25' Motorboat off Weirs
 

I caught this blurred image on side-scan, and was pretty sure it was something worth seeing, like the next two posts that follow this. I know the quality is nothing to write home in either this post or the next two but I was confident but not positive they were man-made. I just sort of "read" this one and decided it had to be checked out. Happens like that alot.

I anchored over the target and descended to 69 feet or so, landing next to a motorboat I estimated at 25 feet, the most intact one I've seen yet in the lake. Big engine centered where they usually are, windshield intact that appeared to be framed in aluminum, with 3 or 4 lines off the gunwhales extending up into the water column; Lines on the bow deck hooked into the guides. As boats go this was in nice shape-no major rot at all. Seats gone but steering wheel in place with a big (chrome?) steel shaft that I assume was the tranny control just to the left of the wheel. No bow numbers to be found but the stern had a placard about 8" x 20" with a name on it-all I could make out was the first letter (I guess the first) and it was a capital "N".

My guess is maybe 1940's vintage-'50s? When did they stop using the big stick off the floor to control forward and reverse?

If anyone has ideas about who owned this thing or how it got there I'd like to know. Nifty find in decent shape.

You've Been A Busy Boy Lately
 

Great stuff. I'd love to ride with you and have you come over and scan a little bit of Melvin Bay this summer. I have to believe there's more in the bay than just "the car".

25' Motorboat off Weirs
 

Our 1965 Chris-Craft still had the forward/reverse lever on the cockpit floor. Any clue as to why it sank?

25 footer
 

I have no idea how she sank.

Better shot of motorboat
 

I was reviewing other images I caught that day and found this of the motorboat. Still not too clear but better.

You'd think that with all the boat traffic in the bay, along with an old town on one end, some historic hotels & mail boat routes, there would be some stuff. Too bad they retrieved that helicopter that went down in the 40s (?)...that would be a cool find.

I'd be very interested in the Melvin Bay scanning!

g

A little More Information
 

Grant and I dove this wreck on June 13, 2010. We noticed a metal boat license plate on the transom. It was difficult to read and we thought it was from 1957 or 1967.

With Diver1111's permission, I dove the wreck again today with 2 other dive buddies and removed the license plate. Attached are 2 pictures. Before cleaning and after cleaning. Clearly it's a 1967 plate.

I also called NH Marine Patrol and gave them the license plate number. I asked if they could search their old records and provide some information, like the owner's name, make of the boat, etc. Captain Mark Gallagher informed me that information from 43 years ago might not be available. Also, because this is a non-police request for information, the best he could do was inform the owner that I was interested in the history of the boat and how/why it sank. I provided my cell phone number and will wait patiently for a call.

I'm used to boat license plates being all numeric. Because this one begins with "Z", could it be a dealer's plate?

Plate off the motorboat
 

That sure cleaned up well-nice job. I will work on trying to find out who it was associated with as well.

Glad to see what the date was on that plate. When we dove it, I was trying to read it, but there was a screw in the number, and the batteries in my light needed to be replaced. It was also tough determining what the make of the boat was. Again, perhaps with a better light, it could've been seen. The seats were entirely gone, so I am guessing leather. Otherwise, the boat is remarkably intact. Even the canvas awning remains wrapped around its frame. I forgot to look for an ignition key, but left a smiley face in the algae on the windshield. The chromed gas cap on the transom screwed right off and back on like it was brand new. There were a few salmon lures snagged on the lines extending up from the bow & transom.

There were also two very large cusk living in the wreck. They really didn't seem to mind our presence.

There was also a name plate on the transom, but no legible markings remain.

Looking again at the original sonar -- wondering if that pile of stuff near the boat is anything. It's a pretty unremarkable and relatively rock-free bottom in the bay there. Hmmmmm...