In The Same Boat House Since 1956. It’s Time To Play Our Favorite Game Show – What Iz It?

What7Fellow Woody Boater Barry Lindemann reached out to us regarding this amazing boat house find. Well, they always knew it was there, the only issue is that they are not sure what it is? Maybe our trusty readers/peanut gallery/citizens/ fellow Woody Boaters can answer what it is?  Take it away Barry!

What1

Thanks Matt, I am looking for some help with this boat. It is a barn find as it has been in the same boathouse since 1956 or thereabouts.

They story is that my grandfather in the 50s bought a plot of land on Lake Metigoshi in North Dakota. He built a cabin and boat house and put this boat on the lake. It has been there ever since. My grandfather died and then my grandmother and my father purchased the cabin and boat from the estate in 1992. He died in 2008 and last year I was made trustee of his estate in 2013.
What2
The last time I ever was up there, and in the boat, was 1968 – I was 4. I sold the cabin and had the boat pulled out this week.

It was kept in great condition but everyone is scratching their heads about what it is. No markings of any kind. The motor is 1956 (or thereabouts) and is believed to be original to the boat. It is the same boat and engine I remember from 1968.
What3
Any idea or have you seen this boat before?

Thanks Barry, any folks out there that can ID the boat?

What5

/21 Comments/by
21 replies
  1. Troy
    Troy says:

    The very first thing that came to mind when I way the first picture was Aristo Craft, but I am sure if it was it would be marked somewhere.

    Probably a homebuilt.

  2. m-fine
    m-fine says:

    The stern light socket is on the wrong side, so I am going with homebuilt or kit boat.

  5. 72hornet
    72hornet says:

    This looks like a molded hull made in Canada and sold to various boat builders who finisihed them Then sold them such as Hultcraft in Nebraska at that time period. The builder would add their interpretation of decks, seating, then hardware was most likely purchased off the self from companies like Vollrath, Perko, Kainer etc. Neat treasure to find!

  6. Kurt Rothe
    Kurt Rothe says:

    Looks like a Milocraft or a Delta to me. Their hulls were made by US Molded Hulls in Grand Rapids, MI. I believe Milocraft were made in Chicago, IL. Nice boat and great find!

  7. The Cobourg Kid
    The Cobourg Kid says:

    Barry the moulded hulls that Hornet is referring to were fabricated in the early to mid 1950s by Industrial Shipping Corp. out of Mahone Bay Nova Scotia. The attached ad provides the overall length and beam of each model they produced in the mid 1950s. If one of the ISCO models match your boat you might have a plausible candidate.

  9. The Cobourg Kid
    The Cobourg Kid says:

    Industrial Shipping Corp was also known as Plycraft. The attached article from the Jan 1951 issue of MotorBoating summarizes the company’s operations

    • Doug P
      Doug P says:

      Hey Kid, Didn’t that boat builder start a boat line similar to the RIVA, but got into copyright issues and changed the name to RIV-eh?

  11. Phillip Jones
    Phillip Jones says:

    Looks very much like a US Plywood “Weldwood” hull that you could purchase and complete any way you wanted.

  13. mike flood
    mike flood says:

    looks a lot like a modern boat..built in warren michigan..the hulls being molded plywood iI think were made in grand rapids and shipped to many diffternt builders to put the decks on

  14. Kent
    Kent says:

    Very much like a Wagemaker / Wolverine or a Gibbs. But I haven’t seen one laid out quite like that!
    Story is they built them in large quantities and shipped them, stacked one upon the other (perhaps without the transoms installed yet.
    Same hull might be found on 12 different boats out there!

  16. Andreas
    Andreas says:

    Every suggestion could very well be a possibility here. Yes, I agree, she probably was a hull made by US Molded shapes or Industrial Shipping. Then the blank hull went to any number of builders who finished her off. Wagemaker Wolverine hulls were made for them by their own subsidiary, US Molded Shapes.

    Milo Craft and Delta were both in Chicagoland and run by brothers. Dunphy and Carver in Wisconsin both made molded veneer boats.

    Andreas – sitting in Peshtigo, WI right now about 300 feet from the old Thompson Boat factory

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