Sometimes you just get lucky
Hi Chuck,
I gotta tell you this story and yes I have the plans. I've been going nuts the last few years looking for affordable paddlewheel boat plans. I've never built a boat before so it had to be simple and inexpensive, something I could get my feet wet with, so to speak. Down the road I'd like to build a large one man stand-off scale boat of the Southern Belle tow boat .
The other night I was flipping through a Science and Mechanix book when I found the magic boat. It was a picture of a 15-year-old boy in his own designed
stern wheel boat. Unfortunately it was a small article with little more than a picture, but the young lad's name was Jimmy Tench. I looked at the cover of the book and it was dated 1961, nuts! I myself am not much at this computer stuff but when my wife saw my disappointment she said just hang on a sec. She worked her magic and lo and behold she (the wife) came up with a phone number. So I made the call. It went something like
this:
The delightful voice of an older lady came on the phone to whom I asked if Jimmy Tench was home. She obviously picked up on my nervousness and said he had just stepped out and could she be of any help? I asked if he had ever owned a boat named Pogo???? She broke into a very delightful laugh and said well not exactly but her son had. I then inquired as to
whether she (Mrs. Tench) knew if there had been any plans made. She said she wasn't sure but if I would like I could call back shortly when her husband was home and he would know for sure. When I called back and introduced myself, Mr. Tench broke into uproarious laughter and explained that Mrs. Tench had explained that some crazy Canadian (my words) had called to inquire about drawings for Pogo. Well we just had a great time talking. His son is now 58 years old and retired. But yes he had some drawings around and S & M had done an article on the little boat, and he would only be glad to send me a copy IF he could find them, it had been 41 years since anyone had called about the little boat. I got the plans in the mail Thursday. What a great experience. Any way
here are scans of the plans that Mr. Tench send me. I should start
building in the next few months when it warms up.
Blue Skies and Tailwinds
T.J.
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