The New Packard
by Howard P. Johnson Jr.
This summer I had the good fortune to be able to buy a nice original 1950 Packard Eight, 4 door sedan. The car came at an especially busy time and although I looked it over carefully, there was more to it than I could see. One evening I was tired from work and decided to go out and sit in the new car. I rolled back the big garage door and admired the luxurious curves of its body in the moonlight. My hand on the cool of the big solid door handle, I turned on the interior lights and got in the back. The seat was so big I was sitting in it and so soft I could feel the day’s aches melt away. There before me, lay the splendor of quality from 50 years past. The muted colors of warm gray wool embraced by gleaming mahogany wood grain. The rich felt of gently arching headliner, the twinkle of chrome trim reflected in the window glass, generous ivory knobs on everything. Rounded, padded and soft, comfortable, plush and roomy, a vent window for everyone. Up front, the giant steering wheel with form fitting finger grips and dazzling horn ring proclaims, Packard, and crowns the dashboard with its confident, mid-century design. Most of all, that magnificent slanted vie windshield looks out onto the darkened post WWII world.
I sit surrounded with all this gleam and glow of the past, the tactile sensations of cloth and perfume smells of the past; my grandfather is there at the wheel, with his pipe wafting the Prince Albert fragrance, life is good, there is a feeling of high expectations in the air, people are friendly, they call out to us. Time has stopped, my mother calls me, as she always did, and I am in another place, far away from today. A great feeling of well being comes over me and I am surrounded by the sweet memories of my past, I keep tucked away; now brought to life again by my Packard, – the time machine.
Why We Love Our Packards
It’s the proud, grand styling of the big thirties models, that makes everyone stand up and take notice, saying, this is the finest automobile ever made. The fabulous grill, hood, and fender lines that just take your eye and move it along; it says power, speed, distinction, and wealth. Those fantastic contours, the robust shape of every body part, and the harmonious way they all fit together. It’s the dazzling wheels and tires, the outstanding chassis engineering, the massive running boards and all the superb chrome fittings that say – Nothing can match a Packard. It’s the fit and finish of the body, the way the doors work like a vault, the smell of all that leather and old materials. What steering wheel is finer, what engine more powerful, what dash more complete? And oh, the way they drive, the silky clutch and silent gearbox, the locomotive rumble of the engine that effortlessly whisks you along; it’s huge, it’s rock solid and it’s wonderful! You’re on top of the world!
It’s having four vent windows and interior appointments that make you feel rich, even if you aren’t. Looking out over that huge hood, topped with a swan, cormorant or goddess of speed; the car becomes a part of your life.
Looking at a Packard, you see quality and engineering that helped America win World War II and the genius of Co. Jessee Vincent. All the great airplane engines and race winning speedboat engines are directly related to your car!
In the later years, the rounded lines and huge friendly look say, this car stands alone, and is not trying to keep up with all the others. It’s dependable too, this one is never going to break down or wear out.
Every model, year after year, carried on this precious tradition; every car had all the quality they could possibly give. Each one, a little like last years and yet a little more modern, all the way up to 1956, said, this car is extra special, this car is outstanding, – This is a Packard!
Today, these cars are a miracle of craftsmanship. Every carefully sculpted part made of solid metal, finely detailed. By today’s standards, they are simple, well made, and solid but they are also artwork. Their weight really counts; these cars hold the road and have a wonderful ride that you can no longer find. They were user friendly before the term was even invented. A Packard is a pleasure to service, a straightforward design, with plenty of room, using standard tools and nice rounded edges.
We are the lucky ones, able to enjoy the masterpieces of the past. Our lives are permanently enriched by these miracles of design and craftsmanship. This brilliant creation is our personal connection to the history that made our nation great. And by this wonderful treasure, we are inspired and stimulated, forever.
Lapstrake Vessels – A History
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen and thank you for joining us for this National Boating History Conference.
I love old varnished mahogany speedboats, but I have also had many rewarding experiences with lastrake boats.
In the year 735 the Vikings began making a name for themselves by trading and plundering along the northern coasts of Europe. Their light, seaworthy vessels made it possible for them to reach coasts as far away as Newfoundland, and establish a community there. In 1904, a ninth century Viking ship was uncovered and later restored. Their activities gradually spread the lapstrake hull design around the world. Each geographical area adapted it to their particular use, which was fishing, cargo, or war. Every available wood was used, rift sawn so that grain was parallel to the surface, reducing splitting. Wooden pegs and iron clinch nails were used to join the laps. Thus, came the term clinker. Boats were built upright, and the ribs, both sawn and steam bent, were installed later.
The Europeans brought lapstrake construction to the New World. Masters taught their skills to their apprentices, nothing was written down. Every craftsman and every area developed varied designs. 2,000 lapstrake Bateaux were used to fight the French and Indian Wars. Adirondack Guide boats were built light so that men and cargo could go west. When rivers ran low boats were carried to the next one.
Lapstrake hulls simplify the joining of the outer planks, the joints are easily made watertight and boats are lighter because fewer parts are needed. Battens are used to cover seams in carvel vessels. The thick lap area of the lapstrake boat stiffens the hull and requires fewer fastenings. The ridges of the laps grip the water on the outside and stabilize the hull, in a seaway. In the bow, these laps provide lift on approaching waves and deflect the spray. Terms like sea kindly and surf kindly were given to these advantages.
Throughout the seventeen and eighteen hundreds, fishermen used skiffs of 15 to 25 ft, to confront the sea and bring home their catch. Names like, Jersey Sea Skiff, Staten Island Skiff, New England Wherry, Pea Pod, Cog, Cutter, Pink and many more became known. In the 1800’s 5 million pounds of fish were brought ashore in these boats, each year.
If a boat was to carry weight, planks went all the way to the keel. Rocks were used as ballast and thrown overboard as the catch came in. If the boat was used on the beach and in the shallows, the bottoms would be flat planks. If it was to be a surf boat more rocker, from front to back was built into the bottom and greater shear for a higher bow. Pea Pods were double ended, others had sterns that raked sharply aft to prevent pooping. Daggerboards and centerboards were used for stability and to provide resistance for a sail rig, which most used.
In the nineteenth and 20th centuries, White cedar was prized for planking and oak for scantlings. When cedar began to run out juniper was used, along with other varieties. To imagine the number and variety of designs, think of the east coast of the United States, at any one time, every village and town had one or more family boat builder producing his own popular variety of skiff. As the population moved west, they took the designs with them, adapting them to the new surroundings and eventually reaching the west coast.
Christian Thompson and his wife immigrated to Peshtego, Wisconsin in 1887 and raised 5 sons, on a farm. They built a flat bottom boat and a canoe for their own use. By 1904, requests for boats from neighbors and friends caused them to start building full time. They offered rowboats, barges, skiffs, canoes, and kayaks. When their town was hit by a devastating fire they built a new factory to help in the recovery. By 1911, they were offering small boats of many shapes and sizes and a 20 page catalog. 1911 was the year that planning hulls began to be built. Up until that time, when a motor was available, it was used on an existing rocker bottomed boat. When pushed hard, this hull shape would squat or ride deeper and resist going fast.
Pioneers like Albert Hickman of sea Sled fame, and John Hacker, discovered that flat bottoms could skim across the water. As word of these fast boats spread, builders provided straight runs aft, on bottoms, so boats could plane. Suddenly, boats could go 20 miles an hour! Today’s popular, Jersey speed skiff, racing boats, were first raced in 1922. The planning hulls brought about a revolution in boatbuilding. People wanted smooth hulled boats. There was a reduction in lapstrake popularity after the 20’s; they were old fashioned, slow, too much wetted surface. Strip plank and carvel hulls became more popular.
The Second World War brought about another boat construction revolution, High quality plywood. The strength, resistance to expansion and uniformity, brought about a resurgence in lapstrake construction. In `51 Chris Craft began offering 18 and 22′ models that were valued for their big water, seaworthy performance. The round chine hull shape would hold the water in turns and in rough weather. Custom builders like the Johnson Brothers of Bay Head, New Jersey, made tough, beautiful, well finished models that are revered today. By `55 Chris Craft offered models up to 40 ft in length for fishing and cruising. In `52 Century offered the Viking and later the Raven, lapstrake models. Hundreds of manufacturers like Pen Yan, Cruisers Inc., Barbour, Dunphy, Hacker, Old Town, Owens, and Wagemaker all offered outboard models with seakindly performance.
Many of the early fiberglass models copied the lapstrake look. Modern fiberglass hulls still include longitudinal steps for stability and smooth ride.
All over America, wherever there was water, small family firms like the Thompson Brothers, offered affordable, practical, seaworthy boats.
I have built and restored lapstrake vessels. Their unique construction method brings about repair challenges, in older hulls. My friend, Don Dannenburg has coined the term “Mop and Glow, Restorer” I fear that I, along with some of you, fall into this category. I look for things to apply to the thoroughly cleaned hull that will solve the problems, rather than replacing the wood. Loose lap joints must be blown out with compressed air and have their fastenings tightened, replaced or more added. The joints can then be penetrated with Elmers, Pro-Bond Urethane glue. This product has an affinity for cracks and will often come out on the other side. I buy it by the case. Once all the laps are penetrated and cleaned up, I use a garden sprayer to soak the entire hull with Smith’s Clear Penetrating Sealer. It hardens and waterproofs the wood and glues everything together; three coats are required. If your hull is prepared for paint, you can apply it as soon as the last coat of epoxy has tacked up and the paint will be glued on. This product was made for us mop and glow restorers.
Most lapstrake boats have steam bent ribs. Many need repair. A simple steamer can be built with a new metal fuel can piped to the center of a length of 6 or 8″ plastic pipe. Spacer dowels are inserted in the pipe to keep the material off the bottom. After the broken ribs are removed new ones can be bent in place and secured. Only the finest straight grain oak can be used. The prepared stock is steamed for about an hour and forced into place with welding gloves. Replacements must be staggered so that hull shape is maintained. All structural repairs must be done before the Epoxy Penetration.
Another easy restoration trick I have discovered is reinforcing creaky, loose decks with construction adhesive. After cleaning and repairs are made, a bead of adhesive is run next to both sides of stringers, with a caulking gun and smoothed out with a gloved finger. The result is suprisingly stronger, solid decks.
You may have noticed that I never mentioned Lyman Lapstrake boats, one of my favorites. That is because we have Tom Koroknay a renowned restorer and Lyman Historian here to tell this fascinating story. We will take questions after his presentation. Welcome aboard, Tom.
My Pal Murphy
by Outboardman
I first noticed it during the Second World War, but the law, “If something can go wrong it will”, began to be recognized in 1949 when Capt. Ed Murphy was working on an Air Force rocket sled, crash test project, where the strain gages were wired backwards. Weeks later at a press conference his superior officer stated that the success of the project was a result of their belief in Murphy’s Law, which brought the concept to the public.
Several books have been written with every imaginable variation on this theme. Much good natured joking goes on about why things go wrong and how best to avoid it. For those of us that do things, Murphy is a valuable tool for explaining what causes frustrating problems. Happenstance may be the real reason, our nature is to look for someone to blame. The important thing is that one expects it and be able to take it in stride. Murphy takes the blame.
The more complicated a task is the greater chance of Murphy being there.
Working on a boat involves the most opportunities. Drop the nut in the hot oil. The ladder leg finds the low spot in the floor. The electric cord ties its own knots or grabs your shoe as you walk by. No matter which tool you select you’ll need the other one. If you can’t reach the phone, it will ring. Bringing a phone with you will prevent calls. Moths know where the wet varnish is. If you plan for a second coat tomorrow the first coat won’t dry tonight. Any quantity of screws you have will be too short for the job. The very thing you go to buy, they’re out of. Worst yet, favorite products become unavailable first.
Anticipating that things will go wrong leads to a strange backward way of thinking. Imagining the worst leads you to, be prepared, the Boy Scout motto and the single most important boater’s rule.
Some think Murphy is the devil. I won’t let the devil in my life so I think of him as a jokester, who likes to make fun by screwing things up. We’ve all run into characters who act like this and probably avoid them at all costs.
Murphy is harder to control. He likes catching you off guard, so if you’re ready for him, it spoils it a little bit, which gives you the advantage. When you go up a ladder tie it to the building, tie your tools to your belt, always take extra screws even if you only need three. Have two of every tool you are using, if you have only one, Murphy will hide it, stopping the job.
Most of all when these infuriating things happen don’t get mad, just laugh, he really hates that, and you don’t waste your valuable energy. Murphy knows where splinters need to be to go under your fingernail! Kinda hard to laugh about, Huh? He’s always there testing you and the fun of it is when you win and get everything done right anyway. Then there’s the dreaded triple Murphy!
To be avoided at all costs; more about that next time. Oops, Ouch, Damn! Oh well… Ah it’s just Murphy. He may be on board your boat!
My Skiff
by Howard Percival Johnson Jr.
One day my distant neighbor George called,” Hey Harrid (Howard), you like boats, you want a canoe? I gotta clean up my yard.” Sure George” I said, ” I’d love a canoe, I’ll come right over.” And I jumped in my van and went right down there. George and I dragged this thing out of the weeds, bugs and vines and all, and put it in the van. He said they had to clean up an old lot, prior to construction and it was too good to throw away but he knew he’d never get around to doing anything with it.
I got it home, scrubbed it out and looked it over; something about it looked familiar.
In 1970 my friend Jim Miller got a job with a man named Peter D. VanDine building traditional style, rowing skiffs, in two sizes, out of fiberglass, finished with wood trim and very beautiful. I had visited them, working at the shop and admired the boats several times. Then I was invited to come to
the Annapolis Boat Show where they were on display. This was the first time any friend of mine was showing boats and I was delighted to go. They had both boats shined up and tied to a floating dock for everyone to try out and plenty of takers. I had my eye on the most affordable 12′ size, with teak gunnels and seats. Getting into it was kind of tippy and a little embarrassing but once I took up the oars she went like the wind! As fast as I pulled the oars, she would zoom ahead. Light as a feather and super maneuverable, I was hooked. Somehow though, I never could scrape up the eight hundred dollars and even though some of my friends had them, I was just an admirer.
Something about this boat I had just gotten, looked like a VanDine creation. I called Jim Miller and described it to him. “Oh yeah,” He said, “That sounds like that one-off, 16 foot launch, he made for himself, electric powered. It got old and he was redoing it with all the latest high tech. stuff, when someone stole it from behind the shop. It was years ago.”
So I called Peter and reminded him of who I was and he said he remembered me and I told him, I had called Jim about the boat I found. He couldn’t believe it. He asked me funny questions like, “Does it have a small diamond shape piece in the center of the foredeck?” I had to go outside and look. “Yes it does.” He became even more excited! “I can’t believe it,” He said, “I’d given that thing up for lost. It was stolen from here fifteen years ago, I never thought I’d see it again.” “Would you like to have it back?” I asked. “Oh I’d love to have it back, as a matter of fact, I have everything here to finish it off!”
We agreed he’d come pick it up, as soon as he got time. A few days later, he called and said, he just realized that he has a mini-pickup now and could I bring it over to his shop, in my van? I said I’d be glad to. He said well, I am so delighted to have this boat back, I have one here for you.
You can imagine that I was looking forward to going over there, now, and visiting Peter. They make carbon fiber helicopter parts under the name, Merganser Aircraft. The place is full of interesting molds for aircraft and car parts, all in shining carbon fiber. Peter came out and shook my hand, his hair is snow white. He was glad to see his old launch, we agreed that it was in sad shape now. He showed me the new electric motor, solid state speed control and battery boxes, all very dusty. “Now,” he said, “I have something for you. I used this rowing skiff myself, for years and it sat out on the rack by the beach. It’s a little worse for wear, but you can still use it, or restore it, I know you can do that.” I was thrilled and thanked him over and over, he gave me the oars and seats; we carried it out to the car. “By the way,” he said, “This is the boat we had at the 1970 boat show; I always kept it for myself. It’s yours now.”
New Products
By Howard Percival Johnson Jr.
Try the new Polyurethane glues, by Elmers and others. They have fabulous gap filling properties, dry overnight with gentle clamping and are extremely strong like epoxy but require no mixing. It is easily spread, wets the surface well and foams to fill any cracks. Wax the outside first to aid in removing dried glue, later. The down side is short shelf life so buy the small size and squeeze the air out and store inverted.
Goop Adhesive and Sealant, by Eclectic Products is amazingly strong. It easily fills large cracks and stays put for keeps. You can’t even tear it off with pliers. I have glued engine mounts with this product; use a popsicle stick or a gloved hand to apply.
Paint Over Rust is a stinky paint made with crazy glue (cyanoacrlylate) that holds up better than anything else. I paint battery trays and trailers with it. Wear rubber gloves and cartridge respirator. 800-475-6715.
Polish stainless Steel at home with walter Quick Step polishing equipment, available from Roberts Oxygen. This set is expensive $95. But allows you to polish long items right at home saving awkward shipping problems and possible loss. With practice an angle grinder you can make any stainless part look like chrome.
Classic Flying Boats
In 1969 my great friend William H. Dyson III, found a job as captain aboard Charles J. Owens, of Owens Yacht Corporations, personal yacht, Oceanus, a 50′ Bill Tripp designed, carvel planked sloop. With Will’s wife Evelyn as first mate, the job was to maintain the vessel and keep it ready for Chuck and Marge to go out on short notice. Berthed at Owens’ recently acquired yard, Port Owens, on Stony Creek, Oceanus required constant upkeep and since I was a regular visitor, I would help out. In the fall, they traveled south to Christianstead, St. Croix to its winter birth at Chandlers Yacht Yard.
Will, a lifelong sailor, had earned college money delivering yachts to the Islands, and was familiar with the ICW and open ocean sailing. In 1971, he invited me to join them aboard Oceanus to stay for a month, while Chuck and Marge were in Europe.
What an exciting opportunity! Of course, I had heard all about the Islands from Will but never dreamed I’d be able to go. Even more exciting, Dick Newick and his crew were building an ocean racing trimaran, which they hoped would better their previous record, winning the Single Handed Trans-Atlantic Race. I flew down on Eastern, the Wings of Man; at age 25, it was my first international flight.
The seventies was a time of dreary, rainy, cold winters in Maryland and when I landed, the world exploded into hot summer sunshine! The sun was so bright I had to squint, just to see.
Everything about St. Croix and Christianstead was so new it was a relief to see the familiar boat and get settled. Then in the distance there was the thundering of engines and roaring and spray. What is it? Antillies Air Boats, the Grumman Goose, taking off. It was the most exciting, most breathtaking thing I’d ever seen in my life. Like a giant twin engine speed boat, going faster and faster and then taking off and soaring along, higher and higher, until it disappeared in the distance. I couldn’t wait until the evening, so I could see it again.
Every morning and evening was punctuated by these breathtaking takeoffs and landings. So magnetic were the thundering sounds and flashing silver reflections, that for a whole month, I would stop what I was doing, 4 times a day, to watch. When the plane would come to the ramp, the pilot would put down the wheels, hit the throttles and drive it up the ramp, to the ticket station. Up to twelve people and assorted cargo would be unloaded and in a half hour, they would start up, idle down to the water, put the wheels away, and give her the gas. As the plane built up speed, it gave off stereo thundering twin engine sounds and the most magnificent white wakes, on the blue water. First the hull and wing pods all made wakes, then just the hull, then if it was heavily laden it would kiss the water, for the longest way, finally breaking free and starting a great circle, as it headed off to a dreamy, unknown, destination. The air was so clear you could still see it until it was only a tiny dot, twenty miles away.
Out at the airport, off to one side, there was a run down seaplane with the Antilles Airboats name on it. We went out there to have a look and asked a lot of questions. It was an old English, Sunderland from about 1945, the last of its breed and too costly to maintain or use. They didn’t know what was going to become of it. Wow, it was so compelling to see that thing sitting there all dusty and dead looking, nearly abandoned.
Seaplanes and our favorite classic boats developed along similar lines. As more powerful engines became available they improved the designs for more speed. The Schneider Trophy encouraged record setting achievements after WWI, with 200 mph. bi-wing seaplanes increasing speeds each year, up to `34 when the Italians topped 400mph with a sleek mono-wing creation. Our U.S. Navy, 1919 Curtis bi-wing flying boat made the first trans-oceanic flight powered by 4 400hp Liberty engines. So much fuel was required for these early long flights the runways were not long enough, so sea planes were used. German designer Claudius Dornier revolutionized air travel from 1922-30 with his Wal (whale), aluminum monoplane powered by 2 300hp Hispano-Suiza engines, in tandem. Made in Spain, Holland, and Japan, they featured seaworthiness, reliability, and ease of maintenance; fourteen passengers could fly in comfort in two staterooms. Records were set for long flights all over the world, even Amundsen made an attempt to fly to the North Pole! A giant version was built in 1929 that carried 66 passengers, with twelve Curtis- Wright engines arranged in tandem along the wingtop, it took one year to fly around the world.
The thirties were the hey-day of seaplane travel. The British 1935 Imperial Airways Empire Boats flew a nine day, twenty nine landing, first class, London to Sydney route, with many other routes linking the USA, Canada, India, Africa, and Europe right up to WWII.
Pan American Airways began in 1927 with a Key West to Havana route. In a few years Pan American Clippers linked much of the Pacific and the Philippines. Atlantic Clippers connected five US cities with five European cities, the Azores and Bermuda. In 1938 Pan Am’s new Boeing 314, powered by 4 Wright Cyclone 1,600hp engines, cruised the North Atlantic route with mail, 74 passengers, and 10 crew at 188mph over a range of 3,685 miles. As the thirties came to a close the globe was criss-crossed with hundreds of regular seaplane service routes.
With the onset of World War II, flying boats provided critical transportation for government and military service personnel. Hundreds of different makes and models participated in sinking submarines, picking up downed flyers and convoy escort. Of the many that contributed so ably to the war effort the Consolidated Pby Catalina stands out. Designed in 1935, it was first configured to carry 4- 50 cal. machine guns and 4000 lbs of bombs; 3,290 were made by the USA, Canada, and Russia. They were so reliable, seaworthy, and tough; many saw continued use in South America up until the late 80’s.
In Maryland, Glen L. Martin Co., beginning in WWII, produced nine different models; The Mariner was the first seaplane to sink a German U boat; then later picked up 42 survivors of a ship, sunk by a U-boat. They saw service in Korea and then government contracts gradually diminished; the flying boats were replaced by a variety of other planes and the far more versatile, helicopters.
Yet, the old time sea plane remains in use all around the globe, where small “bush” airlines are needed. Antilles Airboats was established in 1962 and became the largest Downtown Seaplane Airline, in the world, until about 1989 when the majority of the planes were destroyed by Hurricane Hugo. The big seaplane we saw was too expensive even for the Puerto Rico route and was flown back to England, restored, and it is on display in the Southampton Aircraft Museum. Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is accessible by Grumman Mallard seaplanes. In remote regions of the world, the west coast of Canada, the Bahamas, and South America, small airlines are still using seaplanes. So if you travel and have a chance, take a flight in one. You are guaranteed to have the fastest, most exciting “boat” ride you ever had!
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For you armchair travelers, read Wings over Water – A Chronicle of Twentieth Century Flying Boats, by David Oliver, 1999 Quintet Publishing Ltd. Available at Borders Books, and Seaplanes at War, a magazine, provided the inspiration, information, and pictures for this article.
