thompsondockside.com

Just purchased another Cruisers 202 16', title says 1960.

Serial number is 0G13363G. Looks almost like my other 1960 Cruisers 202 except serial number on my first boat is 012G13 or maybe 012613, hard to tell if 4th ditit is G or a 6.

Both have 202 in black marker under floor boards.

Why the different serial number format?

Latest one has metal rub molding on spray rail. and joint in deck is not smoth but routed.

Do I realy have two 1960 boats? The older to me came with a 1961 Johnson 75 and the latest came with a 1959 Johnson 35.


http://www.aerialimaging.net/johnpics42

One with serial 12G13

Hi John, My guess is that the newest find is also a 1960 model year boat. But that's only going by the hull ID. I do not know why there is a difference in the two formats.

Andreas

More suttle differences, aft floor is split in three sections instead of two, better yet center section is held in by al tabs instead of screws, makes checking bilge a lot easier.

Windshield does not have white rubber between deck and windshield frame, Also aft frame of windshield in held in place on my first 202, with long screws that screw into frame from outside deck, but not with my newest 202.

There is no cap plate on the newer one.

When was the first 202 introduced with the pronounced bow flar?

I could understand the windshield not being set in rubber molding between deck and frame on earily runs and then adding rubber latter. Was the white rubber gasket (molding) used before 1960 or was it added on newer production? How about ther twist tabs to access bilge?

Just trying to figure out why the differrence in the 2 1960 202s.

Did the 59 202 have the pronounced bow flare? What year did they add the flar 1960?

John. my boat was identified as being a 1958 seafarer model 202 and it has that white rubber molding around the windows and on the bottom part where it meets the deck/bow/dash ( I dont know the terminology. As far as the bow flare, I posted some pictures of my boat in this section and in 1958 I guess thats how the bow looked. Hope this helps

My 1957 Thompson of Peshtigo has the vinyl molding under the windshield frame. I assume Cruisers, Inc. was using this vinyl at the same time as Thompson. They were so closely allighned prior to 1959. In 1957 Ray L. Thompson was president and general manager of Cruisers and at the same time he was treasurer of Thompson and their largest single stockholder.

Your Cruisers' floor with the removeable floor panel suggested later year models.

Andreas

a j r

Where there more than one plant that built Cruisers. The one with the longer hull number spent its life in Wis. The newest find was delivered in Houston and has never left the Houston garage it was found in. A 10/20 hour boat.

Other than the difference in the floor, I noticed today the planks for the front bench seat were chanfered, my other 1960 is butt jointed. Remember the rear deck is the same way.

Pulling the floor boards today, there is little if any discoloration from the ribs on the plywood bottom.

No, Cruisers, Inc. only had one factory, at Oconto, WI.

Grew Cruisers were built in Canada by Grew Ltd. in Penetang., Ontario. Probably starting about 1961 or 1962 Cruisers, Inc. licensed them as a maker of their boats for the Canadian market.

Sometimes different crews/workers would use different details. I know this was common at Thompson of Peshtigo. Probably could have happened at Cruisers in Oconto too. Maybe this explains the subtle differences.

Andreas

Your new find only has 20 hours on it???? What a find if that has been in a garage all this time - I hope it was on a trailer or stands correctly - what's the condition?

Not even discoloration on bottom by inner keel.

Trailer supported bottom very well. It is a cradle type trailer with full support under the transom.

Deck is the only problem it got damp and is delaminated in several 2" x 5" spots. Hull paint from storage outdoors on and off was the hull paint peeling in spots. Paint is all original, can not detect any repaint ever.

Sorry is that two years ago when I first saw it, it was almost perfect.

Plan is to disasssemble and re-glue and refashen when time permits, for the short term it's going to be safely stored in my garage. I have pulled floor boards to clean, may try it on the water before I put it up.

Awesome!