US Rubber

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United States Rubber Company

Naugatuck, Connecticut

US Rubber was the source of resin for the early glass experiments of the Tomhawk Boat Co.

When Carter Craft ventured into fiberglass-hulls, U.S. Rubber supplied a special five-ply laminate material made of a "foam-plastic-rubber core", hard plastic-rubber outer layers, and a rubber skin. Termed "Royalite", this material provided built in flotation and insulation and was used by the Thompson, Custom Craft, and Connecticut brands (February 1961, Popular Science). Developed by William S. Ellis and Robert C. Kohrn of US Rubber, Wagemaker and Crestliner planned to use the material in their 1958 lineups (Jan. 26, 1958, New York Times). Custom Craft used this material for a 17' catamaran model to be shown at the 1961 New York Boat Show (November 6, 1960 New York Times).

According to the Feb 6, 1959, Chicago Tribune, Thompson Royal-Craft of Cortland, New York showed five boats made of this material at the 1959 Chicago Boat Show. The outer layer contained a color-impregnated skin, a color-impregnated rigid "stability" layer, and a center "buoyant" layer of expended cell, non-water absorbent material, then another stability layer and inner skin.

Royalite in Use

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