Kermath
Additional History Needed. Please contact us to edit or contribute to this page.
Kermath Marine Engines & Drives
Kermath Mfg. Co.
5864 Commonwealth Ave.
Detroit, Michigan
Canadian factory location was 619 King St., Toronto, Ontario.
In 1949, well before Fageol and his Vertical Inboard Power (VIP), Crosley-based engine; Kermath Manufacturing of Detroit offered the Kermath Screwball. Ranging in horsepower from 5 to 140 HP, these units included a vertically-mounted engine block atop a thru-hull lower-unit assembly. The Kermath Screwball vertical inboard engine not only had an ignoble name but suffers in obscurity. According to its designer, Oliver Fraser of West Hartford, Connecticut, problems in the company's tooling and production led to few filled orders (October 1961, Popular Science).
In 1953, Kermath Mfg. joined with Kennan Hanley of Prospect, Ohio to introduce the Hanley-Kermath Hydro-Jet. Displayed on the 1953 boat show circuit installed in a 17' boat with the Kermath 61 HP Sea Jeep engine, it was advertised for commercial recreational sale the next May, having already been in use by the armed forces (February 6, 1953 Chicago Tribune). Hanley's company named Hanley Hydrojet Inc.
These novel propulsion units were complemented by a line of marine engines for conventional installation. Lines of engines included the Sea Cub, Sea Jeep, Sea Raider, Sea Farer, Sea Rover, Sea Prince gasoline and also some diesel engines.
In 1957, Ballantine Industries of Absecon, New Jersey bought the manufacturing rights and remaining stock of the small 5 HP Sea Pup and 10 HP Sea Twin engines made by Kermath. Ballantine also purchased Michigan Marine Motors Company's line of 15, 25, 60, and 95 HP engines (Senior Twin, Junior Four, Senior Four, and Senior Six). This gave Ballantine a full range of small water-cooled engines suitable for marine installations.
