Here's some photos of my Ideal Boaterific 'Barracuda' Sport Fisherman.
Mine comes in a plastic display case, plastic moulded base and carded backdrop showing a painted coastline scene showing a lighthouse, and a swordfish leaping from the sea.
It's held in place with a metal spring clip.
The 'Barracuda' is one of six, and later increased to eight 'Marine Classics' motorised toy boats brought out by Ideal during 1966/67 using their unique removable electric motor also used in their 'Motorific' Cars and 'Zeroid' Robot range.
Like I mentioned in my previous Boaterific post on the 'King of the Sea' boat, the 'Barracuda' has lots of delicate chromed detail, as well as a couple of outriggers pointing upwards, which are unsurprisingly prone to being damaged. The only part I can see is missing from mine is a mast which should be attached to the rear deck, but in spite of that, how this toy could have survived relatively intact for so long is beyond me. Just taking it out of it's plastic case needs a certain level of dexterity!
More of that lovely plastic centric 1960s packaging. I love how the Zeroids and Motoriffic also displayed the motor separately, like it was a heart. However, both of those toys just have a clip holding the motor in place. The Boateriffic stand has an ocean swell and what's that moulded blob atop the motor clip? Why, it's a buoy! Talk about thoroughgoing design!
ReplyDeleteYes, it's wonderful stuff, Lewis, as you say, it's all well thought out.
DeleteI can almost imagine going to sea in that toy boat Scoop it looks so good!
ReplyDeleteSome lovely details on it , Woodsy.
DeleteAnother iconic boat design. Believe it or not, my father had a similar sport fisherman boat for a short while in the early 1960s, which I piloted around a bit in New Jersey, fishing for tuna! What an old memory that is!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds fabulous, Zigg.
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