A quest to find my Dad's Old DUO Runabout

[7362]

Well, I am considering getting back into boating but have decided I would like to see if I could find my Dad's actual old vintage '68 DUO runabout. I often wonder if it is still in existence. The boat had an old 40 HP Johnson Sea horse and my Dad and I would have a great time boating around Lake Hopactong, and Greenwood Lake in NJ-very fond memories. I just liked having it in my garage, fun to hang out on! Anyway -Really miss those days, and while you can't go home again, I was thinking looking for our boat would be a fun challenge and at least worth a try...

I grew up with this boat when I was 8-16 years old and am now 55. Its a long shot but thought it may be worth the time to try to search it up and see if its been scrapped or perhaps still somewhere on the planet??

Just one question for the boating community- how do I start?

All I have is the old NJ registration number sticker on the side from some old photos circa 1970.

Ours was maroon, but it looks a lot like the one pictured below. Thoughts comments and suggestions welcome.

I appreciate your support in my quest to see if I CAN find the needle in the haystack...Thank you.!
Cheers and happy holidays, Mike

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Put this in the Boat Topics and Questions forum. It fits their and will get you many more response's than here on Dockside Chats. I would go to your DMV and ask them if you could search forward? I personally know of an old High School buddy that searched for his 1st car from HS, a 69' MGB, he finally found it and it was a mess, he bought it and then restored it 30 years after he sold it. So it isn't impossible. He did well in life and paid large to find and restore it.

Good luck to you.

 

[Scott Danforth]

finding a car of any value after 30 years happens once in a great while. DMV records for vehicles are kept for a long time finding a boat that may have long since been destroyed..... may happen, however dont get your hopes up.

you have to start with the DMV, and if it was sold more than 20 years ago, there may not be any records as archived boat records were not really kept.

good luck with your quest

 

[southkogs]

I moved you over to the Boat Topics forum to see if we can get some more ideas rolling around.

I'm not sure what suggestions to offer you as many of the vintage glass trailer boats like that were practically disposable by the late 1980s. BUT ... interestingly I actually know the location of a '58 glass boat that was my mom's boat we let go over 30 years ago (still in use). And my uncle ran across one of my grandfather's old sailboats from 40 years ago recently. So, they can be found.

 

[GA_Boater]

Saying the same thing as others - Start with the registration numbers and the state. A lot of ifs, but if the boat is still in recent use in the NJ and if it's still in NJ and if the state will share the information, you may find her. Good luck on the search.

 

[Ned L]

If NJ is still as when I grew up there boat Reg.#?s don?t stay with the boat. New owner- new #?s. The DMV is still where I would start, and about the only place.

 

[JimS123]

I tried to do the same thing here in NY. The DMV told me that the records are confidential and they would not provide any info. Hope NJ is more congenial.

 

[7362]

I would like to thank you all very much for your helpful suggestions and comments. I will call the NJ DMV and start there. I will keep the forum posting on my progress.

I am also going to see if mom who tuns 87 on Monday, still has some boat sale records.
Maybe I can dig up the Hull Identifier Number-not sure how I would look it up. Any suggestions?

We sold the DUO, after my Dad passed in 1980.
I am excited to give this a try, maybe I'll get lucky.

Here is a picture of the Dynamic Duo-thought I'd share..circa 1972. Cheers and thanks
MIke

 

[7362]

I read it as NJ6951AB in case anyone out there has a secret DMV Decoder ring...

 

[Scott Danforth]

HIN's showed up in 1972. In 1968 you had serial numbers.

The registration numbers you posted you have to take to the DMV as there is no decoding them other than the first letters being the state "NJ", and the last two letters being the state of New Jersey's code for the manufacturer. The 4 numbers in the middle were assigned to your Father when he registered it. Only the state of NJ can follow the records

 

[kjdunne]

Not sure when it started, but in NJ the registration number stays with the boat when ownership changes in-state. It's been at least 20 years that I know of.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

You have a big job ahead of you. There unfortunately is a very strong possibility that boat went to boat Heaven a long time ago. There is nothing special about the boat to someone not attached to it's history like yourself. There isn't much impetus for a 2nd, 3rd or 10th owner to keep up a 50 year old boat that isn't a collectable. If you are able to find it you should be in the FBI. I hope you do find her and find her in salvageable condition, finding it is one thing finding it in 1 piece is another. Good luck to you.

 

[JimS123]

HIN's showed up in 1972. In 1968 you had serial numbers.

The registration numbers you posted you have to take to the DMV as there is no decoding them other than the first letters being the state "NJ", and the last two letters being the state of New Jersey's code for the manufacturer. The 4 numbers in the middle were assigned to your Father when he registered it. Only the state of NJ can follow the records

In olden times boat numbers were more of a state designated "serial number". "Universal" registration numbers began in 1961. Regardless what your old number was, all boats got renumbered.

The first 2 letters signified the state. The 4 numbers were sequential. The last 2 letters were arbitrarily picked in NY. My Dad's 1939 boat got an AA in 1961. My first boat in 1968 was a BB. My 1984 is a PG and my 2017 is an MM.

Don't know what they plan to do after the ZZ's run out.

 

[jkust]

This may be out of left field and completely not applicable but can a FOIA request be submitted to find out what you are are seeking?
I'm happy my childhood boat is sitting in my dad's garage just collecting dust. I wanted the truck we had when I was growing up and my dad sold it one day without telling anybody.

 

[David Young]

I tried to do the same thing here in NY. The DMV told me that the records are confidential and they would not provide any info. Hope NJ is more congenial.

​This is true for every state. Something about 'anti stalking' laws that have been passed. Maybe a police department could check but maybe not

 

[REN3G8]

Maybe try looking up For sale ads, you never know, it might just pop up for sale... if not, at least you can buy a similar one and just know that's similar to what your dad owned at least.

 

[shrew]

You have the memories whether you have the boat or not. I wish you the very best of luck, however I anticipate you are going to spend an enormous amount of time on what will end up being a dead-end. For one, the percentage of boats of this vintage still being around are very, very low. Most are in the bottom of lakes, rivers or landfills. The chance that one of the very few remaining models (I estimate that being in the 10's) being your boat, would be like winning the lottery. Even if it still exists, following the trail and actually finding it will be almost impossible.

 

[JimS123]

I bought my first brand spanking new boat in 1971. My baby was never kept outside, and even covered inside the garage. Then I had no house so had to rent a garage down the street.

By 1984 the family was too big for the boat so I traded it in. I just loved that boat, and it was a sad time to have to sell her.

25 years later we were driving down the road 100 miles away from home down south and there she was on the shoulder with a for sale sign. She still looked like new. I contacted the owner and we talked for hours. He had kept her in a garage as well and hardly used her.

One year later, there she was again for sale 20 miles further south on another front lawn. The 3rd owner found it too small for him as well, and kept her uncovered in the driveway. A lot of wax and some TLC and she might have cleaned up, but OMG how sad she looked.

Three more years and along side the road 20 more miles south and another for sale sign. Now after about 4 years outside with no cover in northern NY winters she was total crap. The hull had scratches all over, the upholstery was beyond repair and the deck was rotten through.

My point here is that after a lot of years go by chances of finding an old craft still in usable condition are slim. Good luck to you. I hope your story has a happy ending.

PS - in my next life I intend to build a 20 car pole barn right at the get-go and keep every boat and car I ever buy......LOL.