TOPIC: Old "Tender" my dads, any see one?..50's

The tender my dad had for the big "Regal"..(HA!..17"?) It was about 6 foot, production made I think, Vertical shaft B+S 5hp motor, through hull DD to a small JohnnyRude style L/U, fixed, with a rudder. Over the transom exhaust. Heres a pic. One as it was orig. It was my first boat, when my dad let me have it. Later, I pulled the motor out, sealed the hole, slammed a can fulla 5 inch nails into the transom, and put an old Rude 10hp on it. Never did get it to not stop porpoising! Stupid kid, but my dad let me try anything. Wish someone still made these, I'd buy one in a heartbeat!

Heres another pic, long after. Ended up at a Minibike friend of mine. He does not remember what he did with it.

That is actually a production boat called a Skeeto. The hull was made by a company called Mold-Craft in Wisconson and the motors supplied by Westbend, also from Wisconson. They are rumored to have made 500 of these, but my contact that claimed to have paperwork documenting this vanished.

I found ours on Craig's List here in Washington and bought it for my son. It appears to be all original including the same windshied brackets and exhaust that show in your pictures. My son (10 years old) did a light restoration on it last summer including painting the bottom, polishing hardware, and cleaning the interior. We showed it at several ACBS shows last summer and had a blast with it. I would love to find some more paperwork on these cute little boats!

That is great.
Your son will never forget that experience.
Good for you.
Neil

FINS wrote:

That is actually a production boat called a Skeeto. The hull was made by a company called Mold-Craft in Wisconson and the motors supplied by Westbend, also from Wisconson. They are rumored to have made 500 of these, but my contact that claimed to have paperwork documenting this vanished.

I found ours on Craig's List here in Washington and bought it for my son. It appears to be all original including the same windshied brackets and exhaust that show in your pictures. My son (10 years old) did a light restoration on it last summer including painting the bottom, polishing hardware, and cleaning the interior. We showed it at several ACBS shows last summer and had a blast with it. I would love to find some more paperwork on these cute little boats!

I KNEW some one, would remember that little boat! Now, I remember little, but looking at those pix..(that time, was just into Illinois too.)..I remember that transom mounted gas tank. My dad always fooled with everything, if stock, he would dream up something new! Great find dude!. And ya got the kid, started right! And thanks the info, will save all, pass on the the family, that remember, (sad to say, mom and dad have passed, but real good people).

Mold-Craft Co. or Mold-Craft, Inc. was located on North Lake Street in Port Washington, Wisconsin (just north of Milwaukee). They had 35 employees in April 1958 and hopes were to double that by the end of the year. One product was the "Skeeto" small plastic boat. Arthur C. Krueger was president. In June 1959 Mold-Craft started production of plastic basketballs, beachballs, etc... Their main line consisted of "molded church figures and street signs used at Christmas time."

In June 1960 the company was considering moving out of Port Washington to somewhere further north in Wisconsin.

That's all I know about 'em.

Andreas

Thanks for the company information Andreas. Ours still has the original sticker on the dash (through the steering wheel in this picture) that says "Mold-Craft, Inc" and Port Washington under so that is the same company you described. We have always had to guess on the year, but assumed 60-61 timeframe. The BW pictures posted above make the fifth one I have found pictures of, all with the same hardware and design. I wonder when they started making them plastic and if anyone has any examples?

HA!...just caught the pic of the throttle. YES..that bent white handle is SO familiar! I remember that the deck was similar to what you would find way back when on kitchen counters, Formica like stuff. And the back and white pic, shows how it shined. Also it was blue deck and trim, rest white. Yep on the West Bend motor. Actually a pretty neat outdrive, even though it, and the rudder, made for lousy beaching, and as direct drive, was more or less a "point and shoot" boat. Slow as they come, but to a kid, the fastest thing on the lake! I'll see if I can come up with some more here.

Fins, is this your restore? Lotta Lake Tapps mentioned. Few more pix found. Last is the motor. This would be looking from the right side. Notice the springs on the rudder steer. Now the first time my dad let out in it, remember him in the water, left side, ready? yep! ..yanked the rope, and off I went! Seems it was designed for kids, as the stater rope faced to the side.

That is my son's boat when he had it at the Portland ACBS show two years ago. Fresh off of his restoration and sitting on the custom stand we made for it. Here are the other pictures I have found of these great little boats.

These last two are of a Skeeto that was highly modified. I first saw the boat at the 2008 ACBS International show in Idaho. He did a really very cool job of repowering complete with a tiny wet exhaust. The trailer itself was fantastic.

Fantastic! If I EVER had caught that little boat on C/L...get it in a second!. AND, "repower", high HP, work the bottom, but glad ya dragged it back to stock. Strange too, that the find, years later you, and me as a kid, back in Illinois..(sons age then)...seem to live close also! I'm second end peninsula, west, outside OLY, bottom "Sound". Steamboat Island area. I'm in Carlyon Beach..second boat slip the marina here, farthest finger off the main dock, facing the water. Ya ever get "salty water wet"..summer, always down there in some boat. Check my name to see boats owned. Come summer..(PLEASE>>I HATE THIS LONG SPRING!)..we need to meet. Again thanks all here, as my dads old Regal, has been identified, as the Skeeto!. Plus ya get this way, the "Famous DR. Frankenmerc", lives 25 miles north me. Thom has a freaking museum, old IL6' Mercs, and a hell of a nice guy too. Again, thanks, for solving another, "what the hell did I have, years ago!" Robby