Paul Gockel restored his first boat, a ‘dippy’ or Disappearing Propeller Motorboat, when he was only 14 years old.

  Paul relates, “I purchased this dippy through Duke Boats on August 16, 1968 when I was 14 years old, only a few months before Mr. Zavitz' death. I drove the boat home, bailing all the way, with the Coventry Victor engine running well, but was eager to restore her with all her original machinery. The next day, we drove to Zavitz' cottage, purchased the original E-1 engine, (#5307), dashboard components, original seat cushions and owner's manual. (Mr. Zavitz had just left for the summer. I never met him. He died that winter.) I then sold the Coventry engine.

  Over the winter of 1968-1969, this 14 year old managed, as best he could with the assistance of two parents steeped in the restoration of antique cars, to fiberglass the bottom, re-install the engine bed and engine, re-build and re-install the device and launch her in June, 1969. That was the beginning of many problems. all of which were solved that summer.”

  Since then he has lovingly restored over 60 of these fascinating boats. Now a recognized expert on Dis-Pro motorboats, many of the boats he has restored have won first prize at boat shows, and others were used to successfully re-enact a Dis-Pro promotional stunt with a trip to the Arctic Circle and back.

  Paul is now a specialist in small boat restorations.

  “I do mostly lapstrake, wooden restoration, sailboats and rowboats,” Paul explains. He also makes small wooden boats to order, such as 16’ handcrafted, white cedar skiffs. Calling himself, “a die-hard traditionalist, who appreciates the finest in small boat construction,” Paul, “incorporates all the fine details of every vintage builder in the Muskoka Lakes,” into his boats.

  Paul also produces ‘spoon’ oars. Made of Sitka spruce, these prize-winning single piece oars are “modeled after those built by the Dis-Pro company of the 1920’s and come complete with leather buttons, manganese bronze thole pins and copper-tipped blades.”

  Further proof of Paul’s competent workmanship and desire for historical accuracy.

  And what of his first restoration? Paul later restored the same boat again using more authentic materials and methods, and still owns it today.

  For more information on Paul Gockel’s small boat restoration work visit his website at www.dis-pro.com.