TOPIC: "Yard Find" Project Help

I recently received a Mercer Marine 15' fiberglass boat that has been sitting in my friends yard for 5-7 years. It is going to be a small project to get her back to her glory days. Unfortunately I am not able to find any information regarding Mercer Marine co. or Mercer Industries online. I also do not know the year of manufacture. The serial number is 2171. Does anyone know of any resources that may assist me in my search for information regarding the manufacturer?

Thank you very much

Mackeral,

Frankly, I know NOTHING about the boat or about the manufacturer but WELCOME ABOARD.

best wishes on your search for info.

yours, satx

Way to go Satx

Welcome to the jungle. First things first. Us older guys need pictures, lots of pictures.
Cal

Mackeral, Looks to be one of many short lived manufacturer's. Andreas has a brief history of the boat company in the library.
www.fiberglassics.com/library/Mercer
If you are located near Mercer Wis. you may want to check the local historical society.

Welcome aboard

Al

Here's a photo of a Mercer Craft (year unknown) that listed on ebay a long time ago. Probably somewhere in the 1959-1960 range...

either a very small boat or real large steering wheel.

Coolio boat!

I don't have my files with me while I am working in Peshtigo, WI (about 300 feet away from the old Thompson Boat factory). But I have done some digging into Mercer. All my files are at home in Minnesota.

I do recall that there were TWO completely separate and independent boat builders located at Mercer, WI. One started out building wooden boats in the 1950s and eventually transitioned into fiberglass. They closed their doors sometime in the 1960s. A few years later another boat company was established using the same name and again making fiberglass boats. It had NO connection with the earlier firm. I think the later firm made tri-hulls.

I was at Mercer, WI a few years ago trying to dig into the history of both firms and came up empty handed.

Andreas

Andreas,I was in Marinette/Menomonee yesterday morning. You can stop and have a brew on your way back to Minn. You have to drive by my neighborhood heading south on 41. (Suamico)
Cal

I was in Suamico area yesterday at 08:00 for a work meeting!

Andreas

I have a 1960 Mercer-Craft stored in my shed. It needs some work. The unique part is my father in law worked there and liked the wooden boats. He built his own wood top for it. Recently came across old slides/photos of it on the water. Great storyline on the library to go along with the boat. Cant find any other info though.

Milwaukee Jim,

WELCOME ABOARD.

yours, satx

Mercer Boat Company, Inc. filed incorporation papers with the State of Wisconsin on 26 January 1959. Incorporators were Theodore and Verna Barth and Basil Cimaglio. The company filed statement of intent to dissolve on 16 April 1965. Directors at that time were: Theodore Barth; Mark E. Brandt; August Fierek; Herman Jerger; and Ted Szafraniec.

The company went as far back as 1954 and advertised "MercerCraft fiberglass boats" and "new boats out of old boats with fiberglass". Ted and Verna Barth were also involved with Lakeside Resort at Mercer.

In 1960 the boat company made 1,200 gallon fiberglass storage tanks for a winery. In 1963 something called "Mercer Fiberglass pPoducts Co., A Division of Mercer Boat Co." was making fiberglass grain storage bins. Ted Barth was president.

Apparently this company ceased to operate in 1965.

A new company was established at Mercer, WI in1970 to make fiberglass boats called Mercer Industries, Inc. It had no affiliation with the previous boat builder. Small fishing boats were the first product of Mercer Industries. they eventually expanded into runabouts. Chester A. Haines and Louis A. Russell headed the firm. In 1972 the company leased a former mine company building at Hurley, WI as a boat assembly plant.

In the Ironwood (MI) Daily Globe newspaper of 06 April 1972 Mercer Industries was advertising for three women workers to join the fiberglass department.

By 1974 the boat operation was defunct and the building was owned by Thompson Boat Co. of Peshtigo, WI according to a newspaper report. In 1978 the former boat factory became site of a sawmill.