Boat

[davidlord]

Thought some of you may find this interesting. Saw this today while doing an insurance inspection. The guy said it's a dippy?? Kinda cool.

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[kurt]

Very cool.

They're Disappearing Propellor Boats, aka, DP's, Diprops, and Dippy's. Most of them were mfg. in Ontario around Port Carling from about the early-20's to the 1950's by the Disappearing Propellor Boat Co.

They're cypress planked, so they were relatively rot resistant.

There are a number of hull shapes and motor types. That motor looks like an old Model E engine from the 20's, a relatively early model.

The main feature is the propellor will tip up and "disappear" if it hits a submerged object (very common in the Muskoka Lakes region of Ontario).

Reasonably stable, dry, good inland lake boats where there's no ground swell, only chop. And aggravating. Aggravating as hell, because those old marine engines are always needing some diddling and fiddling to keep them chugging.

[Bain]

Very cool.

They're Disappearing Propellor Boats, aka, DP's, Diprops, and Dippy's. Most of them were mfg. in Ontario around Port Carling from about the early-20's to the 1950's by the Disappearing Propellor Boat Co.

They're cypress planked, so they were relatively rot resistant.

There are a number of hull shapes and motor types. That motor looks like an old Model E engine from the 20's, a relatively early model.

The main feature is the propellor will tip up and "disappear" if it hits a submerged object (very common in the Muskoka Lakes region of Ontario).

Reasonably stable, dry, good inland lake boats where there's no ground swell, only chop. And aggravating. Aggravating as hell, because those old marine engines are always needing some diddling and fiddling to keep them chugging.

Some of your posts--especially those like the one above--remind me of Travis McGee from the John McDonald novels.

If you aren't familiar with McGee or McDonald, that's a compliment.

[kurt]

I always wanted to name a boat "Busted Flush", but understand that's not right.

I always wanted to live in the Bahia Mar Marina too.

Thanx.

[Chad Fabry]

I'll echo Kurt: very cool.

I love and regret that I wasn't around to participate in the low tech era. Men with tools they made, crafted materials from nature into functional objects that resembled and complemented nature. Performance was enhanced through individual ingenuity as opposed to a high tech lab creating a lighter carbon fiber with friction reducing dimples all the result of a computer calculation.

Kurt built a canoe, Tom Raymond built a kayak, Les is a machine guy, Kibbel used 17th century tools to make beautiful furniture. Anyone that feels an obligation to touch the boat understands; it's art in its most functional form.

I'd trade my truck to be caretaker of that boat for the next forty years.

[Bain]

There's a Shaker village close to Lexington that's incredible to visit because the buildings contain piece after piece of the most exquisite handmade furniture you could imagine.

Anyone who's ever held a saw in his hand can't help but be floored by the flawless dovetails, rabbets, dadoes, and all else. I remember looking at this monstrous table made from dozens of boards. The top was perfectly smooth, and I was awed that someone could create it without joiners and planers.

[davidlord]

Apparently this guy is involved in some club for wood boat owners. He also has a vintage Chris Craft (wasn't on site). He said he has to run the hose in the Dippy boat several days prior to putting it in the water so the wood will swell and it won't leak.

My Old Towne canoe can't compare.

I've suddenly started appreciating vintage stuff here recently. I have the urge to build an old school bobber. I just turned 44 so maybe it's the middle age thing.

[kurt]

If you build a bobber, you better get yourself a new set of kidneys. Hardtails'll beat you up. A decent of disc brakes isn't a bad idea either.

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There's somethin' beautiful about raw steel........

[hausdok]

Kewl!

You want hardtail with real vintage flavor but with the advantage of modern tooling and tech for greater reliability? Check these out - especially the 1903 bobtail with the springer front fork:

http://www.ridleymotorcycles.com/motorbike/mp.htm

http://www.ridleymotorcycles.com/motorbike/twin.htm

http://www.ridleymotorcycles.com/motorbike/1903.htm

http://www.ridleymotorcycles.com/motorbike/flyer.htm

http://www.ridleymotorcycles.com/motorb ... rdwalk.htm

I'd been thinking about a dealership before the economy tanked. I live right next to a really popular hicking/biking trail. These would be the ideal thing for someone living just outside of a nice park like Mt. Rainier. Folks can get exercise peddling in, enjoy nature and if they get tired, crank her up and let the motor help 'em home.

I also thought this Clay Ridley guy has got some style. Check out these pictures of bikes he built for himself.

http://linux.ridleyowners.com/gallery/m ... itemId=159

Some more:

http://linux.ridleyowners.com/gallery/m ... itemId=445

http://linux.ridleyowners.com/gallery/m ... itemId=460

http://linux.ridleyowners.com/gallery/m ... itemId=469

And if you're into ape hangers:

http://linux.ridleyowners.com/gallery/m ... itemId=456

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[davidlord]

I'm leaning towards something like this which is kind of a mix between old and new with the 300 rear.

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[hausdok]

Wow David,

Dat be wun phat rear tire! I'm guessing belt drive but it's hard to tell from that angle. With that hardtail and those hard narrow tires I hope you're got a well sprung seat and a weightlifers belt to keep those kidneys in place.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Les]

I am not an old boat expert, but have wandered around the water my entire life. I do think that is cypress, but want to note that that model was also made in Manistee Mi from cedar. My boat guy recently moved to New Jersey for 18months. He has spent his entire life moving to where a particular boat is located and working on it. The owners of the boat(s) pay him insane amounts of money! The guy is a real nut, but world reknown. He gave my grandson a 15' Chris-Craft that is in pieces for his high school graduation.

Chad, thanks for the compliment and to confirm your assessment - My son bought a 1947 Oliver RowCrop 60 yesterday because he remembered the sound it made when my Father hauled hay with it. It will get parked along side the Ford 8N, Case ?, Allis Chalmbers ? and various other treasures that make noise and move. (I would have a junkyard if the local authorities would get off my back!)

[kurt]

I am not an old boat expert, but have wandered around the water my entire life. I do think that is cypress, but want to note that that model was also made in Manistee Mi from cedar. My boat guy recently moved to New Jersey for 18months. He has spent his entire life moving to where a particular boat is located and working on it. The owners of the boat(s) pay him insane amounts of money! The guy is a real nut, but world reknown. He gave my grandson a 15' Chris-Craft that is in pieces for his high school graduation.

Chad, thanks for the compliment and to confirm your assessment - My son bought an Oliver RowCrop 60 yesterday because he remembered the sound it made when my Father hauled hay with it. It will get parked along side the Ford 8N, Case ?, Allis Chalmbers ? and various other treasures that make noise and move. (I would have a junkyard if the local authorities would get off my back!)

Les, who's your boat guy? I may know him.

The actual lines and construction of the boat is relatively common; it's sort of a modified dory lapstrake constructed. They made them all over Michigan, and anywhere there was water. The distinguishing characteristic was the disappearing propellor.

Few people know it, but after the Civil War/War of Norther Agression (for your southener's), the Great Lakes were the zenith and apogee of wood boat design and construction. In the day, every revered naval architect in the world had an office somewhere on one of the lakes.

Reason being, all the elements of demand were in place; we had all the resources (wood, fish, mining), the Great Lakes were a natural highway for travel, design technologies and mfg. had progressed with the Industrial Revolution, and the industry took off. We even had a superior and advanced version of that all time sailing wonder, the Gloucester Schooner.

Of course, given the demands of the Industrial Revolution and increasing population, our day in the sun lasted about 25 years compared to the east coasts 150 year history, and the discovery of the West Coast resources. Our resources were extracted quickly due to the tiny area (compared to the east and west), the area forgotten, and the fastest schooners to ever sail were abandoned and rotted away.

Wooden boat sailing designs in the Great Lakes were the apogee, though. Kinda surprising. We still have some of the finest boat yards in the world (Palmer Johnson, etc.) and Menominee still has some industrial dry dock facilities.

[AHI in AR]

A little over 20 years ago, I bought a 1952 Chris-Craft Riviera to restore. It was solid, but not running and in need of a total restoration. I built a house with a second garage under it just for the task. Before I could really get into it, kids started coming along and I reluctantly realized that, realistically, I'd never get to it. I sold it to a guy with the express promise that he'd send me pictures; unfortunately, he never did. I refused to sell it to one guy who started talking about shoehorning a big block Chevy into it. There was something great about the burble of those low-compression straight sixes with the exhaust at the waterline that I loved. The lines on these boats were simply stunning. As I see it they are waterborne sculpture. This model was one of the last post-war models with the barrel back design.

Even the windshield stanchions were heavy cast brass with top notch chrome plating -- no pot metal to be found. They were well before my time, but I have a weakness for older things in general.

Wooden boat aficionados have a bumper sticker: If God had meant for man to have fiberglass boats, He would have made fiberglass trees.

Anyway, had I finished it, it would look like this: http://www.carolina-classic-boats.com/b ... oat_id=249

[kurt]

The Riv was a fantastic boat. Sweet lines. I think they made them in Holland, MI.

My only wood boat nowadays is the 1920 canoe I restored from total trash. There was almost nothing left, but now.........

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The only thing I didn't do was the caned seats. Had a pro do those.

22 new ribs, 6 new planks, new stems/sterns, gunwhales and inwhales, decks, coaming, canvas, 6 coats high gloss on the interior, decks have 14 coats, rubbed with rottenstone between coats. The decks (highly figured "piano grade" mahogany) look like you could swim in them. Trickiest bit of steam bending I've ever done; planed 'em down to 3/16", then it was 5 hours of heating and working them into a hyperolic paraboloid (bent in 2 directions, crown and sheer). The only non-original alteration was the bubinga strip down the center of each deck to hide the seam.

Not a glue joint in the whole mess. All fit, formed, bent, and tensioned into place, and held with brass screws. That way, if one ever has to take it apart to recanvas.........

There's nothing like boat work. Done just about everything that can be done with wood, but boats are the zenith.

[Brad Manor]

Kurt - as someone who has been in and around canoes his whole life (6mos. old for my first trip through Algonquin Park) I must say that your boat is truly a work of art. Sure carbon fibre or kevlar boats are fast and light, but there is just something about paddling a proper stripper or wood&canvas boat.

I just re-read for the umpteenth time Fire in the Bones. It's a book about Bill Mason and the role the canoe played in his life as well as in Canadian tradition. It's terrific read (for canoe heads) if you can get your hands on a copy. If you can't get ahold of a copy, shoot me a PM and I'll UPS my copy out to you.

-Brad

"Anyone who says he likes portaging is either a liar or crazy" - Bill Mason

[davidlord]

Cool canoe.

[kurt]

Tanx, gents.

When I used to show it, Steve White of Brooklin Boatyard in Brooklin, Maine, smiled and said, "nice canoe". If you know Steve and his yard, that means something.