TOPIC: 1966 Niagara - new boat owner

I've recently purchased a 1966 Niagara. I've been looking for a very long time for one that was in great unrestored condition with a solid transom. Finally found this one - mostly in storage for last 40 years but motor was serviced each year. Runs fine. Most I found while looking had OMC power with the usual cutouts in the dash. Given this is a single lever Mercury control with key and choke in it, the dash is almost pristine, except for the small center-mounted compass. What makes it even better is out of four MFGs my dad had over the years, my favorite one was a 1966 Westfield that was just like this Niagara - base model in blue with the back-to-back lounge seats.

Outboard is a 1963 Merc 350 2-cylinder (first year for this motor) that must have either been a leftover or was put on at the time of purchase as a late model used motor. That was common back when motor sales were much higher. My dad's 1963 Westfield had a leftover 1962 Evinrude Lark on it, and the 1966 Westfield had a recent used 1964 Evinrude Big Twin on it.

Trailer is a turquoise TeeNee in good shape, except for a little rust.

Here's what it looks like:

Very nice find there Dave, Do you boat in Erie or the Portage lakes?

Thanks! A mix - I live just 15 minutes from the Gordon Park ramp - Cleveland on Lake Erie for nice days, trips to Sandusky. Bay, plus the usual Portage Lakes, Berlin, West Branch and now Chippewa Lake in Medina County. I've also joined ACBS and plan to enter it as preserved non-wood boat. I think it's important to show what a small, but very typical 60's family fiberglass runabout was, and is, like. Was first looking for a nice 15 foot Lyman, or an early mahogany deck MFG, but found this Niagara while on the Pittsburgh craigslist and could not pass it up. Decided that time and money saved on maintenance was more important than wood.

Here's a close up of the motor:

Looks like you scored a really nice one Dave, congrats and welcome aboard!

SWEET!! looking merc Dave. And may I welcome you to Fiberglassics and the ACBS, We need more Glass represented. Sandy and I are with the Tidewater chapter. Although it sounds, like me, that you are both a glass and wood fan. I got my Boy Scout motorboating merit badge on Erie in a Lyman over at Fairport Harbor. Back in the day I was found on Berlin, West Branch, Piedmont, and Chippewa. Usually in my Graddad's boat. Chippewa was with a canoe. but that was back in the 60's. Have fun and enjoy. Al

Thanks you all for the comments. I was never a boy scout, but served as a merit badge counselor for the badge in the son's troop - three scouts made it.

So I have additional stories about this find. I'll tell the first one now.

After getting the boat home, my next door neighbor was out and noted I had a new boat. She asked what it was and I explained. She is Director of Development at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland and she said "Oh, I know about MFG. Richard Morrison, their CEO, is on the board of directors of the museum." Wow, I said I would love to be able to meet him someday and talk with him. He's the son of the MFG founder, Robert Morrison.

I'm making a separate posting of some of his comments on MFG boats in his MFG company blog.

The second story is shared at:

www.fiberglassics.com/glassic-forums/home/main-forum/titling-an-old-boat-and-outboard

It covers what I had to do to get this boat and motor titled in Ohio.