What the heck is this thing? A CG antique? Whaddya think shipmates?

[BuoyJumper]

At the recent Willis B. Boyer Marine Memorabilia Flea Market at the Toledo Antique & Classic Boat Show which took place on August 23rd this runabout appeared.  I don't know if the owner was trying to sell the boat or if they were just showing it as a prerestoration antique but it appears that the Coast Guard must of had posession of it at one time.  Notice the numbers on the bow.  They appear to be CG-019 or CG-C19 or something like that.  I'm thinking maybe it was one of those vessels seized by the CG on the Great Lakes during prohibition and for a time was used as a patrol boat.






WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS SHIPMATES?

Reference Boatnerd Galleries 24 August 2009

[vftb]

Don't know about the CG designation, you might be right about it being a seized boat Ron.  Looks like an old Chris Craft that would be worth a small fortune if restored.  Don't know about the rest of the country, restored Chris Crafts are quite the thing in CA.

[EX-CG-GM]

My uncle was in the CG during prohibition and told me once that they did seize boats and then use them, so your theory could be correct Ron.

Hans, I have a hunch there may be just a titch of dry rot in that hull......be a nice project for you.....

[BuoyJumper]

Stan .... in the photo lower left is from the CG historians office of a seized rum runner so we know the CG did that.  The photo lower right shows the typical alpha/numeric designation used on CG vessels of that era and that too looks like what is on the bow of that antique runabout.     

 
CLICK TO ENLARGE THE IMAGES

[pachesma]

I saw that the other day on boatnerd as well(great site!!) and was just as curious as you. found this so far:

http://www.geocities.com/s274828/DartBoatCompany.html

Dart Boat Company

'bout halfway down page. says  hull has "interesting history" , but so far thats all I've been able to find-JRC

[pachesma]

Found a little bit more:

http://ohiosyesterdays.blogspot.com/2008/09/on-august-23rd-toledo-antique-and.html

Middle of article is about the bootleggers of the day "hauling the mail" with these runabouts "outrunning any and every Coast Guard vessel", stand to reason CG would quickly impound and use one of these to chase the rumrunners, which I believe was very common for the CG ta do during prohibition-JRC

[BuoyJumper]

Found a little bit more:

http://ohiosyesterdays.blogspot.com/2008/09/on-august-23rd-toledo-antique-and.html

Middle of article is about the bootleggers of the day "hauling the mail" with these runabouts "outrunning any and every Coast Guard vessel", stand to reason CG would quickly impound and use one of these to chase the rumrunners, which I believe was very common for the CG ta do during prohibition-JRC

That's a great find John ... thanks...........  

[pachesma]

even more:


http://www.provincetownbanner.com/article/features_article/_/41310/Features/5/11/2006

I actually found the hull number(and another pic of it at the 2008 Toledo Boat Show) from an "R/C" boat forum-JRC

[BuoyJumper]

With John's (pachesma) help I think we've been able to put together an interesting story on this boat.  When this boat was built in Lima, Ohio by the Indian Lake Boat Company in the 1920's, it was their Dart, 22.5-foot, triple ****pit model powered by a Scripps Marine engine.  The hull has been identified as being Dart hull #255.  Dart and Chris Craft 22 to 26-footers were fast, sturdy, good handling boats for their day.  They had the ability of being able to carry a heavy load without losing much of their speed which made them a favorite with the bootleggers.  

The Dart was originally built by Lima’s Indian Lake Boat Company. In 1928, a group of businessmen, headed by Admiral Webb C. Hayes, grandson of President Hayes, purchased the rights to build the Dart. Located on Summit St. in Toledo, the company eventually employed nearly 100 craftsmen led by the Dart’s original designer Hocky Holler.  The Great Depression devastated the company. Hayes tried to forestall liquidation, but by late1933 the Dart Boat Company faded into history. Today, it is estimated that only 30 to 40 of the sleek, graceful Dart runabouts survive.

It would appear that CG-819, a 22.5-foot Dart triple ****pit was apparently being used by bootleggers and was at some point seized by the U.S. Coast Guard.  This was done quite frequently by the U.S. Coast Guard during prohibition.  The boat was then assigned Coast Guard numbers and used by the Coast Guard to pursue rum runners.

The following video is of Admiral Hayes family members in a Dart Boat on the Maumee River at Toledo, Ohio and on Lake Erie at Put-in-Bay and Middle Bass Island. The video is a segment of a film made by the family of Admiral Webb C. Hayes. The film is part of the Hayes Family Collection at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center

Clipper Run, Moffett Dig


RUM RUNNER CHASED
BY COAST GUARD BOAT
May 12, 1932

The Coast Guard 819 of base five, East Boston, tied up at Sklaroff’s wharf Thursday morning after a frenzied rumrunner chase. During the pursuit the Coast Guard boat was all but sunk.

Owing to her high vibration while at top speed the seams of the patrol boat opened and water gushed in, endangering the lives of the crew.

Chief Boatswain’s mate James Leahan immediately put for Provincetown, and while the crew vigorously bailed he reached harbor just in time, as in addition to the leakage the gasoline supply was perilously low.


CG-819 believed to be a seized bootlegger's boat positively identified as Dart hull #255.  As was often done at the time of prohibition the Coast Guard would seize boats used for bootlegging.  They would then be assigned CG numbers and used to pursue rum runners.  

The crippled boat arrived in this harbor at 2:30 a.m. Thursday and stood at anchor waiting for the morning light. When the local stores opened material was bought to mend the vessel and the gasoline tank was also replenished.

Near Cape Cod the “Guppyi,” alleged “suspect,” was sighted and pursued by the government boat. The former, however, was equipped with three Liberty airplane motors with the combined motor power of more than 2,000 h.p. and outdistanced the 819.

After reaching this town the Coast Guard power boat commander communicated by telephone with Boston headquarters and ordered that the “Guppyi” be seized.

Accordingly this vessel was overhauled and taken to Woods Hole.


A restored Dart 26-foot triple ****pit speedboat.                                       A Dart 26-footer underway in the late 1920's.

The rum chase had commenced Wednesday afternoon and went on through the night. Near Nantucket the captain of the C.G. 819 realized, however, the speed of the chased boat was superior to his and was outrunning him. Also the government boat was rapidly filling with water. So he called a halt and left the fleeing boat.

After a day of repair work on the beached Coast Guard vessel at Sklaroff’s wharf, the commander put out for Boston, on Friday night at nine o’clock.

Original Article
Many thanks to the webmaster of the  Dart Boat Company  website.

22.5-feet is a revision from 26-feet ... Buoy

[EX-CG-GM]

Wow, I am impressed!  Started out with a photo and ended up with a really interesting story!  Good work guys!    

[pachesma]

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=895792

Here's a link to the page where I found a bit more about CG-819. "Handle" of the guy with all the info is "CG BOB" so they very well may be a member here or "somebody somebody knows". I linked the whole page(V. just pics of the "819") because there's some GREAT other photos on it and some absolutely beautiful old restored wooden boats!!-JRC

[BuoyJumper]

WAY COOL JOHN ... Thanks shipmate.     

Here's a direct LINK  to the additional photos of CG-819.

I think he's wrong on that Dart being a 21-footer.  I still have some more digging through original Dart magazine ads but appears so far at least that the 21-footer was a two seater powered by a six cylinder engine.  The triple ****pit Darts were 26-feet in length.

[pachesma]

http://www.antiqueboat.com/boatdetails/vang22R.aspx

Found this searching. 22 1/2 foot Dart triple, witha V-8(original equip??, although I would think so), 1931 model year. DEFINETLY some similarities, I think "our boy" might be older year model, dressed out ina much more utilitarian fashion-JRC

[EX-CG-GM]

That engine is definitely not original.  Chrysler didn't come out with the hemi until the mid 50's.

[pachesma]

That engine is definitely not original.  Chrysler didn't come out with the hemi until the mid 50's.

Well see, thats what I ain't sure of. Chrysler; and others, 1st started horsing around with "hemi-head" combustion chambers darn near a 100 years ago. I believe 1st time it was in an automobile was early 50's. Unsure of any "hemi" production power before that.-JRC