Boat, Outboard

Object/Artifact

Antique Boat Museum

Name/Title

Boat, Outboard

Entry/Object ID

1993.023

Description

The Hickman Sea Sleds were built in a variety of lengths as both inboards and outboard models. Their founder was a man who absolutely believed in the positive characteristics of his designs and stuck to this belief through out his boat building career. There is no longer any doubt that his designs had significant merit and that he was clearly way ahead of his time. The incredible success of the Boston Whaler designs three decades later have much in common with the standard Sea Sled philosophy and characteristics. The Sea Sled was designed with a concave or tunnel bottom. Rather than having a traditional pointed bow, the width of the hull was carried forward all the way to the bow. This quality provided much greater carrying capacity and much greater lateral stability. As speed was applied the entire hull would lift to a perfect level attitude that would provide great stability and maximize speed in relation to power. Hickman was successful selling his design to the United States Military and the government purchased several of his designs in various sizes. The outboard Sea Sled models were very popular with their owners because the performance was truly outstanding and above the competition. The inboard models were much harder to sell because their design seemed to be too radical for traditional boat owners that continued to be less interested in speed than in the accepted design standards for pleasure boats.

Collection

Boats

Acquisition

Accession

1993.023

Source or Donor

Miller, Frederick R.

Credit Line

In memory of Delaplaine McDaniel

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Sea Sled Corporation

Date made

1931

Place

Location

West Mystic, CT, USA

Edition

Model: 13

Notes

Early Date: 1931 Propulsion: Outboard Engine: 0.000 MPH: 22 0.0 Cylinders: 1 HP: 8

Dimensions

Width

4 ft

Length

13-1/8 ft

Weight

245 lb

Location

*Cleveland E. Dodge Memorial Launch Building

*Don Doebler Collections Storage Facility

*Cleveland E. Dodge Memorial Launch Building

Bartlett Point Barn 4