TOPIC: Can you help me identify this cutie?

Hi Everyone.I want to buy this boat from someone who knows nothing about it. He does not have any paperworkon it. I want to save it from going to the scrap yard. I saw the orignal motor and it is a 57 or 58' 35hp Johnson Javelin.

Thanks, Bob

Bob, does the motor come with the boat? Nice looking rig from what I can see. Paperwork might be a problem. What state?

Looks like a New Jersey boat, original motor is probably tied around some guys ankle at about 90 ft. Does look really cool though.

Looks like you have found yourself a 1961 Span America. These are a real nice boat and you don't see alot of theem around anymore. Look in the Glassics libary and ther is a fair amount of info on them there. Save it from the scrappers. Skip.

Looks li ke a "Savage American". Nice Save.

heres the pic i was looking for.

I would have guessed Span America Boat Co. or Span Boats, Inc. (successor).

The "Savage American" is a new name to me. Where were they located? I cannot read it on the logo. Looks just like a Span America design.

Span America Boat Co. was founded by six men from Fort Dodge, Iowa in 1958. Oral and Willard Musick were the main driving forces of the firm. They had financial troubles and the stock was taken over by NYC investors in September 1961. These guys closed the plant and moved tooling to Red Wing, MN in early 1962 and merged it with Red Wing Fiberglass Products. They only lasted a few months.

Around 1963 a former Span America Boat Co. dealership got control of the molds. They made a deal with Rice Lake Boat Co. to have "Span America" boats made there. Together with an Illinois holding company these guys formed Span Boats, Inc. in October 1963 and a month later they purchased Rice Lake Boat Co. Rice Lake "El Rae" boat models are abandonded. Span Boats closed in 1969 and on 17 May 1970 liquidation auction takes place.

Shafar Boats are also a copy of Span. Two of the original investors in Span America were Don and Bob Shafar.

Andreas

I conducted a search for "Savage American Boat" and "Savage American Fiberglass" on newspaperarchive.com. I found several hits. Neff Hardware and Marine Sales of Curwensville, PA was selling "Bucaneer Savage American Fiberglass Boats" in June 1968 and June 1969. They obviously were a dealer. Bob's Marine of Clearfield, PA was also selling "Savage American" boats in June 1967.

That's all I could find.

Since Span Boats, Inc. had a "Bucaneer" model, my guess is that Savage American was somehow a licensee of Span or they just "stole" the design and name.

Andreas

This one is a 1965, so they say. I looked at a month ago. It was filled with water and ice. I passed, here is the listing,

longisland.craigslist.org/boa/3475255195.html

Thanks for your help guys. That Savage one looks similar. Here is another pic of it. It has fiberglass dividers between the front and back seats.

back view

Well whatever it turns out to be, it & it's trailer look to be in fairly good shape. As an avoid the landfill purchase, shouldn't be expensive....esp w/out a motor.

Best of luck

Span America began using that stepped-style side treatment in 1961 and seems to have used it for a number of years.

I found a few Chicago Tribune fall 1967/spring 1968 classified listings by Maypole, a large Chicago dealer for a 1968 model year Savage America. Listed for $1350 to $1390 completed with trailer and 40 HP electric start Johnson. Quite distant distribution from Reynoldsville, PA but Maypole was known to have sourced boats nationally.

I believe your boat is not the later Savage American, but an early 60's Span America. See the Library section for more information: www.fiberglassics.com/library/Span_America


Here's another Savage American ad from Newspaperarchive.com, Clearfield Progress, Wednesday, May 17, 1967 ad for the Boat House Marine in Reynoldsville, PA, a dealer for Savage American boats.

Thanks guys. You figured it out. It looks just like this Pirate except windshield looks a little different.

Maypole in Chicago was a huge marine dealer. They had numerous store locations throughout Chicagoland. They were a dealer for Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co. I restored a 1961 Thompson 17 ft. Sea Lancer a few years ago. It came with original paperwork from Maypole.

Andreas

W@hat are you waiting for?
Please Buy It!

It is SUPER COOL!

HandyAndy wrote:

I believe your boat is not the later Savage American, but an early 60's Span America. See the Library section for more information: www.fiberglassics.com/library/Span_America


Here's another Savage American ad from Newspaperarchive.com, Clearfield Progress, Wednesday, May 17, 1967 ad for the Boat House Marine in Reynoldsville, PA, a dealer for Savage American boats.

I believe it says "Reynoldsville, PA" below American Savage, good stuff this forem.

Hi Everyone, is it possible to look up the boat info by its serial number? The owner found a plate under the rubber transom protector. The number is 251072. Thanks.

The serial number is useless unless you can find someone that has the manufacturer's records. or someone that worked for the firm that can decipher it.

The cursive "S" and "A" and the box letter "A" sorta look like what is on the 1960 Span America Boat Co. literature.

Andreas

Thanks Andreas. Your imput has been very helpful. This site is great too. I'm going to buy this boat tomorrow. I'm looking forward to restoring it and getting out on the water with it.

Wouldn't be the first time someone either splashed and existing boat design (copied) or bought the molds of a defunct firm (Span America from early 1960s, Savage American appears to be latter 1960s) and gave it a go at making boats from the old molds...

Yup, a very common practice. Altho with Span American, their molds were taken over by Rice Lake Boat Co. in 1963 and then Span Boats, Inc. in 1964 who continued the line until 1969.

So maybe Savage American splashed a mold or possibly they were a licesee????

Andreas

Hi Everyone,

I bought the Span America Pirate but on the way home the bracket that holds the side of the windshield fell off. Does anyone know were to find a bracket? I looked on ebay and didn't see anything.

Thanks, Bob