call them dancing stringers.
Obviously the hull number stamped in the stringers behind the engine mouns would tell you for sure. But I am assuming that the boat is gone so all this is irrelavent. It could also be a Truscott. I had one that looked very much like this boat.
Now that I am looking closely at the photos again, I am changing my guess to say that it more likely is a Truscott. The helm station in the rear cockpit looks like it is on the port side, which is the same as my Truscott was. The similar boat trom Gar Wood had the helm on the starboard side. I would say that it is 24 ft.
except for the higher crown on the cabin top it looks similiar to a chris craft clipper cruiser. i’d guess Gar Wood.
Thank you all for input , Matt and Texx you have created quite the community, Thank you.
Nothing Floats Like Wood