boat Identification help

james117

New Member
hi. I am new to the website, and also to wooden boats in general. just wondering if anyone here can help me identify it. there is no HIN, and no plates or markings under the seat.
I have exhausted all of google in trying to help identify my boat, but nothing definitive. I purchased it June 2nd at an estate sale, for almost nothing, so I'm not afraid I lost money per say, but I don't want to molest a boat that may be worth money to somebody, or wreck something that has historical value either.
the guy that owned it is in a nursing home, so he cant tell me anything, and his kids don't know anything either.

registration expired in 1969, and the hull numbers that are stickered onto the bow of the boat are too old and the DNR does not have anything in their records about it either.

length of the boat is 13', 7.5" long.
there is a number burned into the transom knee, (64 2163) the 64 is rotated clockwise, so that its sidewise to the 4 other numbers. so if you guys know any maker that did that, that may help.
there is also and OBC plate attached to the transom. it stated it is capable of a 5hp motor.

there are 4 seats. and there are brass tabs that connect to the seats.
there are 2 spots for oars.

it looks incredibly similar to the Thomson Zephyr.
if you google 1946 16' zephyr outboard rowboat, it should pop up.

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It is distinctly different from the Thompson Zephyr as shown below from their 1943 catalog as shown below and most of the similar boats from other major manufacturers. The Outboard Boating Club of America was active in the 1950s and 1960s as shown at http://www.fiberglassics.com/library/index.php?title=Outboard_Boating_Club_of_America in their printed materials. If the 64 represents 1964 then this is unusual for a wooden boat of this type since most makers had gone to metal of fiberglass by then. There were hundreds of manufacturers making small boats like this so let us know if anyone is ever able to identify it. Thanks,

Benson


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i talked to a Thompson boat historian, and he didn't think it was a Thompson because of the marking on the transom stamp.
 
here is a Shell Lake I have. Shape looks the same, ribs different.
 

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Craig,
Yours is a totally different model.
It’s a Snipe and designed to have canvas....thus the different ribs.

The one in question is strip-built.
 
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