64 T&T come stock with a horn?

NickRummy · Post by **NickRummy** » Tue May 15, 2007 4:49 am

Did they spec a horn on these boats from the factory? If so any idea what it was and where it was located? My boat had an electric horn on it that stopped working recently. I have never been a fan of it and would like to replace it with an air horn. Thought I would post and see if there was anything stock before looking at other things. Thanks!!!

Here is what is on it now.

Nick

a j r · Post by **a j r** » Tue May 15, 2007 9:09 am

Hey Nick,

None of the 1964 T & T Boats came from the factory with a horn as a standard item. They could be added as an accessory for additional money. The brochure lists a single trumpet electric horn at $12.95 and a double one at $24.95. A double air horn was available for $43.50 while the single air horn was $28.95. It lists all the accessories as "Aqua Meter." Aqua Meter was a maker of horns, lights, dash instruments, etc...

They picture one of the electric dual horns and she is all chrome.

I would guess that the horn on your deck is after market and not from the factory.

keep your eyes open to ebay auctions for new old stock horns that are age appropriate.

Andreas

NickRummy · Post by **NickRummy** » Tue May 15, 2007 9:35 am

Perfect! exactly what I wanted to know. I personally was thinking dual chrome air horn. that is EXACTLY what I want! I don't like the look of the single plastic electric one. The color has turned yellow and looks very unattractive. I'll have to keep an eye out for one. If you come across anything let me know!

oh and you wouldn't happen to have any pictures of the dual air horn would you? I'm searching for them now. Was it two mounted side by side or one on either side of the deck?

a j r · Post by **a j r** » Wed May 16, 2007 5:12 am

The '64 brochure did not picture horms on any of the boats. They had a small picture of a dual horn in the accessory area. The trumpets were mounted side by side with a common mounting base. All chrome. Don't know if it was an electric or air horn.

You can see for yourself if you purchase the Thompson Boat CD-ROM from www.dragonflycanoe.com or www.wcha.org

Andreas

NickRummy · Post by **NickRummy** » Wed May 16, 2007 5:25 am

I emailed them asking about a price since I couldn't find it on their site. Thanks!

a j r · Post by **a j r** » Wed May 16, 2007 10:42 am

Here's a link to info about the Thomspon CD-ROM: http://www.dragonflycanoe.com/cdrom.htm#thompson

NickRummy · Post by **NickRummy** » Wed May 16, 2007 11:32 am

do you have any history on why the T&T name was used in those 3-4 years?

a j r · Post by **a j r** » Wed May 16, 2007 6:00 pm

What do you mean? T & T Boats, Inc. was a boat building operation that existed from 1960 until 1965. They were located at Wausaukee, WI. It was started by Glenn Thompson and his son Kenny Thompson and Jack Skowland, all of Peshtigo, WI. Skowland departed about 1962 and Glenn was out in 1963. A local Wausaukee development firm was set up to operate it starting in 1963. The company was never properly capitalized so they didn't have a chance of survival. Especially with wooden boat markets waning.

Andreas

NickRummy · Post by **NickRummy** » Thu May 17, 2007 4:11 am

So is T&T just a division of Thompson? Why does the bow have such a different design than other Thompsons? Was Glenn part of the Thompson boat company or how was he related to who was? I'm guessing T&T stood for thompson & thompson maybe?

Sorry probably silly questions. I just haven't read much on the T&T name and wasn't sure if it was actually a Thompson boat or a spin off of a thompson boat. It does have a different look than other thompsons which makes me curious.

a j r · Post by **a j r** » Thu May 17, 2007 9:43 am

Ah, now I get it!

T & T Boats, Inc. was a completely seperate firm from Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co., Thompson Boat Company of New York, Inc., and Cruisers, Inc. They all completed with one another but were all owned by various members of the Thompson family.

T & T was a "spin-off" from Thompson and Cruisers. Glenn had been general manager at Thompson in Peshtigo in the mid 1950s. At the same time he was part owner of Cruisers, Inc. In January 1959 the three Thompson owned boat building operaitons were split (Peshtigo, Cortland, and Oconto) amongst various family groups. Glenn ceased his affiliation with Thompson Bros. Boat at Peshtigo and became part owner of Thompson Boat Company of New York at Cortland. In 1960 he sold his interest in Thompson of NY and returned to Wisconsin to start T & T Boats.

So...in 1960 there were five boat building companies owned by Thompson family members and all competing against one another: Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co.; Thompson Boat Co. of New York, Inc.; Cruisers, Inc.; T & T Boats, Inc.; and Thompson Royal-Craft, Inc. (affiliated with Thompson Boat Co. of New York).

And yes, the T & T was "Thompson & Thompson," but they never used the Thompson & Thompson name - it was T & T Boats, Inc. And yes, T & T definately had the most distinctive bow/stem.

There was a three part article in the "Thompson Dockside" newsletter devoted to the history of T & T Boats several years ago.

Andreas

NickRummy · Post by **NickRummy** » Thu May 17, 2007 9:53 am

Perfect explanation

Makes good sense. Why did they make all these different names instead of just spreading the Thompson bros boat MFG name? So they only made my style boat for 4-5 years and even though it might have been designed and made by people in the Thompson family the name is a T&T. Glad to have that cleared up! Did his son or someone design it? It's pretty far off from the standard thompson look.

a j r · Post by **a j r** » Thu May 17, 2007 3:26 pm

They were all competing companies, so they could not use the same name. In fact, when Glenn started T & T Boats, Inc. he called it "Thompson Lap-Strake, Inc." His cousin Ray at Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co. in Peshtigo protested as did cousins Bob and Ted at Thompson Boat Company of New York, Inc. So Glenn changed the name to T & T Boats, Inc.

Yes, the T & T Boats design was different than Thompson and Cruisers. Glenn did the design. I am sure part of the departure was to distinguish his boats from Thompson and Cruisers. This was an evolution as the 1961 and 1962 T & T's were very close in shape to Thompspon and Cruisers designs.

Andreas

Rodney Syverson · Post by **Rodney Syverson** » Thu May 17, 2007 6:06 pm

I'll have to keep an eye out for one. If you come across anything let me knowr one on either side of the deck?[/quote]

Nick: My 62 Sea Lancer did not come with an Electric Horn but shortly after the owner got tired of replacing the propellant cans for the air horn, he replaced it with a dual trumpet electric horn. It was manufactured by a company called AFI. As the horn appeared to be in perfect condition I attempted to restore it. However the magnets had lost their power and it would not work no matter what. I searched for the identical horn and found it at www.shipstore.com. It is still manufactured by AFI and identical in nearly every way to my original. One trumpet is 14" long and the other is 16". My original horn is stamped Model CTD but I don't think that is stamped on my new one. I would have to dig for my invoices to get you the correct part number but you might be able to get the correct one with a phone call. Meanwhile you can check out their website and look under the Safety section.
Good Luck
Rod Syverson

NickRummy · Post by **NickRummy** » Fri May 18, 2007 3:58 am

Thanks guys. I do think I want to stick with an air horn. I have a handheld now as I like to go up to erie occasionally and like something noisy. How loud are those electric trumpets compared to the air horns?

I'll give that site a try!

NickRummy · Post by **NickRummy** » Fri May 18, 2007 4:02 am

I did find this. I think I'd like a single horn kit but this is basically what I'm looking for. I just want as close to original as possible. (that was offered)

http://www.shipstore.com./SS/HTML/AFI/AFI10106.html