No. 43 Runabout Boat
Overview
Two legendary tinplate accessories return to life with our faithful recreations of the No. 43 Lionel Runabout Boat, complete with clockwork motor and adjustable rudder like the originals.
The 1935 Lionel catalog copy gushed about the boats, "A HUNDRED FEET A MINUTE! That's the speed of the dashing Lionel Craft - the boats that have been winning races everywhere. But speed is not all you get - wonder of wonders, these boats actually steer themselves! They will run out in a straight line for about a hundred feet, then turn around automatically and come back toward the operator. Or, for straight-away racing, the rudder can be locked so that the boat will speed ahead continuously ... or travel around in circles."
Carefully constructed of stamped tinplate metal, the No. 43 sports a glossy baked enamel finish & nickel plated trim, opening hatches, two figurines and a aft Admiral flag. Under the hatches a clockwork motor powers the prop for up to four minutes of wild water racing! The rudder can be adjusted to allow the boat to travel in circles or it can be locked in place.