Interesting article about "Florida's First Airboat"

[elChupacarburetor]

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1988-03-20/features/8801170994_1_frog-curtiss-propeller

 

[pierce44]

I bought my first airboat from Lester Lamb back in the 60's for $350, he said he was one of the first to build one. He was pretty old then.
I saw a picture of him with a plywood airboat with a V8 flathead Ford motor and it even had the Ford steering wheel down on the floor

 

[gladesman]

Seems like someone would have a picture??

 

[Scarecrow]

Thanks for sharing. It is great to read about the past. Looking at the prices of the tours in the late 80 is crazy.

If Gerald was working for Sawgrass Rec. back then---------well now we know how he got so wealthy. :lol: Just kiddin Gerald, you got a life that money can,t buy. :thumbleft:

 

[pierce44]

 

[pierce44]

45 Harley flat head

 

[pierce44]

1911 ?

 

[elChupacarburetor]

Those pictures are amazing! Thanks for posting!

 

[josh_2562]

This is a picture of my grandpa John lamb

 

[gladesman]

Thanks for the great Gladesmen photos.

 

[Waterbugger]

Good post on the pictures. I am not really that computer knowledgable to transfer old pictures into a way to get them on computer, looked at some pictures my uncle and dad had from back in the 40's there was alot of old flathead/plywood boats back then. But if this post goes anything like mine did all the car motor haters will try to discount these boats and go into a rant. Nice pictures though good history.

 

[Eric Kimmel]

I bought my first airboat from Lester Lamb back in the 60's for $350, he said he was one of the first to build one. He was pretty old then.
I saw a picture of him with a plywood airboat with a V8 flathead Ford motor and it even had the Ford steering wheel down on the floor

Are you talking about lester lamb who used to live on sw 5 st near 87 ave in Miaami? He was a good old guy had a bunch of grandsons with the last name of parrot. Jesse at coopertown still runs one of his old boats at one time he had built the worlds largest airboat and it was run at coopertown it sure looks small by todays stands
spent a lot of time in his yard we learned to work on cars, buggies and airboats from the older parrots
He also used to have a camp North of the jetport and used to keep his buggies at the guys house just west of the jetport
those were fun days he would work us hard around the yard but the rewards were worth it

 

[pierce44]

Yep, thats him but I remember him being on the NW side of Flagler, was no street signs out there that I can remember. Frank Barns helped me fix one of my old boats in Lesters front yard.
I haven't seen you at the AAOF in a long time, you still have a boat ?

 

[Eric Kimmel]

Yep still have a boat sold the thurman hull and put the motor on another old hull I have. need to pull a jug to replace the gasket o ring whatever its called tried just torquing it down some slowed it down but not enough I would have already done it by now but Gus made me promise not to do it myself says I screwing up to much stuff lately won't let me live it down last motor I put together only lasted 14 hours never claimed to be a good mechanic just a junk man and a rough carpenter.

Yep Mr Lamb was quite a character and his grandsons were kind of a wild bunch but a lot of fun. Great stories can't post them here will tell you when I see you

I haven't been around lost a year with some spine surgeries an just got back to work. had to give up the concrete cutting and demo work but luckily I got a maintenance job just changing lights ballasts a/c filters belts the smaller motors i can still do flush valves faucets ,doors locks anything i can do without a lot of bending or to great of weight, No impact type activities an also have to do things a lot slower buts at least i am walking again and not in a wheel chair so i say my thankyou prayers everyday

One story I can say on here when Mr Lamb was in his late 80's we were fixing a room in his house and tore off some wood we found a old mason jar with really dirty looking liqueur in it. He and another old guy from across the street drank it. remember that huge ficus tree in front of the house he and his neighbor climbed up there hooped and hoolared until way past dark we couldn't get them down or understand anything they were saying. That homemade brew must have been bad or been really really good

 

[gladesman]

Now there's a gladesman story. HaHa

Gladesman