On Any Other Forum This Would Be Unusual

[Peter_Crowl]

I don't know what to make of this thing...so naturally I had to buy it.

Looks like a PM plan boat to me. It's mainly plywood with a fiberglass skin...so of course the fiberglass skin is peeling off in sheets.
It's powered by Ford V8 - I think - which is closed system cooled by means of a radiator and fan. No - really.
Propulsion is furnished by the primordial sterndrive that you see. Any thoughts on what that is will be most appreciated. It does not tilt. It rotates by means of a lever in the engine bay.
Steering is accomplished via about 80 feet of bicycle chain from the helm to a shaft - back to the transom - then to the sterndrive unit.

As big as it is it's not very heavy. I've towed far worse - although nothing this goofy.

Ok - guys - now what?

Peter
Livin' the Dream
in Denver

[Sammamish1]

Fourth of July Bonfire? VeryBigSmile

[slo-mo]

truth is stranger than...

Peter, your latest acquisition appears to be designed by the famous marine architect Walt Disney.

I just sat down for lunch but have mysteriously lost my appetite...:Shocked:

Thanks for posting this, my wife will never question my sanity again.:GoodJob:

[Peter_Crowl]

Owwwww!
C'Mon...at the very least it's the coolest playhouse ever.

I had to buy it - it came with the hat!

[Peter_Crowl]

Peter, your latest acquisition appears to be designed by the famous marine architect Walt Disney.

I just sat down for lunch but have mysteriously lost my appetite...:Shocked:

Thanks for posting this, my wife will never question my sanity again.:GoodJob:

I live to serve :~)

[Tim McCrain]

Wow. That is ... Wow.

Can you take some more photos of the outside of the ... boat? The first photo from the side makes it look like it's two dimensional and made out of cardboard. Love to see some more photos.

Tim

[Marty Loken (Norseboater)]

Fifties Cruiser

Peter -

The design for your boat was published in one of the 1950's magazines--either Popular Science, Popular Mechanics or one of the Boatbuilding Annuals published by those magazines. I can't remember the name, but it's obviously distinctive.

- Marty

[Peter_Crowl]

Peter -

The design for your boat was published in one of the 1950's magazines--either Popular Science, Popular Mechanics or one of the Boatbuilding Annuals published by those magazines. I can't remember the name, but it's obviously distinctive.

- Marty

Well that's what I'm thinking but a search of PM in google doesn't turn much up - lots of ads for plans but not a lot of plans in the magazines. I'd sure like to find them :~)

Anybody recognize the sterndrive?

Here are more photos.

[BruceDrake]

blue guppy

Very cute boat, a whole new version of a head turner at the dock. I think the van obviously needs a matching paint job...or if Barnum and Bailey come to town - it would be really cool pulled by a blue & white elephant in a circus parade.

[Mark_Denis]

Peter, I think she's beautiful. :cool1:

[Helmar]

Now That, will draw a crowd. Some may chuckle but after that, you will be ponded with questions about it.

I too will do some looking but Ole has a ton of those old mags (but Little time) so he might come on to it some day.

Looks to be a 272 or 292 engine, never seen that kind of an outdrive but Hey, we have others that have been around this stuff for quite some time too.

I would really be interested in how she preforms in the water.. Kind of a barge look on the bow but looks with the tunnel design, she might scare people on how stable she might be.

If the motor is toast or even the the outdrive, you can still grab a donor boat with later model I/O.. Its got to have some good heavy rails that engine is setting on so an update system should go pretty straight forward.

I didn't see how they were cooling the exhaust?
How about the insides of her? I would think its got a Ton of room inside too.

As long as the wood is good to go, you can cut patches of glass cloth and reglass her. I am really fond of the Fiberlay laminating resin as with the kicker (merk) and surface seal, its hard to go wrong.

Hope you get some pictures of the insides as I can only imagine what they used for frames and stringers.

Yep, One of a kind for sure :cool1:

[Tim McCrain]

It looks as if it was designed by someone who had spent some time around (or in) a WW II landing craft. Man, that thing must just slam into a wave ...

[Peter_Crowl]

Well she's definitely becoming...less wierd.
Marty - I have this mental image of an illustration of this boat with the bow - if you call it that - in yellow with a red inverted V.

Or perhaps it's just the fumes talking.

[Peter_Crowl]

It does have a landing craft look doesn't it?

There isn't all that much room...the motor box is huge what with the radiator and all...and it has to be loud with the open radiator grille right behind you.

I have no clue what to do with wood so any and all help is most appreciated.
Do I glass over it again? Sounds like there are better products now. Most seems solid - edges can be iffy - more photos attached. The existing glass is lifting and separating like crazy but the wood doesn't seem bad underneath.

The exhaust manifolds are water cooled if the manifolds are still good. They must circulate radiator coolant through them. Wierd. But hey...I'd be able to use it on Tahoe even with closed system requirements :~)

The sterndrive isn't frozen. From the sound of it it's two sets of bevel gears. and that's about it. It doesn't pump water and it doesn't tilt so there isn't much to go wrong.

[mikekronick]

Peter. Way cool boat. It's nice to see something different. I'm wondering if your sterndrive could be from a Volksliner. VW built a boat in the early '60s. They sold them on the east coast. It was powered with an air cooled 36hp engine. Being air cooled it wouldn't need impellers or other complications in the sterndrive itself. Just a thought. You're going to have fun with that one.:boater1: