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Thread: Mystery whatzit

  1. 05-09-2010, 9:30 PM #1
    Ed Harrow
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    Mystery whatzit

    Our Grand Neighbor died a few weeks ago (wonderful, wonderful person, as was her husband, couldn't ask for finer neighbors), and their family has been doing some house cleaning. We went and raided the dumpster and found this curious thing. It's about 6' long overall, the straight part is about 4', 6" wide and 1.5" thick. The large hole is 1.125", and the large nail circle is 3.75". There's a small hole near the one end, a small split, and a dowel put thru and wedged. Any idea?




    You can see the tip of the dowel in this photo.

    I also recovered an H&R (Harrington & Richardson) saw sharpening gizmo, complete with instructions. First person to say, "I want it!" gets it.
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  3. 05-09-2010, 10:20 PM #2
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    Mitchell Andrus
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    Looks like a part of a rudder assembly for a small skiff or dory. I've seen similar parts in Nova Scotia. The system was attached to the side of the boat at the stern. Was anyone in the family into fishing or sailing small boats?
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  4. 05-10-2010, 3:53 PM #3
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    It could be a runner for an ice boat....
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  5. 05-10-2010, 7:32 PM #4
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    I'm no sailor but I agree w/the two above: a watercraft steering thingy.
    Wood: a fickle medium....

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  6. 05-10-2010, 11:37 PM #5
    Ed Harrow
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    Well, good guesses, but... If this thing spent much time under water it would very likely have run into the odd rock - it's really very ding free... If it were an iceboat runner, wouldn't it have a metal edge? (I've not been near an ice boat since a was a wee one admiring Mr. Leonard's.)

    What about the H&R sharpening gizmo - anyone interested? You could hang it on your wall as your very own whatzitz.
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  7. 05-11-2010, 1:14 AM #6
    Bryan Morgan
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    I'd say a handle to some kind of cart. Was there a matching one for the other side? Something round was connected around the middle hole... Looks like stress cracks and some wear in the bottom hole...
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  8. 05-11-2010, 5:43 AM #7
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    Well, good guesses, but... If this thing spent much time under water it would very likely have run into the odd rock - it's really very ding free...
    The tiller is the part of the rudder system that's above water.
    The rudder is that part that goes in the water.
    That sure looks like a tiller.

    Google "boat tiller" images and have a look-see.
    Last edited by Rich Engelhardt; 05-11-2010 at 5:45 AM.
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  9. 05-11-2010, 7:54 AM #8
    Prashun Patel
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    It's an ergonomically designed cricket bat for a giant with a bad back.
    The hole in the middle reduces wind drag for a faster swing.
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  10. 05-11-2010, 12:21 PM #9
    Ed Harrow
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shawn Patel View Post
    It's an ergonomically designed cricket bat for a giant with a bad back.
    The hole in the middle reduces wind drag for a faster swing.
    I like it! Quoting my father, "Never let the truth get in the way of a good story."

    That's about the ugliest tiller I've ever seen

    Cart handle - seems possible, but there was only the one. Doesn't mean there wasn't once another. Kind of an odd one, tho.

    Geez, and the H&R sharpening set-up is still unclaimed; somebody must want it. I risked my life and limb dumpster diving to get it, and all of its parts, out of the dumpster.
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  11. 05-11-2010, 3:39 PM #10
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    Shawn, ya beat me to it. I thought of a cricket bat, but was going to go with a cheater hockey stick for a 2 foot person.
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  12. 05-11-2010, 4:51 PM #11
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    It looks a lot like the paddle that came out of the closet everytime I messed up as a kid.
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  13. 05-11-2010, 8:53 PM #12
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    It looks like a shadow of someone holding their head saying "what the hell is this" ....Ohhhh the Wood thing...Sorry...don't know what that is..
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  14. 05-12-2010, 10:47 PM #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ed Harrow View Post
    ....I also recovered an H&R (Harrington & Richardson) saw sharpening gizmo, complete with instructions. First person to say, "I want it!" gets it.
    O.K. Ed, I'm your huckaberry....

    I want it...Send it to me!

    I'll PM you my mailing address....
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  15. 05-13-2010, 9:36 AM #14
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    My first thought was one side of a home made wheel barrow. Maybe one side broke, thrown away, and this kept as a pattern to make a new one. Jim.
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  16. 05-13-2010, 8:03 PM #15
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    Thingy

    Instead of a tiller or rudder for a boat I'd venture a Swing handle for a dagger board (that's a "liftable keel for the non-nautical) on a small sailboat. It really doesn't look right for a tiller assembly.
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