thompsondockside.com

Yes I am aware most of the trailers of that period broke and tilted. What is unique to this one is the adjustable bunks AND the built in jack. I have not even figured out what the jack does yet. It's welded to a plate that is bolted to the stbd rear corner of the trailer and is upside down with the piston assembly on the bottom. I am following your links and trying to track all this down. Since I'm headed home to SoCal and the boat/motor/trailer are put away in the barn on Sebago here, I will spend the winter doing as much research as I can, locating pieces and parts and manuals etc. I got my original 1967 Johnson Owner's Manual in the mail yesterday for the 100hp Golden Meteor along with a recently published service/parts manual for it. That was cool. The CD on Thompson Bros should be waiting for me in SoCal when I get home. Now I need to chase down info on this trailer. Thanks as always for the leads.

Brian

Hello,
Just noticed your post. I am a new member also and have a 1963 Cruisers, Inc. 302V Commander. I have pics and scanned catalog posted here....
http://gallery.me.com/robertabolt#100104

I am searching for some of the original accessories... especially the horns, deck compass and instrument panel... have not had any luck. I emailed Cruisers Yachts to see if they had anything. They have nothing. I guess there was a fire in the early '80s that lost all their information about the woodies.

They did mention Attwood and Perko as possible places. I went on-line and only found the electric horns and the chrome vents that you can see on the backseat platform of our boat.

Good luck with your restoration... we absolutely love our Cruiser! It is a great ride in the water... especially with the bench seat and full glass windshield that opens up... a lot of fun! We are in the process of sanding and varnishing and then repainting.... will be a bit of work.. first time for us... but it should keep her in good shape for more summer fun next year!

Regards,

That's just a brush off about the fire at Cruisers. They had a fire in a warehouse. Didn't effect their office.

They don't have information about the wooden boat years other than some of their brochures and a hull registry on index type cards for boats built after 1962 or so.

All the known Cruisers, Inc. brochures from their origins up to 1966 are avialbale for purchase on CD-ROM at www.wcha.org and www.dragonflycanoe.com

They certain do not have any old stock hardware lying around. That would like calling up Ford and asking if they had a mirror for a 1952 truck in their back room.

Look at ebay and craigs list auctions/sales for hardware. Go to flea markets and yard sales. Go to old boat junk yards. Go to events of the Antique and Classic Boat Society (www.acbs.org) and the Antique Outboard Motor Club (www.aomci.org). Lots of swap meets are part of these types of events.

Andreas

Roberta
Thank you so much for the link with the photos. Contained in the link is a complete catalogue from 1962 that answers several questions I've had about my boat. A plan is beginning to form in my mind for the restoration of this old beauty and you've filled in several blanks. Thanks so much

Brian

Brian,
Glad to help... I knew by your description you probably had a boat around the same year as ours...

Good luck!

Upon my return to San Diego from my summer at Sebago Lake in Maine, my Thompson CD was waiting for me. I recommend anyone who hasn't already purchased one of these do so as quickly as you can send in your order. What a trove of information just in the basic details contained in the brochures for each year. I now know exactly what HP my boat was rated for, what the dry weight of the boat is (umm, errr ok was LOL) and other pertinent facts. I've also got some great photos of what it looked like when it left the factory, what color the hull was (I'd believed it to be white originally) and a many other facts that will help me bring this wonderful little boat back to something as close as I can manage to OEM condition. Thank you Andreas for providing me with the link !!!!!

Brian

PS to Andreas
With the Thompson CD at hand there's no way my boat can be anything other than a 62 302V Commander. I've looked at all the brochures paying special attention to the features that came with the boat and what could have been done for options and it has to be a 62. No other year comes close.
I am taking a chance with a local cabinet maker in Maine and turned over my windhshield assembly to him. He felt I needed new front glass frames, but that he could repair the remainder. I mention this because I need to source the white welting that seats the glass in the frame. Also I've seen a couple close ups of the windshield and it looks like the entire framework has a gasket under it between the topside of the boat and the framework. Any help on either ? Thanks as always !


Brian

Brian,

Take a look at the items for the Thompson windsheilds being sold in the Boat House tab on this site, I think it is the same profiles you are looking for.

Good Luck,

Phill

Go to the Home Page of this site and look in the upper lefthand column and right below "Memories of Lake Delton" is "The Boathouse".
Click on "The Boathouse" and it will take you to the want ads section in which someone is selling the white window retainer molding and the white rubber strip that goes between the window frame and the deck.

Good Luck,

Phill

Got it Phil - - Thanks. Kind of a duh moment. I had my favorites set on the index and not the home page so I had to backtrack. Since the windshield assembly is not in my possesion, I am waiting to hear how much of the windhow seating material I need to order.

On another note, has anyone redone the vinyl covering on a Cruiser's Inc boat ? I am in contact with the Maine Correctional System on whether or not they're willing to take on this project. FYI for any of our Maine members, the MCC has an excellent upholstery shop located in their Windham Maine facility. They work with boats, cars and home furnishings. They did a very nice job on the entire upholstery of my 89 Mach I Cuddy. Anyway, does anyone know if it's possible to obtain an exact match for the orginal topside vinyl on these boats ? If not exact, what has anyone done ?

Brian

Brian,

Do a search on the site and see if you can locate an thread on re-vinyling the decks. I recall seeing something with photos of someone doing that, but do not remember how long ago it was or under which heading it was listed on here.

Good Luck,

Phill

I am trying to deterimine the direction I want to take in restoring my boat. I think it best to state that I am not interested in this boat as a showpiece. My intent is to return it to service. Having said that though I would ask which is the better route to go in being able to maintain it once I've completed my work. A) Redoing the orginal vinyl weather surfaces or B) Removing all of the exterior topside vinyl and finishing the wood off with stain/varnish. The boat would be moored in fresh water with a full mooring cover either way. I love the look of an old wooden boat with beautifully finished wood gleaming in the sunlight but I also find the vinyl covering of the Cruiser's Inc to be so unique as to have it's own appeal. So I guess it's a personal decision but when I bought this boat, my orginal thought was to use it as a stepping stone to a better more expensive wooden boat. I'd be interested to hear what other members thoughts might be.

Brian

Brian,

When it comes to restoring a boat you have to determine what direction YOU want to take the restoration in. SOme of use want to see our boat back to as close to original as we can possibly get them and others are looking for a boat that is functional and looks good but may not be origianl in appreance. The main thing is to get it restored into a sound usable condition that is structurally sound and will keep the water out.

If you do not replace the vinyl on the decks you may find that the plywood is not the best to be stained and varnished. Because it was being covered with vinyl the grade would not have been the best visually and the grain might not run the length of the deck. Until you remove the vinyl you will not know what you have to work with. You may find that it looks good and can be stained and varnished or you may want to replace it with a better grade of marine plywood and then stain and varnish.

What ever you want to do is your decision to make and you will need to determine which way you want to go with it. Many thing to do is do the restoration the best way you can and run with it.

Good Luck!

Phill

Phil
Thanks for the advice. I can tell you that the plywood under the vinyl was just common fir and not something I'd want to sand,stain and varnish. The boat would look like I'd built it in my garage. My thought process has to do with the fact that this boat is more of a stepping stone to a better boat than something I will keep permanently. So, I need to ensure that A) it looks nice and B) it is not MY personal vision of a Cruiser's Inc. Somewhere around here Andreas mentioned that the he believes it may have been possible to order one of the vinyl covered boats without the vinyl. That may explain a boat like mine I saw in Maine this past summer that was all wood on the upper weather surfaces. The deck was vinyl covered but the rest was a combination of Mahogany and either beach or birch in the center where the factory out the lighter colored vinyl. I like that look and will most likely go with it. Another consideration is that I have not been able to locate marine vinyl in anything close to the orginal color and pattern. Seems like unless I could do that it's moot on the vinyl / wood debate anyway.

Brian

Brian,

For the vinyl fabric try looking on the Sailrite website: www.sailrite.com
They have a lot of marine materials available. You might find the colors there or they may know where it can be found. Good people to deal with.

Good Luck,

Phill