One of the great thrills a youngster can experience is their first ride on an outboard board boat with their dad or grandfather. For this writer it was on Lake George in New York-when I was ten and on vacation with my family. Dad rented and old wooden boat that was powered by vintage Johnn Seahorse motor which ran like a top. My dad had to struggle with getting it started but once it got going, for me it was a thrilling ride especially when I got to steer.
The man who created the first practical outboard motor is Cameron Waterman. Cameron Waterman was a Yale graduate with a degree in engineering. He worked at Grosse Island Michigan where he developed a practical outboard motor. The Waterman “Portomotor” outboard was an immediate sensation with sales reaching as high as 25,000 units by 1914. While Cameron Waterman’s outboard was the first successful internal combustion engine, it was not the first outboard motor. A company called American Motor Company produced some very crude single cylinder outboard engines in 1896 that were not commercially successful.
The first known outboard motor was a small electric motor fitted to a small boat by Frenchman Gustave Troove around 1870. Troove was a prolific inventor with many patents to his name. Troove’s outboard motorboat had an electric horn and a bow mounted headlamp. It was never made available commercially.
In 1907, a man named Ole Evinrude, who may have worked for Cameron Waterman at one time, introduced a new outboard motor that was greatly improved over the Waterman motor in that it’s much easier to start. An often-repeated folk tale is that Ole Evinrude, a skilled machinist, was at a picnic with his girlfriend Bessie Cary when she asked for ice cream. Eager to please Bessie, Ole rowed across Lake Okauchee, in Wisconsin to get it. But, by the time he rowed back, the ice cream was melted. Most certainly embarrassed, Ole vowed that would not happen again and set out to invent the first 1.5hp Evinrude outboard motor. Ole Evinrude eventually married Bessie Cary and she became an important part of the fledgling Evinrude Company. Evinrude sold his company in 1913, mainly because of the failing health of his wife. However, Ole Evinrude could not simply retire and sit by the fire. While he waited for his agreement with his former company to expire, he developed a better two-cylinder outboard motor. Ole took his new motor to the Evinrude Company first, However, his former company owners wanted not part of his new motor. Undaunted, in 1921 Ole formed his own new company and called it “Evinrude’s Light Outboard” (ELTO).
By 1907, several companies had emerged to build outboard motors with brand names like Elto, Caille, Lockwood, Neptune, Waterwitch and Koban. In the 1930s, the outboards were sporting cowlings (covers), which covered the working parts making the engines look sleek and very modern. The onset of World War II caused a shortage of outboard motors for pleasure boats. Most outboard motor manufacturers were producing outboard motors for the US Military.
The Kiekhaefer Mercury company began in 1939 when engineer Carl Kiekhaefer purchased a small outboard motor company in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Kiekhaefer’s original intention for the Kiekhaefer factory was to make magnetic separators for the dairy industry. However, with the factory came with an inventory of 300 defective “Thor” brand outboards produced by the previous owner for Montgomery Ward. The motors had been returned as defective by Montgomery Ward. Kiekhaefer proceeded to rework the basic design and improve the defective motors which he sold under the “Mercury” brand name. Orders came pouring in and Kiekhaefer soon realized there was a growing market for portable outboard motors. Montgomery Ward placed a large order for outboards Kiekhaefer to be sold under their Sea King brand.
Carl Kiekhaefer brought his Mercury outboards to the New York Boat show and received orders for 16,000 Mercury outboard motors. By 1962 Mercury Kiekhaefer was dominating the field and quickly developed a reputation for faster more reliable engines. Outboard racing grew rapidly when Mercury introduced its first 100 HP outboard motor in 1962. In 1957 Mercury ran a 50,000-mile outboard motor endurance test supervised by the US Auto Club. The Mercury outboard engines were run day and night and refueled underway, for a not stop distance equal to twice around the world.
Modern outboard motor horsepower has increased steadily until 100hp motors are commonplace and used on bigger boats The largest production outboard motor is the Mercury V12 600 hp “Verado.” This motor, released in 2021, is a V12 engine with a displacement of 7.6 liters and a weight of 1,260 pounds. It is designed to power larger boats in the 35-to-55-foot range. Some boats use multiple outboard motors. There have been some outboard motorboats with six motors.
Interest in vintage outboard motors is very high. The Antique Outboard Club (AOC) https://www.aomci.org/ estimates there are hundreds of thousands of people interested in antique outboard motors. The AOC boasts a member ship of over 3000 with an associated Facebook group of 4,600 enthusiasts worldwide. The club is devoted to those with a passion for antique outboards, boats and thing nautical.
The antique outboard motor hobby involves a great deal more that collecting and learning the history of vintage outboard motors like those on display at the Antique Boat Museum. The hobby includes events where antique engines are run in exhibitions and competitions. Enthusiasts have the opportunity to meet fellow enthusiasts, trade stories and find needed parts at antique outboard motor swap meets. The club has its own magazine, “The Antique Outboarder”. (www.aomci.org/resources/the-outboarder/) The magazine and its website is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the antique outboard motor hobby, (https://www.aomci.org/resources/the-outboarder/)
Residents and visitors to the 1000 island area of which Clayton, New York is a part, are fortunate to have the opportunity to visit the Antique Boat Museum, (www.abm.org) with its array of maritime exhibits, not the least of which is the collection of antique outboard motors. The collection of outboards is important because it preserves a tangible piece of maritime and industrial history, showcasing the evolution of boating technology and the stories behind these powerful machines. The Antique Boat Museum’s exhibition Outboards! presents a selection of the outboard examples and related boats from the permanent collection ranging from the earliest putt-putt to mid-century-modern marine powerplants and today’s electric offerings. As Peter Hunn writes in The Old Outboard Book “Vintage outboards are the hot dogs and hamburgers of the technological world.” For many people a ride in a small boat powered by an outboard motor is their first exposure to boating. It can be a life changing event.
Antique Boat Museum Executive Director, Rebecca Hopfinger said; “The Antique Boat Museum is more than just a repository for old marine stuff; it’s a place where the history of recreational boating comes to life! For ABM, providing an authentic experience is one of the most important aspects of visiting the 4.5-acre waterfront campus on the banks of the St. Lawrence River. Celebrating boats from a dugout canoe to a 106-foot, two-story historic houseboat provides something for nearly every visitor. Taking a speedboat ride or rowing a skiff are only two of the many offerings provided by this unique museum.”
The museum is a must see for anyone interested in vintage boats and the artifacts of which they are composed. Over the last 50 years the museum has built up a large waterfront campus of 4.5 acres on the St. Lawrence River. It has literally hundreds of vintage boats and thousand of artifacts include antique outboard motors. It is shining light in the preservation of North America’s maritime heritage and fun place to visit. By no means a dusty old museum, it is a dynamic place with events that includes auctions, boat trips, exhibits and fun filled days for the entire family on a beautiful campus. The Antique Boat Museum is an ideal vacation destination for the whole family.