Gould 0738 wrote:
Our regional boating magazine is about to observe its 40th year of publication,
so I'm digging through issues from each of the first few decades to choose
material for an article to lauch the anniversay year.

Here's a couple of chucklers:

From a display ad in the November 1965 issue:

Robinson Marina (now long gone from 19th and Norton in Everett WA) was the
authorized dealer for Owens boats. A new 24-foot "Express" is advertised as
follows: "Minimum maintenance vinyl-covered foredeck...teak toe rail...complete
cabin interior...private marine lavatory with basin...sleeps four...vinyl
covered polyfoam cushions...dish and glass racks...food locker. Available with
standard 185HP Flagship or optional 150 HP MerCruiser stern drive...canopy top
optional.
With all standard equipment, $5,590

A subsequent issue ran a headline that would hardly fly today. Noting that a
local marina had put up some festive lights for the holidays, the article read
"Shilshole Marina Gay for Christmas"

T&G Electronics was advertising some VHF radios. (Remember, these are 1965
prices...) The 75-watt, six channel model was available for $299. A 110-watt
model, also six channel, was priced at $399. The top of the line, very deluxe
150-watt unit with *8* Channels (!) was a mere $549. (A lot of middle-class
jobs only paid about $500/month back then. Imagine taking out an 18-month
installment loan to buy a VHF)

Marine sanitation was a bit more primitive in the mid-60's, judging from this
partial description of,,,,,"Luxury Boat offered by Fairliner" Among the
intriguing new boats to be unveiled at the boat show is an entirely new
Fairliner which incorporates possibly more new and watned features than any
other productin boat offered today. ......Other features include: hot and cold
pressure water, a full-sized marine shower, electric push button toilet that
also serves as a garbage dispoal unit" (!) .........{sounds like grind it
and dump it, to me}

What fun! I'm looking at the "conceptual drawings" for two of our prominent
civic marinas, (Des Moines and Kingston) as the original construction on these
two projects was about to begin. I'll bet if the current environmental laws
were in place, facilities like that would *still* be in the discussion stages
after 40 years.



Thanks Chuck, reminds me of those early SSB radios they cost literally
thousands here, used huge amounts of battery even on standby & you
needed to be Marconi to drive them & their aerial tuners. Always fell to
us, we read the instructions whereas you blokes won't:-)

K