hand made boat?

[unclemac]

for the life of me this looks like some child's toy. It is obviously hand made, it has easy to see cut marks especially on the "bottom" . The hole on the top would be for a mast, and the square cut out for a deck house. It has a rudder shape astern and tapers like a flat bottom oyster ketch at the bow. It even has a hole in the front that you would attach twine to to pull it. I found it on a beach embedded in the clay and mud at a site where there are plenty of cut planks and such sticking up...I have found a lot of interesting items at this site and date it to 1880's to early 1900's...it is a habitation site.

...so...is this a child's hand made boat? a big part of me says "No"...that this has a utilitarian function and the "boat" look is coincidental. I am open to all points of views...has anyone any ideas? It is about 15 inches long.

Many thanks.

 

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[Charlie P. (NY)]

No. It's a piece snapped off something larger. Whoever could cut a mortice that crisp could have made a LOT better of a hull shape if that was the plan.

 

[unclemac]

....but what?

 

[maxpower]

broken tool handle?

 

[gldnbrew]

No. It's a piece snapped off something larger. Whoever could cut a mortice that crisp could have made a LOT better of a hull shape if that was the plan.

I believe that it is part of the framing of a post and beam constructed house, the holes are where the pins would of been driven in. To me it looks like part of a beam or sill that was broken somehow and just resembles a boat. The mortise should be in the neighborhood of 3 1/2 > 4" square. I had a house where there was not a nail in the framing. All the studs were mortised top and bottom and the sills and beams were all pegged w/45's. It was amazing how plumb they all were, the house was built in 1865. The other possibility is that it is actually framing from a ship, which now that I have looked closer at the angles, maybe a better of the two choices. Same type of construction.

 

[diggummup]

I believe that it is part of the framing of a post and beam constructed house, the holes are where the pins would of been driven in. To me it looks like part of a beam or sill that was broken somehow and just resembles a boat. The mortise should be in the neighborhood of 3 1/2 > 4" square. I had a house where there was not a nail in the framing. All the studs were mortised top and bottom and the sills and beams were all pegged w/45's. It was amazing how plumb they all were, the house was built in 1865. The other possibility is that it is actually framing from a ship, which now that I have looked closer at the angles, maybe a better of the two choices. Same type of construction.

I like your idea better than mine. My first thought was a type of slide latch handle for a barn door. Something similar to this-

 

[unclemac]

I think you guys are on to something...but boy does it ever look like a child's toy boat! Seriously, it has a keel, it is the right size, it is the right shape, it even floats upright!

But is still don't think it is.

 

[unclemac]

I believe that it is part of the framing of a post and beam constructed house, the holes are where the pins would of been driven in. To me it looks like part of a beam or sill that was broken somehow and just resembles a boat. The mortise should be in the neighborhood of 3 1/2 > 4" square. I had a house where there was not a nail in the framing. All the studs were mortised top and bottom and the sills and beams were all pegged w/45's. It was amazing how plumb they all were, the house was built in 1865. The other possibility is that it is actually framing from a ship, which now that I have looked closer at the angles, maybe a better of the two choices. Same type of construction.

you know what? I am gonna make a stand for this block of wood....whittle a mast for it and go back to the mud flat and find me a block of wood that I can cut to fit as a deck house. This thing is just too darn much a boat to be tossed aside...even though I agree with y'all.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

You have the great advantage of having it in you hands to examine and feel in three dimensions while the rest of us are just looking at flat 2-D images. Go sailing and enjoy!

I remember a boat I carved for model building merit badge that no-one else may have considered a boat. ;-)

 

[unclemac]

You have the great advantage of having it in you hands to examine and feel in three dimensions while the rest of us are just looking at flat 2-D images. Go sailing and enjoy!

I remember a boat I carved for model building merit badge that no-one else may have considered a boat. ;-)

after I doll it up and make a stand for it I will re-post it for ya!

 

[Plug N Play]

It's interesting, and I'm just imagining and wondering ... along with you all.
Perhaps the bottom had an attached keel of sorts, maybe weighted, which might explain the paint ending, and the chisel marks ? I don't know.
Maybe a copper keel, glued and then chiseled off later to salvage the copper?

Whatever, it's easy for me to picture a toy boat also, cause it sure has a lot of the characteristics.

 

[unclemac]

It's interesting, and I'm just imagining and wondering ... along with you all.
Perhaps the bottom had an attached keel of sorts, maybe weighted, which might explain the paint ending, and the chisel marks ? I don't know.
Maybe a copper keel, glued and then chiseled off later to salvage the copper?

Whatever, it's easy for me to picture a toy boat also, cause it sure has a lot of the characteristics.

that is dang funny you mention a copper keel....I keep finding these copper sheathed things at the same site...

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

after I doll it up and make a stand for it I will re-post it for ya!

I think it will be real cool, I like when things are re-purposed.It may have been the life that piece of wood should have had in the first place.

 

[unclemac]

...it's a boat now.....

all the parts came from the same beach...even the white stand, (old Japanese decking)

 

[rick67]

Yep, definitely a boat now.

 

[PullTabProphet]

To my untrained eyes, it looked like a hand carved toy boat to me from the beginning. Maybe a child's first try at whittlin' something...