For Andreas Rhude, his deep interest in Thompson boats developed not only because his father had bought one when Andreas was a small child, but also because he  was born and raised in Peshtigo Township in Northeastern Wisconsin, just outside the town that the Thompson Brothers Boat Manufacturing Co. called home. Like many of the established boat manufacturers, Thompson had captured the spirit of the postwar recreational boom in America. The company had the right product at precisely the right time; there was   an influx of new boat owners that discovered how much pleasure family recreational boating delivered. Owners enjoyed Thompson's wood-constructed, outboard-powered boats that could be easily trailered.

With a heritage dating back to 1904, Thompson Brothers really hit its stride in the '50s in what was becoming a highly competitive market. Its mainstay throughout the '30s and '40s had been its cedar-strip fishing boats and small runabouts sold through national advertising in sporting and mechanical fix-it type magazines.

As an adult, Andreas' first Thompson boat came almost by accident. While visiting his brother on the shores of Green Bay in 1994, a neighbor happened to ask the two for a hand in throwing an old Thompson fishing boat onto a fire. Not wanting to see the old cedar-strip boat go to such a sad ending, Andreas asked if he could have the boat. The neighbor said OK since he just wanted to get rid of it.

With all good intentions to restore this now-rescued Thompson, Andreas invested in another Thompson, a 17-foot Sea Coaster lapstrake in much better condition than the fishing boat. As often happens, finding another boat that's a little bit nicer and buying it because it doesn't need quite as much work can become a habit — a dangerous habit. Andreas began collecting Thompson catalogs, newspaper clippings and every piece on the company that he could find. He pored over the catalogs, interviewed Thompson family members and began to write the company's history, all the while pondering which Thompson boat would be the next one to own. Soon his selection was narrowed down to the 1955 Thompson Thomboy, which was introduced in late 1951 and ran through the 1956 model year.

Finding the boat came easier and faster than he thought. "This one really surprised me," says Andreas. "I found it in the Minneapolis classified ads. I saw the ad, and my heart started beating faster. I called about it, and the owner told me that it was in good original condition; he was the second owner. I went right over to look at it. When I got there, it was sitting out in the driveway, and it was every bit as nice as he had described on the phone. It was a rare boat."

Andreas bought the boat in June of 2000 and used it practically every weekend. He even took it to a few classic boat shows. Andreas says the craftsmanship is superb. "All the seams are tight, and the woodworking shows great quality," says Andreas. "It has a few dings here and there, but that comes with use. Overall, the Thomboy handles like a dream. It's a nice-riding boat with one person on board or four. It'll take a rough chop quite well."