New Thompson Owner

You inherited your uncle's Thompson and now you want to know more about it.

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Ken Butti
Posts: 35
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2010 6:26 pm
Location: Lacey (Olympia), WA

New Thompson Owner

Post by Ken Butti »

Introductions first: My name is Ken Butti, and I lived in Lacey (Olympia), WA. I just purchased what is described on the title as a 1970 18' Thompson Bros. (Peshigo, WI), serial number 28444, w/ a Mercruiser I/O. The OBC plate sez 125 HP max, and 6 persons or 2810 lbs. total. I measured the OAL @ 18 feet, and the beam @ 7 feet. Given what I have seen on this website, the serial number doesn't jive with a 1970 model, or does it? I'm hoping to get it into the garage, somehow, and work on it this winter. The windshield is in pieces, and needs new wood and glass, and the deck and rails have been replaced by the PO. In addition to the accurate year built, I'd be curious as to what model it may be. I'll be posting some pictures as soon as I learn the ropes on this site. It's a great boat and my family and I are excited to get it out on the water this spring. Thanks for your help.
Ken Butti
1969 Peshtigo-Built Sea Lancer
Lacey, WA
LancerBoy
Posts: 1417
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:47 am
Location: Minneapolis

Post by LancerBoy »

Welcome aborad Ken,

Is this a wooden boat or fiberglass boat? Lapstrake hull construction? From all indications, Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co. made their last wooden boat in 1969. There are no wooden boats shown in the 1970 literature and price lists.

Where did you get the serial number? If this is a wooden boat, is there a hull ID stamped into the wood of the transom, inside the boat (starboard side and maybe stamped upside down)?

To post photos, first you must upload your pics to a site such as photobucket and then cut and paste them inot your posting.

Brochures for Thompson of Peshtigo up to 1969 are available for purchase on CD-ROM at www.wcha.org and www.dragonflycanoe.com

Andreas
Ken Butti
Posts: 35
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2010 6:26 pm
Location: Lacey (Olympia), WA

Post by Ken Butti »

Andreas-

Thanks for your quick reply. This is a wooden, lapstrake hull constructed boat. I got the serial number off the plate located on the aft starboard rail. I'll look for the stamped hull number after I get the boat inside, or it quicks raining around here.

Are the serial numbers on the plate and the hull number suppose to be the same?
Ken Butti
1969 Peshtigo-Built Sea Lancer
Lacey, WA
Phill Blank
Posts: 412
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2006 4:20 pm
Location: Hurley, Wisconsin

Post by Phill Blank »

Ken,

Welcome aboard!
The numbers and letters stamped into the hull will be not be the same as the metal tag. They will start with a letter or letters then a string of numbers followed by a letter or letters. The first letter or letters indicate the person or persons that built the hull. The first number will indicate the last number of the year it was built., 6 for 1946, 1956, 1966, etc. The rest of the numbers indicate the number that hull was of the total number of boats that were built that year. The last letter or letters indicate the person or persons that trimed out the boat or finished building the boat interior, decks ,etc.
We will look forward to seeing pictures of your boat when you can get then up on the site.

Good Luck,

Phill
Image
Ken Butti
Posts: 35
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2010 6:26 pm
Location: Lacey (Olympia), WA

Post by Ken Butti »

Here's the link to my photos:

http://s1136.photobucket.com/albums/n49 ... 0Thompson/

Hopefully, I get a chance to search for the hull number tomorrow.
Ken Butti
1969 Peshtigo-Built Sea Lancer
Lacey, WA
LancerBoy
Posts: 1417
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:47 am
Location: Minneapolis

Post by LancerBoy »

Serial number 28444 for a Peshtigo built Thompson boat is now the highest one in my records. The highest previous was 28135 which is a 1967 model year boat.

Therefore your 28444 may be 1967 or 1968 model year.

I am not finding the OBC ratings of 125 HP and 2810 weight capacity in any Thompson literature.

Dimensions point to a Sea Lancer model.

I assume you know that the deck and dashboard of your boat are not factory original.

Andreas
240sxguy
Posts: 113
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:56 am
Location: Madison, Wi

Post by 240sxguy »

Nice looking boat, different.

What concerns me is the bunks of the trailer do not extend past the transom. Hopefully there isn't any damage from that. I would correct that ASAP.

Welcome to the fold.

Evan
Ken Butti
Posts: 35
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2010 6:26 pm
Location: Lacey (Olympia), WA

Post by Ken Butti »

Thanks Andreas & Evan-

I am moving the boat into the garage today, and will need to move the boat forward on the trailer in order to get it to fit. The PO moved the boat back to relieve some tongue weight.

Stay tuned for that hull number!
Ken Butti
1969 Peshtigo-Built Sea Lancer
Lacey, WA
Phill Blank
Posts: 412
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2006 4:20 pm
Location: Hurley, Wisconsin

Post by Phill Blank »

Ken,

Are those straight wood bunks or roller bunks on the rear of your trailer? If they are rollers I would suggest replacing them with wood bunks with carpet on them. Rollers can cause ripples in you hull. If you do replace them, I also suggest extending them so they over hang the transom of the boat.

Boat looks in good shape overall.

Good Luck,

Phill
Image
Stevea
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2010 5:10 pm

Year

Post by Stevea »

can you give me the number off the outdrive ican give you the year of that it looks like the same drive that is on my 1964 offshore also does it have power tilt or power trim there is a difference. does it have a lock and unlock lever on the side of the outdrive that you have to switch manually
Ken Butti
Posts: 35
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2010 6:26 pm
Location: Lacey (Olympia), WA

Post by Ken Butti »

Well, I scoured the starboard side of the transom and could not find any hull number. In fact, I checked all over the transom and found nothing. Any hints, clues, or advice would be greatly appreciated. I'll try again later.

The serial number off the Mercruiser is 2722506. I think I was told it was a 120 HP.

And, thanks all for the "heads up" regarding the rollers on the trailer. I already moved the boat so the end rollers are on the transom. I plan on installing bunks as soon as I can.
Ken Butti
1969 Peshtigo-Built Sea Lancer
Lacey, WA
Stevea
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2010 5:10 pm

Year

Post by Stevea »

Iwill look that number up tommorow it would help if you look on your trim plate on your dash are wherever it is mounted and let me know what it says and does it have its own key one for the starter and one for the trim
LancerBoy
Posts: 1417
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:47 am
Location: Minneapolis

Post by LancerBoy »

Hull ID is on the inside of the transom on the inside of the boat. Is this where you checked? Maybe it's covered up by something attached to the transom?

Andreas
Ken Butti
Posts: 35
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2010 6:26 pm
Location: Lacey (Olympia), WA

Post by Ken Butti »

Andreas-

I took the rear interior panels off either side of the outdrive and checked the inside of the transom. I moved a ventilation hose out of the way, but the blower the hose is attached to is mounted on the starboard side and that may be covering the hull number. What would be the size of this "stamp?"

Stevea-

I'll check out the dash tonight and let you know. There's a photo of the dash on
http://s1136.photobucket.com/albums/n49 ... 0Thompson/ .
Ken Butti
1969 Peshtigo-Built Sea Lancer
Lacey, WA
Phill Blank
Posts: 412
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2006 4:20 pm
Location: Hurley, Wisconsin

Post by Phill Blank »

Ken,

They are generally between 3/8" to 1/2" in height. Sometimes they are stamped upside down when viewed from the inside of the boat. I believe this happened because they where stamping the letters and numbers into the transom while standing behind the boat and leaning over the transom.

Good Luck,

Phill
Image
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