Location of Windshield on 1968 Sea Lancer

[Ken Butti]

And don't say "on top of the boat, in front of the cockpit."

When I purchased my Sea Lancer in October 2010 (whew!), the windshield was in pieces, in a box. I have finally got to the point where I rebuilt and refinished it, and am ready to attach it to the boat. I tried to use photos to appropximate where exactly in sits, but then thought I should just ask another late-model Sea Lancer owner to measure the distance from the bow, down the center line, to the front, center "point" of the windshield. Also, I'd like to know how far the end of the top "rails" (directly behind the ends of the windshield) are from the transom. The result should be about an inch between the ends of the windshield and the rails.

It's been a long 2 1/2 years of off-and-on working on this boat, and I still have a ways to go to get it where I want it. But it will be sea-worthy very soon, and I can mess with painting and more staining and varnishing in-between adventures.

Thanks for all the help I've gotten from folks on this site.

[thegammas]

Is she really a 68? Were they still building wood that late?
I've a 62 Cortland sea lancer I can measure for you - might be apples to oranges but she sits in my garage so access is only a few steps away

[LancerBoy]

Yes, Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co. at Peshtigo, WI was making wooden boats in 1968. 1969 was their last year for wooden boat manufacturing. Cortland ceased making wooden boats in 1965.

I may have a drawing that can be useful to you Ken. Let me check and if yes, I will scan it and post it here later.

Don't measure your 1962 Cortland built boat and use it for a 1968 Peshtigo built boat. Totally different animals.

Andreas

[LancerBoy]

This might help. This is for the 1965 Sea Lancer (models 1800 and 1850) made by Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co. of Peshtigo, WI. Note that in 1965 the windshield frame was aluminum, no wood. But the general location should be pretty much the same as later models that used wooden framed windshield.

[Ken Butti]

Awesome drawing, Andreas! I should of known you'd come up with something like this. It's exactly what I needed. Thanks so much.

To respond to Peter's comments, my boat is actually registered as a 1970, which we know is after Thompson in Peshtigo stopped making wood boats. My guess that it's a 1968 model is based on Andreas' comments in a response to me back in November 2010, (see below):

"Serial number 28444 for a Peshtigo built Thompson boat is now the highest one in my records. The highest previous was 28135 which is a 1967 model year boat. Therefore your 28444 may be 1967 or 1968 model year."

All I have is the serial number; no hull number on the transom. My guess is the transom was replaced, possibly converting the boat from an outboard to an stern drive. It has a 120-hp Mercruiser in it now.

Heck, we all make up things as we go, so these explanations are as good as any.

Thanks again, everybody, for all your help.

[LancerBoy]

And serial number "28444" is still the highest one in my database!

Andreas

[Ken Butti]

And, I think I confirmed my theory.

While working on it last weekend, installing the new, mahogany dashboard (the P.O. made an unstained, varnished oak dashboard that didn't match anything!), I was right next to the "OBC" plate (see attached photo), that lists the maximum carrying capacity in pounds and # of people, and the maximum OUTBOARD MOTOR SIZE! Now, I'm assuming a factory, sterndrive Sea Lancer would not have one of these plates on it. Then, I thought I remembered reading a post a while ago saying that factory transoms were made of solid mahogany, not mahogany plywood, LIKE MINE! So, using my newly-developed CSI skills, I deduced that my boat did, indeed, start out life powered by an outboard motor, and was converted later to a sterndrive.

Now, here's when it starts to get interesting. My OBC plate says the max HP for an outboard is 125. In looking at the specs for a 1968 outboard Sea Lancer, it lists the maximum HP as 130. But, the 1969 specs lists the maximum HP as 125! So, I believe it is safe to say that my Sea Lancer, serial number 28444, is a 1969 model, sold in 1970 (the year on the registration).

Whew! That's enough heavy thinking for tonight.

[LancerBoy]

Good deductive reasoning. I concur with your conclusions!

Note the plate says "Boating Industry Association", the BIA, in addition to OBC. That is a clue as well. Not sure when the BIA name started to get used. But that might be able to be determined as well.

Andreas

[Torchie]

According to my quick investigation the OBC was rolled into the BIA along with some other groups starting in 1964.
No exact date was given for how long both titles were used.
Torchie.