Can Fess Parker, Solve The Cliff Problem Today?

What is it?

Calling all boat geeks, cruiser nerds and mahoganuts! What is this cruiser make? Texx found this killer little cruiser in a library collection and at first just thought how cool the cruiser was, and wondered what kind it may be. Is it a custom builder type thing. The lines are amazing, telling us that it must have been expertly designed. But up in New England, that’s par for the course. The photos are “Courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection” So, what is it? As you look over the shot there is some cool detail stuff.

Close up reviles  a cool hat and a tell tale shirt, and a bizarre hand from outer space?

Note the captains hat and pin, and the kids t shirt.. Is that a Davy Crockett T shirt? That might help age the shot?

This image from Life magazine gives us a date on the shirt. We have also found these shirts in 1956 year books as well.

Daaaavy Davy Crocket King of the wild frontier helps us ID a cruiser. OK, OK, Wait….what are the odds that Fess Parker, Walt Disney, The Boston Library, Obama, Boehner, and an old Woody Cruiser could all fit into one story? My head hurts. I don’t think this story could add one more obscure reference. Other than whoever the boat builder is! Oh yea, I forgot what the story was about in the first place.  Anything you would like to add?

/16 Comments/by
16 replies
  2. Randy Rush Captain Grumpy
    Randy Rush Captain Grumpy says:

    Looks like Marblehead Harbor MA, outside of boston. Whats up with the other boat? looks ex military, may be a water taxi to boston. I think Hinkly, too nice to be home made.
    Got to go plow snow now….

  3. Captain Nemo
    Captain Nemo says:

    Looking at the cabin style it says Elco but the sheerline and the hull shape doesn’t to me. My guess it came out a custom shop. A really fine example. The boat in the background is surely a patrol boat probably WWII vintage.

  5. Gary
    Gary says:

    The bow flag pole, the stern flag pole and then the pole on the cabin top are all unique and the same in their shape. I think that shape is what might identify the builder.

  6. John Rothert
    John Rothert says:

    I have not a clue, but it is sure cool! A welcome respite from still being trapped in the bilge with dead engine….
    Happy New Year to all,
    John in Va.

  8. Sean
    Sean says:

    The military boat in the background looks like an air crew rescue boat. I know smaller boatbuilders were contracted to build many different designs of these types of boats. They also built larger Fairmiles and minesweepers….

    Both Port Carling Boatworks and Greavette had contracts during the war.

    Here is a USAAF example

    • Sean
      Sean says:

      Note** These are NOT PT boats…they are much smaller.

      The Greavette versions can be seen in the book “The Boatbuilders of Muskoka”(Duke & Gray) on page 138.

  11. floyd r turbo
    floyd r turbo says:

    Here’s another perspective from an ACBS show in Portland that was covered in a previous Woodyboater article. The sheer break is slightly different but sedan B pillar and roof details are very similar.

  13. John
    John says:

    …… Hi all!
    Not sure how to post a thread sorry ….. can anyone shed some light on this one ….
    All I have been told is 1940’s… and a long way from home – in Australia!

  14. Jodi Grennell
    Jodi Grennell says:

    I love wooden boats, but by no means am an expert. However I googled the name Cliff 2 wooden boat and found a boat company from Meaford Ontario called Cliff Richardson boatworks that also built boats for the Defense Dept. prior to WW2 and then built pleasure boats post WW2. The pleasure boats looked a lot like this. Hope this helps. 🙂

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