25' 1930 MODEL 25A - "MOHICAN" HULL #40
Current Owner: Steven Martini
Previous Owners: Vince and Pam Markese (1995 - 2014), John & Joann Birkland (1981 - 1995) Jack and Mary Thaler (1940's - 1981)
Unique Dodge and Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg collaboration
Believed fewer than 10 examples remaining
“Mohican” is a 1930 Dodge Triple Cockpit originally from Cooperstown, NY. Cooperstown is a wealthy community located in Central New York on Otsego Lake. Cooperstown is best known as the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The Clark family, whose fortune originated with a half-ownership of the patent for the Singer Sewing Machine, have lived in Cooperstown since the mid-19th century. Notable historic summer residents of Cooperstown included John A. Dix, Samuel Morse, Samuel Nelson, Thurlow Weed and Adolphus Busch, of Budweiser beer, who established a hops farm there. “Mohican” is named after the Indian tribe portrayed in James Fenimore Cooper’s novel, The Last of the Mohicans - part of Coopers Leatherstocking Tales. The town of Cooperstown was named after Cooper’s father William- a judge, merchant and land speculators.
Back in Detroit Michigan, John and Horace Dodge Sr. built a fortune in the early years of the automotive business. An early contract with Oldsmobile led to a relationship with Ford, which ultimately led to the establishment of the Dodge Brothers Motor Car Company in 1914.The brothers were on a roll, as they traveled to New York for the National Automobile Show in 1920. Both brothers fell ill with influenza; John died in his hotel suite on January 14. Horace Sr. recovered, though he passed later that year. While the Dodge's left the company in capable hands, the widows accepted an offer of $146 million for the company in 1924. It left the two Dodge families the wealthiest in the United States. Horace Elgin Dodge Jr. was a charming young man who displayed an aptitude for boat racing and the social scene but not for the automotive business. Horace was so passionate about boats and his ability to sell them that he convinced his mother to fund the Horace E. Dodge Boat Works in Detroit where he began selling the “Watercar" model powered by marinized version of the Dodge four cylinder automobile engine.
In 1930, Dodge moved into the new Horace E. Dodge Boat and Plane Corporation, a state of the art boat building plant in Newport News. Horace had the financials to buy whatever he needed, and this led to the partnership with Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg. Horace approached E.L. Cord to supply engines from Lycoming. As Dodge was one of the very few entities able to pay cash, Cord agreed. The results are seen in this Dodge boat, which features its original 125 horsepower straight eight engine, the original Duesenberg steering wheel and Cord shifter. This boat eatures the only “hood ornament” ever incorporated into a production boat and the Pass-a-Light cigar lighter by Stewart Warner. Commonly thought of as a “mermaid”, the figurehead is actually a water nymph designed by well known sculptor- Russell G. Crook. Dodge boats are one of the rarest of the major boat manufacturers; less than 10- 25 foot models exist.
Engine Update: 1960’s rebuilt 390 Ford FE block, bored to 410cc / 330 HP. Painted Lycoming green, old style clamps, brass fuel lines and black components. I paired it with an old Paragon reverse gear so it still backs up like an old boat and I was able to use all the existing hardware, linkage etc. Also found a set of used aluminum Edelbrock exhaust manifolds and married the two into one 4.25” pipe out the back so nobody would know it’s a V-8.
Read MorePrevious Owners: Vince and Pam Markese (1995 - 2014), John & Joann Birkland (1981 - 1995) Jack and Mary Thaler (1940's - 1981)
Unique Dodge and Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg collaboration
Believed fewer than 10 examples remaining
“Mohican” is a 1930 Dodge Triple Cockpit originally from Cooperstown, NY. Cooperstown is a wealthy community located in Central New York on Otsego Lake. Cooperstown is best known as the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The Clark family, whose fortune originated with a half-ownership of the patent for the Singer Sewing Machine, have lived in Cooperstown since the mid-19th century. Notable historic summer residents of Cooperstown included John A. Dix, Samuel Morse, Samuel Nelson, Thurlow Weed and Adolphus Busch, of Budweiser beer, who established a hops farm there. “Mohican” is named after the Indian tribe portrayed in James Fenimore Cooper’s novel, The Last of the Mohicans - part of Coopers Leatherstocking Tales. The town of Cooperstown was named after Cooper’s father William- a judge, merchant and land speculators.
Back in Detroit Michigan, John and Horace Dodge Sr. built a fortune in the early years of the automotive business. An early contract with Oldsmobile led to a relationship with Ford, which ultimately led to the establishment of the Dodge Brothers Motor Car Company in 1914.The brothers were on a roll, as they traveled to New York for the National Automobile Show in 1920. Both brothers fell ill with influenza; John died in his hotel suite on January 14. Horace Sr. recovered, though he passed later that year. While the Dodge's left the company in capable hands, the widows accepted an offer of $146 million for the company in 1924. It left the two Dodge families the wealthiest in the United States. Horace Elgin Dodge Jr. was a charming young man who displayed an aptitude for boat racing and the social scene but not for the automotive business. Horace was so passionate about boats and his ability to sell them that he convinced his mother to fund the Horace E. Dodge Boat Works in Detroit where he began selling the “Watercar" model powered by marinized version of the Dodge four cylinder automobile engine.
In 1930, Dodge moved into the new Horace E. Dodge Boat and Plane Corporation, a state of the art boat building plant in Newport News. Horace had the financials to buy whatever he needed, and this led to the partnership with Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg. Horace approached E.L. Cord to supply engines from Lycoming. As Dodge was one of the very few entities able to pay cash, Cord agreed. The results are seen in this Dodge boat, which features its original 125 horsepower straight eight engine, the original Duesenberg steering wheel and Cord shifter. This boat eatures the only “hood ornament” ever incorporated into a production boat and the Pass-a-Light cigar lighter by Stewart Warner. Commonly thought of as a “mermaid”, the figurehead is actually a water nymph designed by well known sculptor- Russell G. Crook. Dodge boats are one of the rarest of the major boat manufacturers; less than 10- 25 foot models exist.
Engine Update: 1960’s rebuilt 390 Ford FE block, bored to 410cc / 330 HP. Painted Lycoming green, old style clamps, brass fuel lines and black components. I paired it with an old Paragon reverse gear so it still backs up like an old boat and I was able to use all the existing hardware, linkage etc. Also found a set of used aluminum Edelbrock exhaust manifolds and married the two into one 4.25” pipe out the back so nobody would know it’s a V-8.
