Mystery

[abrown]

Does anyone know what name/type of craft this may be?

[SailDesign]

I sincerely hope it was intended for calm freshwater use only....
Does it have a HIN?

[abrown]

Not that I can find. (yet)

[timgoz]

Might be some kind of trap boat for swamp use. I would think it to be a specialized workboat of some sort, if not the above. Never saw anything quite like it though.

The forward mounted motor indicates it probably is intended for backing into shore, especially since the motorwell seems to limit the motor from tilting up.

Let us know what you find out. I, for one, am very curious.

Tim

[abrown]

I seem to recall having seen one of these Many years ago. The steering wheel is an addon. It may have had some kind of rope steering. Herding tubes or other small watercraft perhaps? That's all I can come up with.

[charmc]

I've seen inshore commercial fishing/oystering boats with forward mounted outboard power. That hull is pretty unique, though. 20 HP seems like a lot of power for such a small, narrow, and shalow hull. What looked at first like sold grab rails along the sides and stern are actually hollow tubes threaded with cable, connected at the stern with a metal fitting of some type.

Abrown, your tube herder guess is as good as any.

[alan white]

Big motor. There used to be a rudder, operated by those cables, which must go to the steering drum. It may be a special purpose rescue craft. The big, low area in back allows a person to pull a drowner or injured aboard and the big motor speeds up the rescue. Useful on rivers and lakes, fits in a pickup truck. It's nearly impossible to get a helpless person iver the side of a normal boat. Also, in a river current, a forward engine would be more controllable.

Alan

[timgoz]

I think the cables allowed a person aft to control the outboard. A rudder would interfer with over the stern rescues. It would also be extreemly redundant considering you have an outboard already.

In my younger days I was a whitewater river guide. As Allan says, getting people back onboard can be quite a task. Getting yourself back onboard in a heavy current is even harder. You gotta be part seal and bellyflop up and over like on a iceflow.

Tim

[KnottyBuoyz]

If I'm seeing what I think I'm seeing the registration number on the bow is for Ontario Canada. It's unlikey it's any type of tidal flats boat up here. Shallow swampy (stump infested) lakes maybe. With 20 HP it should fly. I don't think it'd support more than 1 adult sized person so it's unlikely it'd be a rescue craft. The wheel appears to be hooked to a tiller arm at the stern. I don't see a rudder though. It'd be pretty hairy steering from the stern with a rudder and propulsion from the bow.

My best guess is it's a front wheel drive pre-cursor to the ski-doo! ;-)

With a HIN I could search the mfgr's database.

I had a GI-JOE Sea Sled when I was a kid. Kinda reminds me of that.

[kapnD]

Ah yes, I recognize this as a Polish submarine, built in the period prior to the discovery of the pressurized hull. Many mariners were lost after stalling the motor at sea and then discovering that the recoil start handle cannot be pulled from behind the motor. The Swedes have since invented a special drive for use on this type of craft, where the propellor preceeds the lower unit... Rothinski

[SamSam]

Originally Posted by kapnD

Ah yes, I recognize this as a Polish submarine, built in the period prior to the discovery of the pressurized hull. Many mariners were lost after stalling the motor at sea and then discovering that the recoil start handle cannot be pulled from behind the motor. The Swedes have since invented a special drive for use on this type of craft, where the propellor preceeds the lower unit... Rothinski

The Polish certainly are pioneers. Their Stackable Bowling Balls didn't go over big either.

[timgoz]

I read the above two posts to my (100% Polish) mother. You guys made her cry. I only cried 50%.

Actually I think you were speaking of the French. See thread on "French Rower Rescued".

Take care.

Tim

[Bergalia]

Originally Posted by timgoz

...Actually I think you were speaking of the French.
Tim

Don't talk nonesense Tim. The only tools the French know how to wield are a knife and fork.....

PS tell you mum I have a Polish Uncle - Frank Guzinski. Married my mum's sister while serving with the Free Polish Airforce....God knows how my aunt got into the airforce.....Must have been the stout hairy Highland legs....

[timgoz]

You think that contraption at the top could be a jetski forerunner? Got me stumpted. I had a sunfish type sailboat once with the exact colour scheme. Can't remember who made it though.

Tim

[kapnD]

Timgoz, You'll notice that I gave equal (dis)credit to the Swedes, who make up the other half of my lineage. I had previously thought that was probably the smarter half, but the green motor boys with their "backwards" outdrive must be intermarrying with the Poles, as in my own situation.