thompsondockside.com

Posted: **Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:55 pm**

I have a 1955 Thompson (that's what it is registered as). It came from Wisconsin and I bought it in Tennessee. The individual I bought it from wife's family owned the boat for years in Wisconsin. I was told that the transom was replaced years ago and the boat was shorten from 18 ft to 16 ft. and the beam is 82 in. It has a one piece plywood bottom and is not lapstrake all the way to the keel. There is not plate or serial numbers around the transom. I guess they were removed when the transom was replaced. It has cast metal Thompson name plates toward the stern. Thank you for any help.

Posted: **Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:34 am**

Welcome aboard.

Without a hull ID and/or serial number, there will be no accurate means to get the model year. Modifications such as shortening the boat by two feet (that seems drastic) will also make it tough to determine what you have.

Your pictures didn't post, but I cut and pasted and viewed them on photobucket. This is what I can tell you. The windshield frame is 1958 or earlier. The hull shape (stem and bow) is 1958 or earlier. The bulkhead door is 1958 or earlier. Looks as if the front seats have been modified from original. Of course the seats that run along the gunwales in the back are not original.

The splash well is definately not factory original. Probably changed when the transom was replaced.

In 1955 the Off-Shore model was new. She was the 18 footer.

You can buy Thompson brochures on a CD-ROM at www.dragonflycanoe.com and www.wcha.org

I know this does not help much. Good luck!

Andreas

Posted: **Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:47 am**

Thanks for the info.

Posted: **Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:52 am**

I was wondering if it is an Off Shore. It seems bigger than the other Thompsons I have seen. I had to take my trailer tires off and drop the tongue down and slide it into the garage on the drums to clear my 6' 7" door. Even with this the windshield just cleared.

Posted: **Sat Mar 21, 2009 6:21 pm**

I found the number 51237 penciled in in a few locations under my floor boards. Can this be my serial number?

Posted: **Sun Mar 22, 2009 6:51 am**

It could be the hull ID. "51237" would indicate 1,237th boat of all models made in the model year 1955 or 1965. Hull shape, dimensions, seating, etc.... would narrow down the 1955 or 1965 years.

That's IF this is a Peshtigo built boat. If she was built in Cortland, the hull ID has a totally different meaning.

Andreas

Posted: **Sun Mar 22, 2009 8:02 am**

Thanks. I looked again and it is 51231, any way I guess it is a 55 like it is registered as.