American Marc

AMERICAN MARC Incorperated 1601 West Florence Ave., Inglewood, Calif

By Bruce Gerard

American M.A.R.C. started out as a manufacturer of small, light-weight diesel engines that ranged from 1 H.P to 18 H.P. These engines were built for a variety of purposes from pumping water, to the generation of electric power. The majority of these engines were built for the U.S. Defense Department. In the late 1950s, the company began a public offering of shares in an effort to expand and improve production capacity and reduce manufacturing costs.

In an attempt to diversify it's portfolio, American Marc made the bold move to enter the boat manufacturing business. This foray into the consumer leisure market appears to have been very brief, lasting from 1959 to perhaps, the early part of 1961.

To design the new line of boats, American Marc chose an accomplished young naval architect named Blaine Seeley. Seeley attempted to create a variety of designs that would appeal to many different consumer profiles. Models ranged from the sporty "Stardust", a 15 foot two - seater, all the way up to the impressive "Marc 28" Motor Yacht, powered by twin American Marc diesel inboard engines.

One of American Marc's proudest achievements was the creation of the world's first (and most likely only) diesel outboard motor, the Marc 10. Producing just 9 horsepower, the Marc 10 was by far the heaviest outboard under 10 horsepower on the market. The company billed the engine as a safer alternative to gasoline powered engines, due to the fact that diesel fuel is less flamable. The buying public however, seemed far less concerned about the flamibility of gasoline than the company had predicted. Few of the engines ever made it to market, and today, they are prized by collectors.