top is rotten

jenkns · Post by **jenkns** » Sun May 03, 2009 6:06 am

The top on the bow is rotten and the back corners also have some rot. what kind of wood is used on the top of the boats.
I would give a hull number but I can't find it stamped on the transom.

LancerBoy · Post by **LancerBoy** » Sun May 03, 2009 8:14 am

What make, model, and year boat? What hull construction: lapstrake, strip-built, wood/canvas, rubber, fiberglass?

Andreas

jenkns · Post by **jenkns** » Mon May 04, 2009 5:28 am

The only thing we know about the boat is that is from roughly the early to mid 1940's. I'm going to try and get some pics and measurements today.

jenkns · Post by **jenkns** » Mon May 04, 2009 5:30 am

it is a strip built

LancerBoy · Post by **LancerBoy** » Mon May 04, 2009 8:08 am

Most likely, the strip planking is western red cedar. Northern white cedar is a possibility as well.

The transom may be Philippine mahogany. Ribs may either be white oak (likely) or one of the cedar species.

Gunwales and inwales may be white oak.

If she has plywood decking at the bow, it may be Philippine mahogany. If the deck is planked with individual ship lap boards, it may be on of the cedars.

You can purchase on CD-ROM the brochures for Thompson Boat et.al. form www.dragonflycanoe.com and www.wcha.org

Andreas

jenkns · Post by **jenkns** » Mon May 04, 2009 8:31 am

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenkns/ Here are some pics of the boat. The measurements are 11ft 5in bow to stern, and 4ft 4in wide.

Phill Blank · Post by **Phill Blank** » Mon May 04, 2009 12:20 pm

jenkns,

What you have there is a Thompson TVT Super Deluxe Runabout. Look at the inside of the transom for a series of letters and numbers stamped into the wood. They are usually found on the starboard side of the transom and will in most cases be stamped intothe wood upside down. These letters and numbers will tell us a little bit more about the possible year the boat was made and possibly who built it.

The deck, transom and the hull sides from the spray rail up are mahogany. Below the spray rail the hull is red cedar. The ribs, stem, keel, keelsons and sister keelsons are all quarter saw white oak. Seats and seat back are either mahogany or red cedar.

I have two Super Deluxe Runabouts myself. One 12 footer which it what you have and a 14 footer. The 14 footer is in great shape and you can see a picture of it under "Dock Side Boats" on this site. The 12 footer is in need of a lot of restoration, which I am planning on doing after I retire in a year or so.

The Super Deluxe Runabout was one of their top of the line in sporty boats by Thompson. They also made a Tomboy which was a little glitzyer then the Super Deluxe, but basicly the same hull design. These two series boats where the top of the line until they came out with their lapstake hulls.

They are a fun boat to ride in and take out on smaller waters.

Welcome Aboard and Good Luck with the restoration.

Phill

jenkns · Post by **jenkns** » Mon May 04, 2009 8:56 pm

Thanks for the help. I looked for the numbers and couldn't find them. I'll have to wait a couple of days until i can get it into better light to take a better look.

The boat belonged to my wife's Great Grandfather so it isnt can it be fixed; it's more like fix it or else.

LancerBoy · Post by **LancerBoy** » Tue May 05, 2009 3:59 am

I agree that she's the TVT Super DeLuxe Runabout. She's a fairly rare boat, so do her justice in the restoration. Learn, read, ask questions. Go to vintage boat shows. Get the brochures on CD-ROM. Ask others to share pictures of their boat.

I recommend restoring as close to original condition and configuration and not making changes that stray from originality.

Andreas

Phill Blank · Post by **Phill Blank** » Tue May 05, 2009 5:03 am

jenkns,

It is restoreable with a lot of TLC. I see by your bio you are not that far from where I live so at anytime if you would like ot look over my boat contact me directly and you can come down and see the boat and take photos, etc.

You can contact me directly at pblank@new.rr.com.

Good Luck,

Phill

jenkns · Post by **jenkns** » Tue May 05, 2009 8:56 am

I found the numbers on the transom. Varnish filled the stamp and made it smooth so it was hard to see. The numbers are K32641.

Thanks,
Jenkns

LancerBoy · Post by **LancerBoy** » Tue May 05, 2009 11:11 am

K32641 = the 2,641st boat (of ALL models) in the model year 1953. The "K" is a code for the guy in the factory in charge of getting this boat out the door. It was not his initial.

So, you have a 1953 model year TVT Super DeLuxe Runabout. the little 12 footer weighed 210 pounds and had a weight capacity of 500 pounds.

Her price was $360.00 boat only, no windshield.

Andreas

jenkns · Post by **jenkns** » Tue May 05, 2009 8:22 pm

We have a picture of this boat with my wife's great grandfather from the late 1940s. Is there any chance this could be the wrong number? Possibly a transom from a boat that is the same type just a later year?

LancerBoy · Post by **LancerBoy** » Thu May 07, 2009 9:32 am

Is it possible that the first number is 8 and not 3? That would indicate 1948 model year.

Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co. did not start using hull IDs until after World War II, circa 1946 or 1947. Boats built prior to that did not have any type of hull ID or serial number on them.

Andreas