I like this boat -1959 Cruisers Inc.

[John Bell]

This boat belongs to my friend Clark. He spent all of last year restoring this boat, a 1959 Cruisers Inc. lapstrake plywood runabout. So far, he's replaced the keel, keelson, and replaced a fair amount of rotted garboard. He spent a lot of time getting the finish right on the topsides and he's now getting started on the brightwork. The motor on the transom is an interesting bit fiction: it's the biggest V-4 75 horse Johnson ever made. A closer look reveals that he stuck a '75' over the '115' the manufacturer put there originally. When it was time to power this little beauty this was the only good deal on a motor he could find! It's too much power for the boat, but the owner recognizes that it's probably not prudent to drive this baby at 55 mph lest the laps open up and the boat disintegrate.

http://mistermoon.home.mindspring.com/clarksboat.jpg

[Memphis Mike]

Pretty little boat.

[Andreas Jordahl Rhude]

Nice boat. If the vinyl deck is original, she is a 1961 model year boat. That's the only year that Cruisers, Inc. used vinyl on a portion of the decks, leaving the stained and varnished portion around the perimeter. The year can be verified via the hull ID. It will be a series of letters and numbers stamped into the wood of the transom, inside the boat, usually on the starboard side. Get me that ID code and I can most likely verify the year.

I have a 1959 Cruisers, Inc. Holiday 16 footer that's in NASTY shape. I paid $75.00 for boat, motor, and nice trailer!

Tell your friend about www.thompsondockside.com (http://www.thompsondockside.com) and also about the 4th annual "Thompson Antique & Classic Boat Rally" taking place 13-14-15 August 2004 at Marinette, WI. Cruisers was a spin-off of Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg Co.

[Victor]

Ah, blue vinyl! Is that plastic on the bow? :rolleyes: Looks nice, about 17 feet?

[ 04-12-2004, 11:50 PM: Message edited by: Victor ]

[Jack Heinlen]

I've said this before, but these boats, all makes, went through a developement toward flatter running surfaces and more flared bows, in response to more power, circa 1960.

I don't think they are as handsome as some of the earlier boats, but they are better, functionally, with that power.

Some of the transition Chris' and Lymans hadn't caught up with the power. And some of them are very wet. But, a 1950 Lyman Islander, with a forty horse Gray four inboard, is a beautiful, functional boat. More pleasing, to my eye, and perfectly functional for all but water skiing.