Very first ever outboard on display at Cobo?

[JW]

Checking out the Detroit Boat show site, I clicked this link:

http://www.mbia.org/index.asp?section={71CC2620-DDA7-4C37-A713-3560C9C217AA}&page={5A53260B-93C1-491D-B59F-340854BB0616}

Talking about what is supposed to be the very first OB. Copy/paste that addy to your web browsers address bar.

[Mark75H]

Link simplified (http://www.mbia.org/index.asp?section={71CC2620-DDA7-4C37-A713-3560C9C217AA}&page={5A53260B-93C1-491D-B59F-340854BB0616})

Now you don't have to copy and paste :D

[Bob Zipps]

When the Management of the Detroit Boat Show says, "Detroit Boat Show Features Centennial of Outboard Motor", they are in reality referring to the "Waterman" brand of Outboard Motor.

There is a four part series on the Waterman Outboard Motor starting in the January 1982 issue of the "Antique Outboarder", the journal of the Antique Outboard Motor Club. While experimental "Waterman" models were made in 1905, Waterman's first production model year was 1906.

The oldest outboard motor know to exist is the circa 1895 "Salisbury" Electric Outboard Motor. The Salisbury evolved into the "Allen Electric Oar" Outboard Motor. A circa 1897 Allen Electric Oar also is also know to exist. There are only one surviving example of the Salisbury and the Allen, and they are oldest outboard motors known.

The is an article on page 47 of the October 1995 Issue of the "Antique Outborder" that compares the Salisbury and the Allen outboard motors in detail.

[pyro]

For a second there, I thought you were going to say that Cobo will have a performance outboard on display for the very first time...

Oh well, I'll go anyway, to see the yachts, aluminum fishing boats, pontoons, jetskis and ski boats...