1961 Cruisers 302 18 ft

[charlies boats]

Hi to everyone. I am a new member as of today.

I just purchased from the original owner an 18ft 1961 Cruisers Inc 302 that has the original Mercury Model 700 engine and the orignal Little Dude trailer. The trailer is in good useable condition and still has the Little Dude stickers and the original dealer stickers in place. The engine unfortunately does not run.
The boat has all the original trim, name badges, cleats, lights, horn, gauges, steering, motor controls and stainless trim in very good condition - not pitted or damaged.

The boat is in need of some major repair. Bottom rotted through on the starboatrd side and some ribs need to be replaced. And transom repair. Lots of work but it will be worth it in the end.

The forward deck is vinyl and the floor has a pinkish/orange vinyl covering over the wood.

I cannot find the hull number in the transom. The plate has been removed from the transom - I can see the spot where it was attached.

I am posting to try to find original factory photos of the boat and its interior. Maybe from a sales brochure.

If anyone can point me to a source or maybe someone has a brochure they are willing to sell or provide photos from, I would appreciate your help very much.

Thank you.
charliesboats

[LancerBoy]

Welcome aboard!

The hull ID is NOT on a metal plate. It will be stamped directly inot the wood of the transom, inside the boat. Most often starboard side and sometimes upside down. It may be covered by some component attached to the transom.

Here is an example of a hull ID:


The metal plate may have been the HP and weight capacity plate of the Outboard Boating Club of America (OBC).

Brochures for Cruisers, Inc. are available for purchase on a CD-ROM at www.wcha.org . They are on the Thompson Boat Brochure CD.

Is there a strip of stained and varnished wood around the outer edge of the front deck with vinyl on the inside portion? If yes, that is clue to 1961 or 1962 model year - the only two years that was offered. Or is the vinyl covering the entire deck? The latter is a 1962 or newer detail.

Andreas

[charlies boats]

Andreas, thanks for the response. I'll definitely get the Cd as I have done a 1959 Thompson restoration before. The numbers for that boat were up on the starboard transom area.

The OMC plate of the Cruisers 18 is on the inside port carlin and visible from the inside of the boat. There is poor access to the inside transom. I have photographed the inside transom area that I can get to and I find no numbers.

I will have to remove the gas tank so that I can see more of the transom.

Thanks again.

Charlie

[charlies boats]

I forgot to mention that the deck is covered in vinyl, has a chrome strip running around the outside edge of the vinyl and has the mahogany strip around the outside of the vinyl. It is definetly a 1961.