thompsondockside.com

I found a fellow locally who was trying to sell some old motors and this nice little Thompson dinghy. Got everything fairly inexpensively...but what did I get?

The "dink" has the aluminum Thompson Pestigo, WI tag...so I know that it is a Thompson. It has almost all the parts still with it except a small piece for the starboard edge of the transom and the seats. All knees, breasthook, seat rails and hardware are still with her.

Unfortunately she has been glassed using West Systems, though that is not a deal breaker I don't think. The work appears to have been done very well, but the inside will either need to be sealed or glassed to encapsulate her now.

I'd love to restore her as a companion to out Thompson Lake TVT runabout..."Fibber McGee". Obviously this will be dubbed Molly McGee.

Here a some photos. Any help and photos of how she should look would be much appreciated!!








Specs are as follows:

Length: 8 Feet over-all
Beam: 45 inches amidships
Transom width: 34 inches
Approx Depth: 18 inches.

Any thoughts are welcome...especially with regard to restoration.

Thanks!

Greg Jones
Toledo, Ohio

An 8 ft. DINGY was show in the brochures from 1934 to 1942. Canvas covered or lapstrake. So it is probably the canvas covered one.

Andreas

LancerBoy wrote:An 8 ft. DINGY was show in the brochures from 1934 to 1942. Canvas covered or lapstrake. So it is probably the canvas covered one.

Andreas

Thanks Andreas! Any thoughts on a hull ID number location? Didn't see one right away when I did "triage" the boat this morning.

I'd like to have her back to canvas, but not sure about taking the glass of...or how to do so. Any thoughts?

Thanks again!

Greg

Hull IDs were not placed on Thompson boats until after World War II, circa 1946. So any boat built prior to that time will not have a hull ID.

If it truly was a West Sytem fiberglass put on the hull, you will most likely destroy the wood trying to get it off. Maybe the company can give you some advice.

Andreas

LancerBoy wrote:Hull IDs were not placed on Thompson boats until after World War II, circa 1946. So any boat built prior to that time will not have a hull ID.

If it truly was a West Sytem fiberglass put on the hull, you will most likely destroy the wood trying to get it off. Maybe the company can give you some advice.

Andreas

That's what I feared. The guy also used West Systems to "glass" his 50 foot Mathews Cruiser that this dink was going to be used for. He can't give the cruiser away!

Guess it is not trailer-able behind the average Pinto...huh?

Greg

Cute little dinghy.
You could canvas over the fiberglass.
I saw a guy do this to an Old Town canoe once that had been glassed.
Block sand the fiberglass smooth if it needs it and glue down the canvas.
Sure it's not exactly a "pure restoration" but buy the time you paint the canvas and put the gunwales back on it would look pretty neat. Then just stain and varnish the inside. Would make a nice little tender.
Throw it on top of the Pinto and have some fun.
Karl.

Torchie wrote:Cute little dinghy.
You could canvas over the fiberglass.
I saw a guy do this to an Old Town canoe once that had been glassed.
Block sand the fiberglass smooth if it needs it and glue down the canvas.
Sure it's not exactly a "pure restoration" but buy the time you paint the canvas and put the gunwales back on it would look pretty neat. Then just stain and varnish the inside. Would make a nice little tender.
Throw it on top of the Pinto and have some fun.
Karl.

Hi Karl!

Thanks for the thoughts. I'd considered that. I did find and ad from the 50's showing the dinghy from Thompson with a "Plastic covered hull" leading one to wonder if indeed Thompson did fiberglass these boats in later years.

One way or the other...the glass is there and will stay there it appears. The fellow who run the boat restoration shop where my vintage outboard shop is suggested patching a few things that will need attention on the hull. Then use CPES to just blast the wood until it won't take anymore. Maybe fill a few voids with West Systems G-Flex epoxy which I have used with great success on a few boats...then varnish and keep and eye on her. Their theory is she will only be used and then put away, so weather is not as much of an issue for this boat. If she were to be returned to tender/dinghy service and left outdoors then it could be an issue.

I did CPES the knees, breasthook, and some other parts yesterday, and varnished them today. Boy that old red cedar was nice stuff!!

Greg

The "plastic" term was used by Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co. to describe their canvas filler. It was not fiberglass or a resin. It was a traditional canvas dope. Maybe they used some "modern" junk in the filler. But it definately was not what we today would consider fiberglass or reinforced plastic or any type of plastic.

Andreas

LancerBoy wrote:The "plastic" term was used by Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co. to describe their canvas filler. It was not fiberglass or a resin. It was a traditional canvas dope. Maybe they used some "modern" junk in the filler. But it definately was not what we today would consider fiberglass or reinforced plastic or any type of plastic.

Andreas

Very good to know Andreas!!

I suspect this to be a very early dink based on your info of now hull ID number. She has begun the refit in earnest today. Out local boat restoration shop guys have given me space in their shop to work. We have filled some of the voids in the glass mat...left by the previous owner. We also will consult with West Systems, and my father in law who worked in engineering fiberglass for Owens-Corning. He is offering some expertise as well.

Thanks you again for all your information and help. I hope to do a proper restoration in the face of fiberglass issues to the benefit of the boat.

Greg