G’day B,
No, I haven’t forgotten about your Sea Scout mate. In fact, it (and your Sportsman) have had me rethink what I thought I knew about the manufacture of Riptide Outboards ….. more on this below.
My post of the other day was to try to understand the NEW style serial number format. Your Sea Scout follows the OLD and hence was not mentioned.
Some examples of OLD and NEW style serial numbers I have on record:
Boatman: OLD: B205, NEW: 59 5083
Fisherman: OLD: F5624, NEW: 59 6022
Fisherman De Luxe: OLD: F670/9, NEW – No Records
Sportsman: OLD: S 125-9, NEW: 59 8021
Sea Scout: OLD: SS 136, NEW – No Records
A couple of observations from the above:
#1 The OLD Serial Number format is pre-fixed with the first letter of the Riptide Model it is applied to eg B =Boatman, F = Fisherman or Fisherman De Luxe, S = Sportsman, SS = Sea Scout
#2 The NEW Serial Number format is prefixed with 2 digits presumably representing the year of manufacture eg 59 = 1959, 60 = 1960, 61 = 1961 etc
#3 The earliest Riptide Outboards I have on record that feature the NEW serial number format are prefixed 59, presumably 1959. I wanted to try to understand what the following for digits represented.
#4 From other documents we know manufacturing rights transferred from Sheltrums Riptide Outboard Motor Company to Westcott Hazell in 1959
It is therefore not unreasonable to conclude that the change in serial number format was introduced by Westcott Hazell. The reasons are not clear, but a possible explanation for that is to assist with identification for warranty purposes etc etc.
Summary: The serial number format provides some clarity as to who the manufacturer was ie Sheltrums Riptide Outboard Company or Westcott Hazell. The serial number can also help us to understand when and by whom certain features were introduced. For example, there are two Riptide Fisherman outboards mentioned in this thread that have aluminium tank brackets and plain rope sheave. Both of these are prefixed 1959 so presumably WH manufactured. This also explains why the rope sheave does not comprise the Riptide Outboard Motor Company name.
OK, now this is where it gets a little interesting and possibly a bit controversial. Let’s consider first your Sea Scout SS 136
The fact that your Sea Scout has its serial number presented in the OLD format, suggests it was made by the Riptide Outboard Motor Company. This is interesting because it was previously assumed that the Sea Scout was a WH development. Based on what we know now, I would suggest that the Sea Scout developed by Sheltrum’s ROMC and released late 58 or early 59 prior to the transfer of manufacturing rights to WH.
Now on to your Sportsman S 125-9. What we know of the Sportsman is that the earlier models featured a deeper lower cowl and a narrower wrap around section as pictured below.
Your Sportsman was said to be one of 10 proto-type 12.5hp models manufactured, yours being the 9th according to the suffix. We later found thought that the bore size and carburetion were same as those on standard Sportsman outboards, and thus concluded from that, that yours must also be 7.5 or 8hp. BUT, there are things about your Sportsman that lead me to believe it is a proto-type ie of a more recently developed Sportsman (a refined model) manufactured by Sheltrum’s Riptide Outboard Company. Why?
#1 The serial number format suggests it was made during the Sheltrum years
#2 It is the first example we know of with the shallower lower cowl and wider wrap around.
#3 It features Riptide Sportsman badges on both sides of the upper cowl, in lieu of decals. (A feature that does not appear to have been adopted by WH in the more recent production models)
#4 It features an additional plate inside the lower cowl and below the carburetor. (A feature that does not appear to have been adopted by WH in the more recent production models)
Based on all of the above, I am now all but convinced that Sheltrum had introduced the Sea Scout as a successor to the Fisherman and Fisherman Deluxe and had refined the Sportsman, in the month prior to him selling to Westcott Hazell.
The question that remains is, did he also develop a light weight and low cost version of the Sportsman (Sportsman powerhead mounted atop a Fisherman mid and lower) that we often refer to as the unadvertised model, or - as rumour has it that the factory workers produced these for themselves from parts left over after the sale or closure of the business?
Well, one of these just happens to be owned by a member of these forums. Lets see if we can get him to provide a serial number.
PS:
Ozzmotorz, thanks for popping up those photos. I will add your serial numbers to my list. See also above special request. if you could help with that it would be great.
Hugz, don't have a photo of a nut available but will try to organise that for you over the coming weekend.
Regards,
S
