Runabout, Double-Cockpit
Name/Title
Runabout, Double-CockpitEntry/Object ID
2001.001Description
At the conclusion of World War II the Century Boat Company was ready to resume peacetime production. The company started production right where they left off by continuing the very same 15-foot split-cockpit runabout model that was in production just prior to the war. Legend has it that there were several 15-foot runabouts under construction in late 1941 when the Century received its first Defense Contract from the U.S. Government. Regular production was halted immediately and the unfinished hulls were put in storage for the duration of the war. In 1946 when the war was over, Century resumed production exactly where they left off by continuing with the unfinished 15-foot runabouts that had been carefully stored during the war years. If the legend is accurate, then Ticker Tape is one of the few surviving delayed-by-the-war Century 15-foot runabouts that is both a unique postwar boat and a throwback to their prewar designs. With the completion of their Defense Contracts, all boat builders faced the task of re-tooling for peacetime production. Nearly every boat builder promised the eager public that there would be exciting new designs coming. The development of new designs and building prototype models took time. However, a more serious problem facing boat builders was the shortage of good quality lumber and marine engines. The great demand for new automobiles seemed to consume the output of engines and essential components needed for powerboats. The Century Boat Company which traditionally preferred building with African mahogany, found lumber in very short supply and decided to wait until a better supply of quality lumber was assured. There are many interesting features associated with the 1946 15-footer that make it unique among postwar Century boats. All of the hardware including windshield brackets, step pad frames, ventilators, chocks and cleats are all the same as their prewar designs. The split cockpit deck and the soft rounded chine are also prewar design features that vanished with the introduction of the all new 1947 models. (addition to existing file) 2001.001 Ticker Tape Boat Type: Sea Maid Runabout Builder: Century Model: 15' Length: 15' Beam: 5'9" Date Built: see below As is more or less said above, Ticker Tape is supposed to be one of 10-20 15' Century Runabouts that was designed, molded, and the lumber sawn previous to World War II, but only finished after the war. Ticker Tape also displays the V-shaped windshield, an additional item available at extra expense to the buyer, which lends the boat an altogether more rakish look. The 15 foot Century is unique for a couple of other reasons, chief among them being the soft chine and the stem-to-stern spray rail that occurs at the apex of its curve. Most runabouts from their earliest evolution were made with 'hard' or sharp-angle chines, which allowed them to plane more quickly. These boats, however, gave the passenger a much rougher ride than the displacement launches that preceded them. Several companies experimented with 'soft' chines, and found that they did make for a somewhat smoother ride, but did not plane as quickly or as efficiently as their hard-chined cousins. The reason being that the soft chine allowed water to slip around the sides of the boat; water that would otherwise be held under and serve as the lift to keep the boat riding high. The unique chine design of the 15 foot Century is perhaps an attempt to create a smooth-riding, soft-chine boat that still managed to plane relatively quickly, by turning the spray coming around the sides of the boat with the spray rail to regain the lift lost by the soft chine. This boat is also unique as perhaps the shortest double-cockpit runabout ever designed. Ticker Tape is powered by a Gray Marine Phantom 4-62, a four-cylinder flathead with a single updraft Zenith carburetor, induction coil ignition, and electric start. She is all mahogany, frame and batten construction, and sports chromed hardware and red leather seats. The boat and motor were restored between 1985 - 1991, and both are in very fine condition. EVS 08Collection
BoatsAcquisition
Accession
2001.001Source or Donor
Bennett, Chuck & RuthyMade/Created
Manufacturer
CenturyDate made
1946Place
Location
Manistee, MI, USAEdition
Model: Split Cockpit Sea MaidNotes
Early Date: 1946 Propulsion: Inboard, Gasoline Engine: Gray Marine Phantom 4-62 Cylinders: 4 HP: 62Other Names and Numbers
Other Numbers
Number Type
Hull NumberOther Number
46I16Dimensions
Width
5-3/4 ftLength
15-1/2 ftLocation
*Don Doebler Collections Storage Facility
*Cleveland E. Dodge Memorial Launch Building
Doebler Bay 7, East