TOPIC: Phantom Boat Co. of Athens, Texas

Just learned about PHANTOM BOAT CO. of Athens, Texas. They might be considered a spin-off from Thompson Boat Co. of Peshtigo, Wisconsin.

Noel Tumlinson was a regional sales mananger for Thompson Boat in the mid 1960s, after Saul Padek took over the reigns in 1966. I believe Tumlinson was on the road and not working out of the Peshtigo office.

In 1968 he departed Thompson and started Phantom Boat Co. in North Texas. He was a native of San Angelo, TX. Not sure what they built but I imagine it was the typical small fiberglass outboards and probably some tri-hulls that were so popular at the time. Phantom seems to have existed into the 1980s and maybe beyond.

I have never seen any literature or even a picture of a "Phantom."

Andreas

Found in Google Books from a 1969 publication, Texas Industrial Expansion (Vol. 12), by the University of Texas at Austin: "Early in March a new company started making fiberglass boats in a rented building at the corner of West Corsicana and North Gauntt. Phantom Boat Company will produce two types of boat, completing initially one boat a week. The owners hoped to be employing 8 or 10 persons by the end of April. One of the two boat models is a 15-foot fishing and ski rig that will accommodate a motor of up to 80 horsepower; the other type is a 12-foot open fishing rig." ( books.google.com/books?id=LRXoAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22phantom+boat%22+athens&source=gbs_navlinks_s )


You already have the following article from the Milwaukee Sentinel?:

news.google.com/newspapers?id=13RQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1BEEAAAAIBAJ&dq=phantom-boat%20athens&pg=5544%2C2710700

Would be interesting to see one of the Tumlinson Dome homes too.

Andy,

Yup, I saw the Milwk Sentinel article. That's how I "discovered" Phantom. Somewhere in my massive archive I have an article about when Noel Tumlinson joined Thompson Boat.

Those dome homes probably didn't do very well in the north.

Cheerio!

Andreas

Appears as if Tumlinson joined Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co. in 1968. He must not have remained long with them if he formed Phantom Boat Co. in 1968:

In 1972 I bought a brand new 15' Phantom tri-hull from a dealer in Oklahoma City. It had a 70hp Chrysler on it that didn't have power tilt or trim on it. Being 24 years old, that didn't seem to bother me at the time.

Wide open, it might have ran around 35mph. It was a pretty plain, yet functional boat. It was great for smaller lakes but I used it all the time on Lake Texoma. I figured out why they make V hulls.

Thought I would share this. Picked it up for the trailer. I think this is a late 70's boat.

I have a 1988 19ft open bow with 350 in board for sale if anyone is interested.

Here is a pic.