Sportboat with sponsons?

[whalen]

I took a closer look at the mystery sportboat. It is 12 feet long. It has a 44 inch beam and it is 16 inches deep at the center thwart.

The sponsons seem to be original -- the hull under them was canvased, and the canvased sponsons were attached over the hull canvas. There is no paint under the sponsons. The original color seems to have been green.

There is a serial number on the deadwood/brace between the keelson and the transom but it is unreadable (see pics).

The rear seat has racks for two drawers (I only have one...).

The boat has oarlocks I've never seen before... (see pic).

ANY help identifying this boat will be appreciated.

Bill Whalen

 

[Dave Osborn]

Bill,
I've restored a couple of Old Town row boats. They were longer than this, but the features are all the same.
The serial number was on the stem.
The oar locks are consistent with the Old Town boats that I've done, as well.
They are likely to be worth more than the boat in it's present condition.
Vintage "patented swivel locks" go for about $100/ pair. Maybe more if you check with Ross Bros.
I think new oar locks like these are $250 from Shaw and Tenney.

 

[Benson Gray]

My guess is an Old Town square stern model with sponsons from the late 1950s or early 1960s. The sponsons would have been a special order prior to that. It could be as old as 1931 when this length was first introduced. The seats resting on a full length stringer are what usually distinguishes this model from the Sport Boat model which had individual chocks as shown in the 1959 catalog page below. It is newer than 1956 if the inside gunwale is spruce and the outside one is mahogany. The oar locks are typical as Dave suggested. Good luck with the restoration,

Benson

 

[whalen]

My thanks to Dave and Benson! It's definitely a Square Stern. I'll try some voodoo on the serial number to get it to show up.

Working on a 1923 AA Ideal right now. Then a 1915 OTCA. Then -- if there's something remaining of the rowboat, I'll take that on!

Bill Whalen
Hernando FL
(weather has been tolerable for canoeing the past three months -- the next nine months will be great.)