1959 boat identification

[1968hemicuda]

Does anyone recognize the make and model of this boat? I believe it's a 1959. The motor on it is a 1959 Evinrude 50 hp v4. There was a metal plate laying in the bottom of the boat that says Hartley Chattanooga. As far as I can tell Hartley never manufactured boats, just sold plans. I can't find any records of a Hartley boat dealership or manufacturer ever existing in Chattanooga. I hope these pictures help.

 

[jbcurt00]

Its aluminum, correct.

Those side spear end caps for the rub rail along the side of the hull are certainly distinctive.

 

[1968hemicuda]

Its aluminum, correct.

Those side spear end caps for the rub rail along the side of the hull are certainly distinctive.

Yes it is aluminum. I called Tennessee Wildlife and they said that it's been so long since it's been registered that it's fallen out of the system. The length is 15 foot.

 

[Scott Danforth]

you realize that in internet only came around 30 years ago. your boat is 62 years old.

It also looks like it spent the last 50 years in a barn or the transom wood would have rotted 40 years ago

Hartley may be one of hundreds of thousands of low volume manufacturers that build very few boats in the 40's, 50's and 60's and simply went away with little or no information.

your best bet to find anything may be to look at the local library in Chattanooga and dig into the microfiche archives on local history

 

[jbcurt00]

Back then, companies that dealt w metal often briefly created marine divisions. Some didnt build a single boat, others a few, some several hundred. They all closed fairly quickly.

Heating Assurance was 1 of those that added a boat. No idea how many were made, I only know of and seen pix of 1, and its in the middle nowhere Montana.

Unfortunately you may have 1 of very few, or only surviving example, worse still is that it doesnt make them collectible or very valuable, completely unlike vintage cars and trucks.

Join some vintage boat and vintage aluminum boat pages on fakebook, quite a few knowledgeable tin heads there too...

 

[1968hemicuda]

you realize that in internet only came around 30 years ago. your boat is 62 years old.

It also looks like it spent the last 50 years in a barn or the transom wood would have rotted 40 years ago

Hartley may be one of hundreds of thousands of low volume manufacturers that build very few boats in the 40's, 50's and 60's and simply went away with little or no information.

your best bet to find anything may be to look at the local library in Chattanooga and dig into the microfiche archives on local history

I do plan on visiting the Chattanooga library. The guy I bought the boat from did a very poor amateur transom replacement which I'm going to redo.

 

[1968hemicuda]

Back then, companies that dealt w metal often briefly created marine divisions. Some didnt build a single boat, others a few, some several hundred. They all closed fairly quickly.

Heating Assurance was 1 of those that added a boat. No idea how many were made, I only know of and seen pix of 1, and its in the middle nowhere Montana.

Unfortunately you may have 1 of very few, or only surviving example, worse still is that it doesnt make them collectible or very valuable, completely unlike vintage cars and trucks.

Join some vintage boat and vintage aluminum boat pages on fakebook, quite a few knowledgeable tin heads there too...

 

[1968hemicuda]

I never thought of facebook. I bought the boat because I liked the 1958-1959 fat 50's. When I was in high school (1965-1969) we had a 1958 17 foot Glastron with a Johnson 50 hp v4. it was a gas hog. But it ran 27 mph with 1 person or 10 people in the boat.

 

[jbcurt00]

Hate FB for boat work, advice is inconsistent and often not sound advice, but for reaching boat nerds to help w an ID, not a bad place to try.

Fiberglassics is a good place to ask too. Doesnt get nearly the traffic Iboats does, but it library includes aluminum & wood boats plus vintage trailer and hardware. Sadly, Hartley isnt listed

 

[Scott Danforth]

fiberglassics doesnt have an entry for Hartley in the tinny section.

 

[benfish909]

Very cool boat. With a full restoration that thing could be sweet! The hull looks to be in great shape. Nice find