TOPIC: Bought a ???boat???

So, the sucker for a good deal that I am....I bought a boat over the weekend. Needs some TLC but has plenty of potential. But I have NO clue what I have here. My endless internet searches have yeilded little to no information, but I think there is hope!

What I know....
-It is a Mariner, built in Red Wing, MN by Mariner, a division of Midwest Marine, Inc.
-It has a 1961 Evinrude Starflite III 75hp Outboard

That's about all I can find on the boat. There is kind of a dead end other than a couple articles written by this guy and that as to the history of this boat company, and nothing on the boat itself.

Any help would be appreciated!

Trying to upload pics but not getting much cooperation

PIC?????

Instructions for posting pics.

www.fiberglassics.com/glassic-forums/7-support/22256-how-to-post-pictures.html

Congratulations and welcome to the FG family.

Thank you!

Awesome!...and it looks complete with all the right stuff! That is a coll looking boat, man. Congrats!

Welcome. Looks like you did good.
Neil

Someone might have a brochure, pricelist or other information. If no one comes forward, you might try saving a searching ebay for "Mariner Brochure" or "Mariner catalog" or something like that in order to get email alerts when one is listed.

Welcome to the Family. Nice boat.

Welcome aboard!

Check the "Mariner" section of our Glassic Library right here on this site. Also check the Jet Stream section: www.fiberglassics.com/library/Jet_Stream

Give the "Span America" section a look see as well to view similar hull details with your boat. Look at 1961 models.

I thought I had a Mariner brochure but apparently it's no longer in my library. I'll do some more checking.

I believe your boat dates from 1962 or newer. The lapstrake features on the hullsides were introduced to the Mariner line after the merger of Red Wing Fiberglass Products and Span America Boat Co. It was a detail that came from the Span line.

The Mariner history is very complicated and a long story. "Mariner" boats were a private label brand made for Midwest Marine of St. Paul. This was a marine dealership owned and operated by Dick Tittle. The boats were made for Mariner by Red Wing Fiberglass Products of Red Wing, MN. The latter also made the "Jet Stream" private label boats for Inland Marine, another boat dealership, of Minneapolis.

Red Wing Fiberglass Products ran into financial trouble in 1961 and a New York City opera diva and her business manager husband got control of the firm. They filed federal bankruptcy on 21 December 1961. Dick Tittle of Midwest Marine was the largest unpaid account of Red Wing Fiberglass Products at $7,285.00. At the same time, Span America Boat Co. of Fort Dodge, Iowa was running into money troubles. The same New York couple swooped in and gained control of that firm. They moved Span America operations to Red Wing. The two companies were merged. The word diva brings drama and that was true with this situation. Arrest and charges and jail time and alleged threats and jury trial... In the end the accused was acquited of the charges.

The Bankruptcy court ordered an auction of all of the assets of Red Wing Fiberglass Products. Dick Tittle of Midwest Marine got the asstes for $8,910.00. So, he owed the company thousands of dollars and helped to push it into bankruptcy and he got the company's assets for an actual outlay of $625.00! He came out of the deal sweet smelling.

Tittle moved boat production operations to a leased facility along the Mississippi River in Red Wing and continued to make Mariner boats for a number of years. He probably also had his marine dealership in St. Paul at the same time.

Andreas

Found a 1963 Mariner brochure and posted into the purgatory area of the Library:

www.fiberglassics.com/glassic-forums/16-library-additions/59593-1963-mariner-by-midwest-marine.html

Andreas

Welcome aboard and what a great looking boat.

Bob

Thompsonboat.....thanks for the upload there. I didn't see the match tho, unless they interchanged the features with each other. The trailer my boat sits on is in there tho. The 1100 series.

My boat has the seating configuration of the Bonsun but the dash of the Captain. It snowed here today so once I can get out there and get some decent pics of the interior of the boat I will post them too.

There is obviously some rich history involved with this boat. Spoke with a guy yesterday that told me the mob had quite the reach into that area during the period my boat was built. Is there any truth to that. Being from Wisconsin, we have some very interesting history with the Chicago based mafia figures of that era.

I will view the library and see if I can find anything that looks like what I have. Thanks for all the great advice, guidance and praise on the boat!

Keep in mind that the brochure is only for 1963. And maybe it was not their entire line. I just do not know. The models may have changed in subsequent years and models may have been added or deleted.

Andreas

The trailers in the 1963 brochure look like Air Buoy trailers:

www.fiberglassics.com/library/Air-Buoy