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MyFishFinder Tips and Techniques => Fishing Equipment => Boats, Canoes, Kayaks, Float tubes => Topic started by: Colorado_Ice on Mar 15, 2004, 08:23 PM

Title: Herters Alaskan: Information Wanted
Post by: Colorado_Ice on Mar 15, 2004, 08:23 PM
Down the road from me a guy has a light blue fiber glass boat just sitting in the yard in front of his auto shop. It's about 13' long and the cast metal bow plate reads "Herters Alaskan".

Here in Colorado this thing is a bit of an oddity. And I just wondered if anyone had some information on it, especially you Mid-Westerners among us.

Anything you can come up with or remember is appreciated.
Title: Re: Herters Alaskan: Information Wanted
Post by: fozsey on Mar 16, 2004, 06:38 PM
We have a Herters, but it isn't an alaskan. It is 16' and totally fiberglass. It is shaped kind of funny, but it works well on the water. I will see what I can sniff up. I will post when and if I find anything.

Do a search on Yahoo and look at the results. It looks like they were made in the 50's and 60's and there is very little information on them. Do you have a picture of the boat in question? I will post some pics of ours and what we have done to it when it comes back. It is currently at a repair shop and the guy is supposed to be putting new seals in the lower unit on the engine. I also got a new prop. When we got it it was pretty rough and we did a lot of intertior work to it. It is pretty nice now. It runs like a champ otherwise it wouldn't be worth much even to us.

Brian
Title: Re: Herters Alaskan: Information Wanted
Post by: Colorado_Ice on May 16, 2004, 09:57 PM
My internet searches only turn up the Herter's boats with remote steering and throttles.

This boat has no console, just 3 fiberglass seats that are also strengthening cross members/floatation chambers. Also a fairly deep "V" hull and metal brackets at the port and starboard stern corners as well as the one on the bow that says "Herter's Alaskan". No deck, no tail fins and no wind screen.

It looks more like a classic row boat only rendered in fiberglass instead of wood. It has fittings for oarlocks next to the center seat as well as a reinforced transom for an outboard motor.

I'll keep hunting, thanks for the feedback.
Title: Re: Herters Alaskan: Information Wanted
Post by: fozsey on May 23, 2004, 09:24 AM
Colorado,

Check out my pics in the "Do it yourself boat and canoe ideas" thread here. The pics I posted are of a Herters. That one had three aluminum benches that we removed and the oar locks are still there. It also had the stabilizers you mentioned. We took all of them out and used a wood deck to stabilize it instead.
Title: Re: Herters Alaskan: Information Wanted
Post by: Fisher50 on Aug 10, 2005, 08:09 PM
WOW, a trip down memory lane.  I'm 53 years old.  When I was about ten or so, my Uncle turned me on the a Herter's catalog.  They sold everything.  Boats motors, guns, every fishing thing imaginable, and a whole lot more.  Believe they were out of Waseca, but not sure what state that city was in.  Kind of like Cabela's, but to a youngster, even better.  I ordered some stuff to make crawler harnesses.  Uncle taught me how to tie them, and I still do it today.  In fact, I still have some of the blades, beads, and clevises from that first order.   I remember the boats.  Fiberglas construction with an open floor.  If they are still in operation today, I would say they are pretty well built.  I really wish I would have kept a catalog or two.  Might be worth a bit.  Does anyone still have one? 
Title: Re: Herters Alaskan: Information Wanted
Post by: bobberstop on Aug 10, 2005, 08:18 PM
Minnesota                              Ron
Title: Re: Herters Alaskan: Information Wanted
Post by: Fisher50 on Aug 10, 2005, 08:25 PM
Just looked for herters.com.  It took me to Cabelas.  Looks like Cabelas handle a line of waterfowl gear from Herters.