You are invited to make comments, suggest corrections, or upload (and download) photos of our v-drive boat projects.

   This site is dedicated to the ones that made these fine boats as well as those of us who are keeping them alive today.  We would like to find a sample of as many of the mentioned hulls & rigging combinations as we can.   We also invite any additional information or scans of hulls, hardware, catalogs, & magazines not shown here.  It is our desire that this library of information just keeps expanding.  Help us to do that.

   Have fun and enjoy, Bob Dowling - webmaster.

This site explores the history of the V-drive powered inboard runabout from the start in the early 1950s through 1984.

To see each page, hover over each box.  Any additional pages will drop down.  For the hull section a long lost will drop down.  Using the mouse wheel, scroll down the that last page Wriedt. to see them all.  



​​​​the V-drive History Port

​                                                                                       HOME OF THE V-DRIVE BOAT STORY


 

Note: when using the navigation labels to the left, a single click will give you the page, or clicking one of the drop down labels will provide that sub page.





To send history text & photos use vdrivebob@gmail.com  Note that there is no "-" in vdrive.  Send as an attachment for quick download or send as a "text" & photo attachment to our cell at (209) 490-3337.  thanks, BoB

a Kindsvater

Type your paragraph here.

a Kindsvater

a Sanger

a Keaton

a Cole runner bottom

​             Sections


1. Home Page - 

This page has two sections, "History" & "What's New".  Hover over "Home" and they will drop down.  It is suggested that "What's New" be checked now.​

2.  the Chat Page

This is the page where you can send us photos & text about your boat. 

3.  Hull Manufacturers

4.  Hardware Manufacturers

5. the Magazine library

6. the Catalog library

7. V-drive Hydros 

8. Vintage Race Boats

In this last section, we have ran off course somewhat by building and all wood vintage boat.   


This site is dedicated to our #2 son, (driver) Christopher Scott Dowling who passed away (way too soon) in 2014.  He was only 43 years old.