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View Full Version : 1932 Pigeon Runabout with Surface Drive!



Germancar90
11-04-2013, 03:17 PM
Figured I would share this with you guys, This is my friends boat told him I would try to help him sell it. Pretty amazing little boat, definitely one of a kind.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1932-18ft-Pigeon-Runabout-One-of-a-Kind-Amazing-Original-Boat-Surface-Drive-/141107161731?forcerrptr=true&hash=item20daa46a83&item=141107161731&pt=Power_Motorboats

Just Say N20
11-04-2013, 04:03 PM
The ad:


You are looking at an extremely rare 1932 Pigeon mahogany runabout. This boat was built at the Luddington boat yard in East Greenwich RI.

The boat has been in my family since new but has undergone some changes throughout its life. The boat originally was powered by a 4 cylinder 40hp Lycoming air craft engine that was coupled to an all aluminum Johnson outdrive. The boat remained in its original state for about 20 years until the boat went for a light restoration.

The drive and engine components were removed from the boat and put in a warehouse for storage, unfortunately the storage facility burned down and the drive and engine were lost. Neither my grandfather nor the marina was able to source a drive for the boat because of the rarity of the piece.

The boat sat for another 10 years until my grandfather installed a 60hp grey marine that was coupled to a type of surface drive configuration which to my knowledge never worked properly.

After some trial and error my grandfather gave up and the boat sat in storage until 2010 where I brought the boat out and began a full restoration as well as a completely new drive system. I stripped the boat completely, re caulked and 5200’ the bottom. The boat received 7 coats of Epifanes varnish which shines very well. All the chrome was re plated and re installed. The interior was refinished with all new upholstery.

Now for the fun stuff, my father is a boat builder and has always been researching and building surface drives, I have followed his passion and we decided this boat would be a fantastic candidate for this type of drive configuration. We custom designed this one off surface drive which is constructed out of 316 stainless that has been electropolished. The shaft tube is completely water cooled with two cutlass bearings one at the top and one at the bottom. It is sealed by a tides dripless stuffing box. The steering is completely original all the way to the transom consisting of shafts and gears which is a thing of beauty.

The engine is a 2011 Mercruiser 140hp fresh water cooled 4 cylinder that is mated to a fresh borg warner 1:1. The whole package has about 30 hours of run time since I did the installation.

Now the big question how does it run? The boat is an absolute blast to drive, it throws a massive rooster tail about 75’ behind the boat and about 30ft in the air, there really isn't anything like it on the water. It turns every ones head. The boat will cruise about 30mph and top out around 40. I usually run it easy around 20-25mph.

The boat handles so well and is exceptionally user friendly; with its modern power plant you really can just get in it and go without a fuss. Up until a few months ago I was using the boat almost every weekend to go put around and hang out at the beach. The boat is very dry as well and doesn't leak much at all.

The package sits on a galvanized trailer which isn't much to look at but is very road worthy; the boat has made multiple trips in the past 3 years back and forth to FL without a problem.

The reason I am selling the boat is that I really just don’t have the time to use it, I would love for someone to own the boat and be able to enjoy it and have it become their own family air loom. I know where the market stands for something like this and with that said I am not a dreamer or someone that thinks that a sentimental value directly relates to a monetary one. The reserve is set at a moderate number which I think is a very fair price for the boat.

Boat is sold with a bill of sale and trailer registration. If you have any questions please feel free to give me a call at 401-741-8518.



Thank you, Alex


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