Project Update!!

 

They’re here, so place your order now. What you ask? The computer CD-ROM catalog collections, that’s what. Cool, what’s it all about? Well, I’ll tell ya if ya have a minute or two.

There are three of ’em in all and each contain a collection of old canoe and boating catalogs. There is one for the Old Town Canoe Company covering the years from 1901 up to 1993. You mean like those old green canoes we had at camp when I was a tadpole? Uh huh. Another CD covers a multitude of canoe and wooden boat builders such as Carlton, Kennebec, Racine Boats, and B.N. Morris among others. It is called The Historic Wood Canoe and Boat Company Catalog Collection.

And that’s not all, the third one is all about the boat building activities of the Thompson family, the Thompson Boat Collection, including Thompson Brothers Boat, Cruisers, Inc., T & T Boats, Thompson Boat Company of New York, and Thompson Skis. Gnarly dude, you mean them hip water skis from like the cave man days, buddy? You betcha, but not quite that old, like 1960 skis, ‘ya know. That’s before my spawning, old one!

The Thompson Boat catalogs on the CD span from 1907 up to 1997 (with some gaps). So you can figure out what model and year boatage you have sitting in your garage up at the lake. You can even get an idea of the original layout, hardware and colour scheme.

So where’s one go to get these dastardly CD’s? It’s a mail order thing; all you do is write out a check or money order to Dragonfly Canoe Works and pop it in the mail. Sometime soon thereafter the CD arrives in the mail, front door delivery. Can’t beat that!

Each CD-ROM costs $35.00 postpaid or all three are only $90.00. Send your order to Dragonfly Canoe Works, Daniel J, Miller, 7742 Martinsville Road, Cross Plains, WI 53528. You can email too: dragonflycanoe@dragonflycanoe.com or even phone him up at (608) 798-1882. You can check out more about this at the web site: http://www.dragonflycanoe.com
Well, who did this awesome service for us boat nuts, big guy? You know, it was those hipster dudes Dan Miller and Benson Gray. They’re nuts about old wood canoes and boats and they’re computer gurus too. What a combination! Lotsa other folks also loaned catalogs to be scanned and they, like, should be patted on the back for a job well done. Couldn’t have done it without ’em.
So Betty and Clyde, get yours today! Don’t be left out in the cold.

 by Andreas Jordahl Rhude

Would you like to have every Thompson boat brochure at your fingertips? Wouldn’t this be helpful to you in identifying your boat and in figuring out the original layout and accessories? A project is currently underway to do just this – put every available brochure-catalog of Thompson Boat onto CD-ROM. You will be able to view the disk at your personal computer using Netscape and Internet Explorer. Once completed, the CD will be offered for sale at a reasonable price. It is expected that the CD may be available by late spring or early summer next year. A similar project put catalogs of Old Town Canoe Company onto CD-ROM.

A demonstration can be viewed at

 www.dragonflycanoe.com/otcd/ on the Internet.

The scanning process has already begun. Your help is needed to make this a complete and successful operation. Many catalog years are not available to the folks working on the project. So, they need to get some other helpful individuals involved who are willing to loan their original catalogs for a short period to be scanned into the computer.

So far, the following years already scanned or are waiting to be scanned: 1907, 1910, 1912-16, 1918-30, 1933-35, 1937-46, 1948 (two versions), 1950, 1952, 1953 (two versions), 1955, 1956 (clinkers & strip built), 1958 accessories only, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964 (two versions), 1966, 1984, 1989, 1993, 1994, and 1997. For some years we also have ephemera such as price sheets and letters from the company. Note that we do not have any catalogs from Thompson Boat Co. of New York of Cortland, NY after its secession from Peshtigo in 1959.

It is also intend to include catalogs from Cruisers, Inc. (Oconto, WI) and T & T Boats, Inc. (Wausaukee, WI) and possibly Thompson Skis, Inc. (water ski factory). For Cruisers we currently have: 1961, 1962 Vinyl-Clad, undated (circa 1969), and 1987. For T & T Boats we have: 1963 and 1964.

Questions about the Thompson, Old Town, and Volume II (currently 16 wood canoe and boat manufacturers) CD-ROM can be directed to Dan Miller at (608) 798-1882 or email 5lakes@itis.com

Can you help out by providing catalogs for missing years? Note that there are MANY gaps in what is presently on hand. The loan of these will make this collection as complete as is possible. To offer your help, please contact Mr. A.J. Rhude either by email: ajrhude@aol.com or by phone (612) 823-3990 (daytime business hours). Items will be handled with the utmost care and returned as soon as scanning is accomplished. A cash bond can be arranged as collateral if desired.

A similar project is also underway at present to place catalogs of Dunphy Boats, Oshkosh, Wisconsin onto CD-ROM. Fred Pospeschil of Two Rivers, Wisconsin is heading this endeavor and he can be reached via email at fwp@excel.net or by phone (920) 794-7844.

Kent Smith, a board member of the Antique and Classic Boat Society has suggested that ACBS assist in such projects. He has sought funds from the ACBS board to start a project for placing Chris-Craft catalogs onto CD-ROM.