thompsondockside.com

I am new to the forum. I am in the process of restoring a 1963 SeaMate and the rub rail is damaged. It is white, 1 1/4 high a lip at the top and with two rolls and a 1/2 inch flat spot in the middle with a 1/2 inch aluminum strip attached over that portion. It looks like many of the pictures in this forum. Does anyone know of a source for a suitable replacement. The ones available from Taco etc are wider and heavier. Alan Ray at RubRails.com claims to be able to have a replica made up but in rubber not vinyl and pretty pricey. Two other questions. We noticed that the paint under the chrome name plate was light blue. I have noticed some pictures of a light blue tetrahedron around the nameplate. Was this how the boat was originally painted? The hull was not blue was it? The boat has always been in my wife's family and she does not remember any blue on it. Lastly it has been recommended to replace the cable pulley steering system with a single cable system, due to the current system being under sized for the 50 horse Evinrude on the boat. Any opinions? Thanks for your help.

Wefo Rubber in California is a source for the vinyl rubrail material. The aluminum portion can be obtained thru any metals extrusion place, if it needs replacement. Wefco can also furnish the vinyl that goes between the bottom of the windshield frame and the deck.

Yes, there should be a blue parallelogram behind the hullside Thompson logos. The hull should be white, the entire boat was not painted blue.

Not sure why you need to change the steering system. Yes, absolutely repace the plastic covered cable. You can get that at any hardware store or home center. I have a 100 HP Evinrude on a boat with cable-pulley steering. No problems what so ever.

Brochures for Thompson Boat. et.al. are available for purchase on CD-ROM at www.wcha.org and www.dragonflycanoe.com

I keep a database of hull IDs and serail numbers. I'd like to add your boat. The hull ID is stamped into the wood of the transom, inside the boat, starboard side. The serial number is on a small metal builder's plate. The hull ID and serial number are different. Email me direct: thompsonboat@msn.com

Andreas