Name/Title
ZipperEntry/Object ID
1985.018Description
In the early 1930s, well-respected naval architect Ned Purdy was commissioned by the owners of the Stroh Brewery to design a fast, stylish express commuter. When the design was completed, that family delayed the construction for nearly forty years. In the early 1970s, long after the Purdy Boat Works closed their doors for boat building, the Stroh family decided to build their express cruiser. They selected the Staudacher Yacht Company to build the boat just as Ned Purdy had designed it four decades earlier. Staudacher used modern construction techniques to build a magnificent hull with all the features of the classic 1930s Purdy design. The result was a modern version of a classic commuter. Her name was Zipper.
Since the day Zipper was donated to the Museum, she has been used for the very purposes for which she was designed, providing speedy cruises for hundreds of delighted passengers each season. Zipper is the flagship of the Antique Boat Museum's in-water fleet of classic boats. Powered with twin 454s she slips through the water effortlessly to a wide range of destinations, delighting all those who see her glide by. Zipper has become a well-recognized ambassador for the Museum at events throughout the Thousand Islands and beyond. She has traveled with guests of the Museum to Ottawa, Montreal and to Lake Champlain. Her photographs frequently appear in a wide range of publications as one of the most active and best-recognized classic boats in North America.
Much of the care and maintenance for Zipper is provided members of the Thousand Islands Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society who contribute funds and volunteer labor to keep her in fine condition and running smoothly every season.
Engine info from Everett Smith 1994.Collection
BoatsAcquisition
Accession
1985.018Source or Donor
Stroh, Louise S.Make and Manufacture
Manufacturer
Staudacher Yacht CompanyManufacture Date
1974Contributors and Customizers
Contributor or Customizer
Ned PurdyMake and Manufacture Notes
Early Date: 1974
Propulsion: inboard gasoline
Engine: Twin Crusader model 255, 454 CID V-8's, serial #4178759, 1974
Cylinders: 8
HP: 255
Field 13: 48"L 30"W 32"HDimensions
Width
10-15/16 ftLength
41-11/16 ftLocation
Building
*McNally Yacht HouseGeneral Notes
Note
Notes: There are two engines, both Mercruisers, as well as Koehler generators, Sentry charger, Par electric fw pump, electric water heater, Bacharach model mb 70gas alarm, Danforth constellation compass and binnacle head, Danforth anchor rope, curtains and cushions.
Status: OK
Status By: aph
Status Date: 2003-09-03
