FREE Thompson skiff in Wisconsin

[Dan Payne]

Anyone looking for a nice little project boat? Located in Southeast Wisconsin on Lake Beulah (between East Troy and Mukwanago). 12' 1949 Thompson "car topper". Weighs 90#. Rough shape, needs total restoration but worthwhile project. Sweet lines, rows and powers like a dream. I could kick my own #@* for letting her sit outside. FREE, contact me offline.

[Iceboy]

Dan, check you PMs. Jim...

[okey dokey]

Do you have a photo you can show ?

[Iceboy]

okey dokey, this boat is currently in my shop drying out. I have some pictures that I will post later. Jim.....

[okey dokey]

I get back to Racine once in awhile. Do you know which Thompson skiff it is ? I understand there was a Thompson boatworks some years ago in Wisconsin at Green Lake.

[AndreasJordahlRhude]

IF this is Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co. vessel, they were located at Peshtigo, WI from 1904 to 1980. It actually had a name revision circa 1973 to Thomspon Boat Co. They ceased making wooden boats in 1969.

From 1980 to 2002 they were located at St. Charles, MI.

The description appears to make her the "Take-Along" model. This was canoe like constructed with steam bent cedar ribs/frames, wide and very thin cedar planking with canvas covering.

Brochures for Thompson Boat et.al. can be obtained on a CD-ROM at www.wcha.org (http://www.wcha.org)

Andreas

[Iceboy]

Andreas, that sounds like the one. I have a slight problem with this one. Almost all of the ribs on one side are cracked between the keel and the turn of the bilge. I think they are just going to be reglued or perhaps sistered in some way as I think it would basically destroy the boat to replace them all. I now have most of the canvass off of it and have found only one small portion of rot in the planking. That can be easily replaced if I can delicately remove a few clench nails. The transom seems sound but I haven't sanded it yet. All the gunnels, knees and seats need replacing. That being said, it is a damn nice little boat. Once it dries out the rest of the way I hope it can be returned to service in some way. Photos will follow eventually. I don't plan on working on it much until spring. Jim...

[AndreasJordahlRhude]

I learned how to water ski behind a 1958 Thompson 12 ft. Take-Along with a 6 HP Mercury outboard motor! My parents got the boat circa 1961. They still have it!

I also restored a 1949 Take-Along a few years ago.

Is there a hull ID stamped into the wood of the transom, inside the boat? Is there a serial number on a small rectangular metal plate with builder's name and location on it? If it has a serial number, it is different than the hull ID. These can provide the model year of the boat.

The next Thompson Antique & Classic Boat Rally will be held in August 2010 at Marinette, WI. This is six miles from Peshtigo, the home of Thompson Boat. It is a non-judged, no awards gathering.

Andreas

[Fitz]

Iceboy: If you can live with the cracks and they are not in a critical area, you can do a "backside rib repair". Take the planking off behind the cracked ribs, carve a channel in the back of each rib across/perpendicular to the crack a few inches long and nearly as wide as the rib. Epoxy in a new piece of cedar shaped to fit the groove and shave and sand flush with the back of the rib. Replace the planking.

[Iceboy]

Andreas, I will have to check for the hull number. I gave a cursory glance earlier but did not find one. It does have the manufacturers plate. I didn't see any numbers on it.
I may be able to make it to to the next Thompson gathering.

Fitz, That sounds like a good way to repair but it requires removing all the clench nails in the planking. I suppose that method requires takin out fewer nails than replacing the entire rib though. I'll have to give it some thought. I have to make some type of form to get the shape back on that side of the boat. I have it drying in the garage shop now and will move it to the basement working shop this fall.

Like I said earlier, I'm not in any hurry to complete this project. I have before pictures and will post them as soon as I conveniently can. Until then, thanks for the advice. Jim...

[Fitz]

The clenched tacks are easily removed with a tack puller. If you are careful you can likely reuse/retack the plank. You can also cut out only the section of the plank needed to get at the backsides of the damaged ribs with a utility knife and retack or replace that section.

Here is a canoe example. I will be steaming and replacing a bunch of ribs on another project soon and can post some photos of that process.

http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/45831/2513153830054321892S600x600Q85.jpg

[Dan Payne]

Apologies to all for my late reply. This was a Thompson from Peshtigo.

[Iceboy]

Thanks Fitz, you are definitely giving me a lot to think about and also making this seem like a much more doable project. I am interested in what type of tack puller you are using. I would also be interested in the pictures of rib replacement. This is getting me almost exited enough to contract out the cabinet doors and drawer fronts in the wifes new kitchen. I don't think she will let me get away with it though:0

p.s. Dan, I really want to thank you for passing this project on to me. This is one of the great things about the forum and what it should be all about.

[Fitz]

Iceboy:

I will be replacing ribs and planking on a canoe in the next few days. I started a thread here:

http://www.woodenboat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=104173

[Iceboy]

Thanks Fitz. I will be following that thread. I finally got the pictures from the camera and will post here in the next day or so.

[Iceboy]

Okay, I have read the instructions from Thorne (Thank you) and am going to try my first forum photo.http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4398644110_c1bfd4bf46_m.jpg

[Iceboy]

Okay, that seemed to work. Please bear with me as I become a better user of the photo option. I will be posting more as I get more uploaded. Here is one of the bottom.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4397877045_fa9fba7f77_m.jpg

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Cool boat, well worth fixing. :)

[Iceboy]

I do have the canvas off of the bottom. Will post more pictures later. I won't be working on this until later this spring. I am looking forward to more input as I post more pictures.

[Iceboy]

Her are some more.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4398644190_1a1ed7189b_m.jpg

[Iceboy]

Here are some more.http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4398644190_1a1ed7189b_m.jpg

[Iceboy]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2727/4398718942_ff5aafaf82.jpg

[Iceboy]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4397952691_eafc6c28d7_m.jpg

[Iceboy]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4035/4398719282_9aa4e70084_m.jpg

[Iceboy]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4397952351_f7d74d89dd_m.jpg

[Iceboy]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2723/4397952207_50896b5f86_m.jpg

[Iceboy]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2695/4397953071_8127dfc303_m.jpg

[Iceboy]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4398719944_44e72ab3db_m.jpg

[Iceboy]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2786/4397952749_4ae2772bac_m.jpg

[Iceboy]

That's all for now.http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/4397951703_050a7915e5_m.jpg

[AndreasJordahlRhude]

Looks like a model 240 Take-Along by Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co.

Is there a hull ID stamped into the wood of the transom, inside the boat? It will be a letter or two and some numbers and maybe end in another letter.

Brochures for Thompson Bros. Boat et.al. are available for purchase ona CD-ROM at www.wcha.org (http://www.wcha.org) and www.dragonflycanoe.com (http://www.dragonflycanoe.com)

Remove the little keels on the bottom along with the center keel to get the canvas out from under them.

Andreas

[Iceboy]

Thanks Andreas. I have removed the strakes and the canvas underneath. I just don't have pictures of that part yet. I basically wanted to get the old stuff off and let it dry out before working on it. I looked on the transome, but didn't see any numbers. I'll look around tonight with a better light and get back to you. I have both of those sites marked for future reference. I will get back to you all once I get it out of the basement and start working on it. SWMBO has me tied up in the shop doing trim and molding for her kitchen so I have to wait to use the outside shop.