American Boat Building

[JonnyBoats]

Does anyone have information on American Boat Building of East Greenwich, RI?

Their Knickerbocker shure looks like a Classic Plastic to me. http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~pjf/sailing/ksc/kod.html

[SUNBIRD10201]

American Boatbuilding was formed by the merging (in one way or another?) of Beetle Boats of New Bedford, MA and Marscot Plastics also of New Bedford. If you search old Yachting Magazine issues from around 1959-65 you will find various advertisements for American Boatbuilding, some list it as operating as Beetle, others as Marscot, still others list Beetle and Marscot as divisions of American Boatbuilding.

Beetle Boats started as John Beetle's attempt to get into Fiberglass boatbuilding in the early 1940's, however the world wasn't quite ready for a fiberglass Beetle Cat (the Beetle Swan) yet, especially since molding technology wasn't able to build boats with out bathtub curves in those days! Marscot Plastics started when Palmer Scott, a builder of wooden boats decided to get into plastic boats as an offshoot of his molded plywood boats. He linked up with George O'Day to build the Rhodes 19 and the Day Sailer, originally built by Marscot plastics under contract to O'Day (O'Day started as a sailboat importer, and the first US-built O'Days were built by Marscot). Supposedly, Palmer Scott wanted to discontinue building sailboats, preferring to concentrate on his powerboats (15-26') and that was when George O'Day started building his own boats in Fall River. That may have been part of the origin of American Boatbuilding, since they seem to have built the Beetle sail and power boats, Marscot sailboats, and later the Galaxy 32 and Block Island 40.

I'd suggest getting a copy of Dan Spurr's book, "Heart of Glass" it is a GREAT history of the early days of fiberglass boats and does talk about American Fiberglass, Beetle, and Marscot.

Some classic Beetles were the Tech dinghy 12', Swan 12.5', Falcon 16', Sea Sprite 22', and various dinghies. Classic Marscots include the Wood Pussy 13', and several early O'Days; Ospray 16', Day Sailer, Rhodes 19.

[Case]

Thanks for that info about the "merge" of Beetle Boats and Marscot Plastics! Now I know why the original Alberg Sea Sprite 23 plans had "Beetle Boats" as the customer (builder). That was a longtime mystery for me because I knew the first SS23 was first built by American Boatbuilding. Now I know why.

- Case

[Hirilondë]

Just a small addition to Sunbird's info: They were located next door to E.G. in Warwick. I was growing up in E.G. at the time they were manufacturing, and already an avid sailor. I would have noticed a boat builder in my neighborhood. The Seasprite 23 was popular at EGYC in the 60s and early 70s.

[Adam]

One may also want to read Waldo Howland's "A Life in Boats: The Concordia Years" - As Concordia bought the rights to the "wood" Beetles as Beetle switched over to Fiberglass.

[SUNBIRD10201]

I should have caught that, American Boatbuilding was in Warwick (although....just barely!) As I understand it, they were located in the building between Division St. and Norton's Shipyard, up against the railroad tracks, across the street from what is now the EGYC boat storage lot. (memory is getting fuzzy about that area, I haven't been down there for a few years!). The office for American Boatbuilding WAS in East Greenwich, or at least had an EG mailing address, thus the confusion...actually....Division St. addresses vary as to whether they are listed as EG or Warwick anyway!
My Mother grew up in East Greenwich and my Grandparents lived there until 1977 when they moved to Warwick, however...my Dad and I, being boat nuts, still made many a Sunday afternoon car ride over to EG during visits to my Grandparents! It was on one of these rides that my Dad mentioned the old ABB factory.

[mdidriksen]

Funny. I just bought a boat that was located at Norton's Shipyard, so I've spent time there in the past several weeks. I believe the building you may be referring to is now a Doyle sail loft.

Also, I believe there are several Knickerbocker One Designs for sale in my home town (which is where Knickerbocker Yacht Club is located) if anyone is interested. I suspect they all need some significant love and affection. I actually looked at one this past summer. Very pretty.