TOPIC: Lesourdsville Lake Amusment Park ride project

Well, I'm about to get dirty... when the wife lets me ?
This boat was once an amusement park kiddie ride bumper boat.
The Amusement Park was LeSourdsville Lake Park in Monroe, Ohio.
It was, and will be again a gas engine inboard.

I know it looks bad, and believe me, I've paid a lot less money for a lot more boat before. But some times you have a moment like finding the Clark Griswald Christmas tree.

The beauty of this boat, to me, is:
1) It's small... 11 feet overall length, approx. 52" beam, aft is 17" high
2) since I'm new at glass... and since it's in such rough shape, thaere isn't a damn thing I can do to it to make it look any worse.
3) It has the 50's era woody boat look, that I like.
(I'm planning on a wood deck for it)
4) I'm setting myself up for boating introduction for future grand kids.
5) Since most of the hardware is gone, I can make it a frankenboat
to my liking.

I will have more pics in the PROJECTS thread once I get going.

Bumper boat with a gas inboard? Sounds dangerous but a lot of fun.

What a fun ride it will be. Nice score.

A real piece of history. Have fun. The boats in this photo sat in a vacant lot for a long time. I don't know what the original ride looked like. I was tempted to try and track down the owner but after a year or two they were gone. I like the steering setup and the dual bells.

thetudor wrote:

Bumper boat with a gas inboard? Sounds dangerous but a lot of fun.

X2 and I thought my 15' with a 115hp outboard was a wild ride!?
Great project Chuck, looking forward to watching this one come back to life "in living color" !

Chuck

Where do you live in Cincinnati i live in Milford Ohio if i can be any help just let me know my web-site is haynesfiberglass.

Jerry Haynes

Great score Chuck, that should be a blast!

Bob

I think it is absolutely COOL looking. Can't wait to see the finished product. Definitely go for the classic wood boat look on the deck.

Good luck,
Bill

I have the cousin to it, this was a park boat with a cable under it so it could always be pulled back,it is fiberglass,,

Normspeed wrote:

A real piece of history. Have fun. The boats in this photo sat in a vacant lot for a long time. I don't know what the original ride looked like. I was tempted to try and track down the owner but after a year or two they were gone. I like the steering setup and the dual bells.

It's hard to tell since they are so far away but I have a good idea about this boat ride. I come from a family who was involved in amusement rides starting with my great grand parents in the early 1900's in Riverview to my father having his own park up into the 70's. I will ask him tommorow who made this boat ride since he had bought one new in the 50's. Basically a 2 1/2 foot tank,one inboard mounted electric motor.5 fiberglass boats all mounted on sweeps and chained together.

Lakemont Park in Altoona Pennsylvania last summer. There must be a few more out there.

That could be a Allan Herschell boat ride. Very well made rides and the prices showed it. These were portable and could be used in carnivals

Thanks for the encouragement guys !
I'm really excited to get started, and it's all because of you all
on this great site !!!
Now... I must warn you, if the wife starts yelling at me about not getting the honey-do list done, or I'm spending to much money on my boat..... I'm going to blame all of you, and give her all of your mail addresses !!! Ha-Ha-Ha !!!

Just make sure to mention how mean and abusive I am. Grrrrrr.

Hi Jerry,
don't know if you got my e-mail ?
But I live a little more than mile away from your shop.
I'm on Branch Hill Guinea.

Goes to show.... the world is small

WOW !
Been 3 years since I first posted this !
I've been collecting piece parts to finally get started on this.
I did a little web surfing and found a picture of one of these at the amusement park in action. Just wish it was a closer shot ?