Before I start to prepare my blog report on yesterday's splendid Smallspace 9 Event (Which I should add has a rather good blog-related aspect to it!) here's some photos of my Ideal Boaterific 'Whirl-A-Way' Runabout boat.
As with the others it comes in a plastic display case, plastic moulded base and carded backdrop showing a painted ocean scene . No spring clip holding it in place, unfortunately.
Note the backdrop has had a slight alteration. In the top right hand corner the wording has been blanked out. I'm assuming this was done at some point during late into the production so backing cards didn't need to match what was in the box. In this case the backing card is actually used for the Boaterific 'Barracuda' Sport Fisherman boat.
The 'Whirl-A- Way' is one of six, which was 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.
The motor and the batteries are stowed below decks in the deep hull. This also houses the 'automatic bailer' which is designed to pump out any water resting at the base of the hull, or bilge, so the motor and batteries are protected from shorts.
As I've said in my previous Boaterific posts, the toy boats have lots of delicate chromed detail which is unsurprisingly prone to being damaged, and my Whirl-a-Way is no exception; in fact its had more than it's fair share of knocks.
It's missing its mast and bow flag pole, and some it chrome is peeling off, but, in spite of that, it's still in reasonable shape.
Another small point I noticed is the Whirl-a-way is flying an American flag this time, unlike my Barracuda and King of the Sea, which both sport Union Jacks.
Sadly, that's the last of my Boaterfic posts for now, shipmates, as I'm currently missing the remaining two in the set - The 'Sea Wolf' Diesel Yacht and the' Marlin Tower' Fisherman, but hopefully some of you have enjoyed seeing this old seadog's marine collection.