The really "Old School" boating thread

[gn7]

Nice work there Bob..............any 'before' photos?

WTF Carl, those ARE the "before" pics. You should have seen how rough it was before the resto.

[2manymustangs]

WTF Carl, those ARE the "before" pics. You should have seen how rough it was before the resto.

Look what the cat dragged in...

[Sharp shooter]

Heres a couple of project boats for you Jerry.
This are pre plywood and batten construction. These are frame and plank with a veneer cover.
You can see the 1" thick planks on the sides.

Guess would be around 1950 ish.

I am pretty sure this one is a very early Mandella, prior to Joe build plywood boats for Rudy and his dad

Those boats are really cool!

I think Joe Mandella was the first guy in the game and sometime in the 50's a few builders started to pop up. I don't think there were more than a dozen or so Hot Rod boat builders until after 59 or so. Where's Harlan when we need him. Thanks for posting those!

[Sharp shooter]

Look what the cat dragged in...

It's about time you pop in.

[2manymustangs]

As a newbie to boating forum posting I am on my BEST behavior...

[gn7]

Those boats are really cool!

I think Joe Mandella was the first guy in the game and sometime in the 50's a few builders started to pop up. I don't think there were more than a dozen or so Hot Rod boat builders until after 59 or so. Where's Harlan when we need him. Thanks for posting those!

Joe was building planked and veneered boats like those posted, and the one with Bob Nordskog with the skier. Nordskog's Wimsey was a planked boat as well.
Heavy SOB and they were limited to the hull shape.
Around 1950 or so he build Rudy a plywood on frame battens, like you see in a wood cracker, where the plywood is a structural component of the build and there is no planking. By around 54-55, Jack Sanger, Len Schiada, Rusty and Bill Biesemeyer, Mack Stevens, Fred Wickens, Bob and Tom Patterson, were in. The game changer was after Joe's death in 56, with Rudy and his dad laying up glass hulls around 57 and selling them in 58. I think only Campbell bros & the Biesemeyers managed to make a glass boat in 59. Others started slowly getting into them around '60.

Between 1950 and 1960, there was some quantum leaps in the performance boat business. Most of them done by Joe, then later by Rudy and his dad.

[Sharp shooter]

Joe was building planked and veneered boats like those posted, and the one with Bob Nordskog with the skier. Nordskog's Wimsey was a planked boat as well.
Heavy SOB and they were limited to the hull shape.
Around 1950 or so he build Rudy a plywood on frame battens, like you see in a wood cracker, where the plywood is a structural component of the build and there is no planking. By around 54-55, Jack Sanger, Len Schiada, Rusty and Bill Biesemeyer, Mack Stevens, Fred Wickens, Bob and Tom Patterson, were in. The game changer was after Joe's death in 56, with Rudy and his dad laying up glass hulls around 57 and selling them in 58. I think only Campbell bros & the Biesemeyers managed to make a glass boat in 59. Others started slowly getting into them around '60.

Between 1950 and 1960, there was some quantum leaps in the performance boat business. Most of them done by Joe, then later by Rudy and his dad.

I couldn't make an argument against any of that. I would add Dave Miller, Nick barron and Irv Brendell to the list of early to mid 50's start ups based on my interviews and old magazine advertisements.

Definitely an interesting topic.

[Sharp shooter]

I think this is from 79

[Sharp shooter]

These were fairly popular.

[HB Vic]

Ok I gotta ask, where do you find this stuff? It is in your garage? Pretty cool classic stuff for sure.