thompsondockside.com

Hello all, I made contact here last summer during the rebirth of my Thompson, but did not have time to get too involved here then. I got this back in 1990 as a rotten mess. Someone had plugged the transom with plywood and very roughly installed a West Bend Sharkomatic with two 18gal tanks in the sidewalls. I liked the idea, so when I replaced the transom I copied the old one, only made it full up. I did not like the worn out Chrysler 80hp it came with for numerous reasons including fuel consumption. Being in a bit of a pickle financially at the time, and being a bit of a tinkerer, I cloned in a 1973 Datsun truck engine. I built a heat exchanger, plumbed it to the cabin, along with as many safety mods I could come up with. This last refit took care of more of those. Actually, painted everything and dolled it up while I had the engine out. We just took a 25 mile fishing trip last weekend and all went perfect.

Now that things have settled down to minor tinkering and normal maintenance, I am back to trying to figure out more about the boat, as it was just an old wooden boat when I got it that I fixed up for family fishing, but now seems to be a show stopper at the marina and boat ramps. After the repaint and such last year, we entered her in the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival. Had lots of interest including Thompson owners that were thrilled to chit chat our boats. All were runabouts, none had anything like ours. 11 years ago there was one for sale here on Whidbey Island exactly like ours and have no idea where it ended up, but have not seen any since. Kind of feeling like she might be the last one!

I have no interest in making her an original show piece. The setup I have works well for the waters I frequent. She is a good fishing and camping boat. Since I drive Datsuns on the road, it sounds comforting to listen to this one at startup, then to leave the marina, get in a Datsun, and have the sound of her on the way home. I tend to stay in third gear at 3500rpm just to feel like I am still on the water!

I did get some idea of a model name last year, but can't remember it and need a refresher on what she might be. She is appx 18'4 centerline length, I took about an inch and a half off during the transome change in search of good wood so that might have been 18'6 or so. The width, best I can figure, is about 88", and the length around the outside is about 19'10", add the 1 1/2 or so and it roughs out at about 20'. The metal ID tag on the dash has the number 20826 with Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co, Peshtigo, Wisconsin. The ID on the transom was lost, unfortunately, by me, in the transom exchange. I dated her by the ID etchings in all the front window glasses that state Temper Tuf, Hamilton Glass Co, Chicago, AS2, 12-60. I assume the latter is the glass date of manufacture. I was the first to title her, so I guessed the age based on the date on the glass.

When I brought her home, there was no interior except the cabin basic structure and bunk panels. What is in there now is what I threw together to get in the water so I have no idea what seating arrangement was at the helm, plus there are lots of mystery holes in the bulkhead that are puzzling. The setup as I have it works out well though with lots of focus on storage. The cabin sets up to almost a double bed, with just enough room for my 6'2" to fit between the front bulkhead I put in and the main one.

So any ideas on what I have here???

http://s736.photobucket.com/albums/xx2/OldeMahogany/

Welcome aboard,

She most likely is a 1961 Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co. Off-Shore Cabin Cruiser, model 1200. The original centerline length should have been 18'-8" with gunwale length of 19'-10" and beam of 88 inches.

The serial number falls within the 1961 model year range. The design changed for the 1962 model year; hull shape and the windshield frame became only two pieces, not three.

I have a 1959 Off-Shore Cabin Cruiser. She has had her autopsy and has been torn to pieces. Nothing has been repaired or replaced yet. Here are three shots of her:




The following is a shot from the 1961 brochure. So this is what she is supposed to like like:


There are not many of these around.

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

Andreas

Thanks Andreas, the brochure picture shows exactly what we use ours for. I seem to remember 18 pieces for the top window frame and 16 for the bottom, with crazy angles on each one which prompted me to clone in wood in the corners where there was rot. They looked too complicated to make. There is one more of these around here somewhere, I suspect in the blackberries, I have put it out to the universe that I would like to find it. I know, be careful what you wish for! Another observation, this other boat used to be on the water when I was out there, and you could see the white window seals from a long way off. Anyway, ours is a functioning craft so far, with the bilge beefed up with additional stringers and supports to spread the load, and the floor is made up of plywood panels I can lift out for inspection, cleaning, emergency access, etc. The original had some kind of floor screwed down with no access. Also noticed on the brochure the tray wall is quite high which is comforting in high seas. Who knows, I was thinking of someday going to one of these new 4 stroke outboards, as I need practicality, economy, and dependability. We plan to be out most weekends this year after the many hours of heavy maintenance this past winter. Jim