TOPIC: Davidson runabout 1959

Davidson boats were made from the late 50s to 1970 in Yuma AZ. This model is jet called a Runabout. Thet were designed listed as a fish and ski boat designed for river use.

Spun fiberglass construction and from 1959 on were powered with Johnson 75 V4 electric start motors. At 15 ft they were considered one of the fastest boats on the local waters.

Davidson boats are a traditional closed bow design. Some interesting features are a built in, stern mounted 20 gal gas tank, all fiberglass flooring,molded passenger and driver footwells and a water ballast chamber running from bow to stern. The water blast fill is located in the bow section, center floor.

The manufacturer was an Evinrude dealer that started off making fiberglass truck bed covers and moved into boat design. Newspaper articles state in 1959 they mad over 30 boats. I am still researching more company information. The company was run by two brothers.

The seating was driver and passenger, back to back fold down seats.

I am in the process of restoring this boat and I'll post more detailed pics as I proceed.

Tim Brewer
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I created an entry in the Library for Davidson boats using the available history:

www.fiberglassics.com/library/Davidson