Thompson Water Skis
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lapstrakelouie
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Sat Nov 25, 2006 3:03 pm
- Location: Fort Worth, TX
Thompson Water Skis
I received this old set of Thompson skis as a gift from an elderly man who said he worked at the Thompson factory in the 1950's. I met him at the Austin, TX boat show about 10 years ago. He liked my 1959 19' Off Shore and I am glad I had the only Thompson at the show. I think these are very old due to the rounded front and the two wood skegs on the bottom. I found some later model boots with the Thompson logo to replace the rotten old ones. I really like the graphics with the lady skiing and the front of the "outboard' motor with the invisible driver's hand on the wheel, the boat wake, and her spray. Life jacket? Life belt? ""We don't need no stinkin' life jackets!"" There was some sort of wood borer that was in the wood on one of the skis that I was able to remove and seal with SPES. Fresh coats of varnish and I am ready to show or go. Has anybody seen a similar pair?
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- ski 3.JPG (163.72 KiB) Viewed 18538 times
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- ski 2.JPG (160.85 KiB) Viewed 18538 times
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- ski 1.JPG (203.13 KiB) Viewed 18538 times
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lapstrakelouie
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Sat Nov 25, 2006 3:03 pm
- Location: Fort Worth, TX
Re: Thompson Water Skis
A few more pics of the water skis
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- ski 5.JPG (145.99 KiB) Viewed 18536 times
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- ski 4.JPG (116.25 KiB) Viewed 18536 times
Re: Thompson Water Skis
Cool!
I have many, many Thompson wooden water skis, including the ones I learned to ski upon at about age 6. Yes, I have seen ones similar to yours.
The skis were made at Crivitz, WI by Thompson Skis, Inc. which was owned by brothers Roy and Grant Thompson. It was the largest maker of wooden water skis in the world, making as many as 80,000 skis annually. The Thompson's sold the company about 1971. Medalist and Cut and Jump were subsequent owners. They made wooden skis into the 1990s. The buildings are still there and I think owned by Cruisers Yachts which is based at Oconto, WI.
A copying shaper woodworking machine once owned and used by Thompson Skis is owned by Sentinel Structures, Inc. of Peshtigo. We also own the plywood scarfer and press made for Roy and Grant's company R & G Engineering of Crivitz. It was used to make long length plywood for use in constructing lapstrake planked boats. Anyone wanna buy these machines? They haven't been used since the early 1970s!
There is one or maybe two Thompson Skis, Inc. brochures on the Thompson brochure CD-ROM
Andreas
I have many, many Thompson wooden water skis, including the ones I learned to ski upon at about age 6. Yes, I have seen ones similar to yours.
The skis were made at Crivitz, WI by Thompson Skis, Inc. which was owned by brothers Roy and Grant Thompson. It was the largest maker of wooden water skis in the world, making as many as 80,000 skis annually. The Thompson's sold the company about 1971. Medalist and Cut and Jump were subsequent owners. They made wooden skis into the 1990s. The buildings are still there and I think owned by Cruisers Yachts which is based at Oconto, WI.
A copying shaper woodworking machine once owned and used by Thompson Skis is owned by Sentinel Structures, Inc. of Peshtigo. We also own the plywood scarfer and press made for Roy and Grant's company R & G Engineering of Crivitz. It was used to make long length plywood for use in constructing lapstrake planked boats. Anyone wanna buy these machines? They haven't been used since the early 1970s!
There is one or maybe two Thompson Skis, Inc. brochures on the Thompson brochure CD-ROM
Andreas