Thompson sport boat

a friend recently picked up a thompson sport boat in (pristine) condition
serial # dx4373 anyone have serial # info ?

 

Harv,
Drop an e-mail to forum member, Andreas. He is the leading authority on Thompson Brothers Boat Company. He may be able to tell you something about the hull number.
Dave

 

Dan's intepretation of the hull code is correct. There are NO records from Thompson, so it's difficult to say what is what. The first number of the hull ID is the last digit of the year of manufacture. The "4" in your hull ID would therefore indicate 1954 or 1964. Thompson began using hull ID's AFTER World War II, so that narrows down your search. They didn't make any woden boats after 1970. In 1964 all Thompson boats were lapstrake hull designs, no strip built boats.

Oh, by the way, this applies to Thompsn Bros. Boat Mfg. Co. of Peshtigo, Wisc. ONLY. It does NOT apply to the Cortland, NY operation. They had their own unique hull ID system!

To come up with a complete ID I will need much more than just the hull ID. I need pictures! along with detailed description of the hull construction, seating set-up, deck or no deck, and lots of measurements. Look at the "What Do I Have" icon at www.thompsondockside.com and get ALL the requested information to ME and I will see what I can do to help narrow the search.

What makes you call this model the "Sport Boat"?

Andreas, email: thompsonboat@aol.com

 

The owner sent me some pictures. Looks as if she is a TAKE-ALONG model, altho I can't positively ID her without additional information. The Take-Along was a canvas covered hull, built similarily to a wood-canvs canoe!

 

Andreas - Do you have any information on the Cortland NY Thompson plant? We spend Christmas there each year and I'd love to be able to visit the old plant site or do some local library research while in town. In fact, just about any boat related activity would be a welcome break from setting around with my in-laws!

Mike

 

The wooden boats were made at 127 Elm Street. Apparently the buildings still stand, obviously ocupied by something other than Thompson Boat. The "original" Thompson complex of buildings were destroyed by two fires in 1932 and 1942, so the facility at that site was constructed after 1942. The fiberglass Chris-Craft/Thompson Corsair boats were made at a facility built in nearby Homer in 1963. That plant built boats until circa 1974. The Cortland Historical Society archives have a newspaper clipping file on Thompson and Chris-Craft. Apparently the library has nothing.

 

Thanks - If you need any "on site research" let me know! By the way, Dan Miller and I sat with a beer and watched your video the other night - nice job.