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Bottomless Beach Boats?

WaterWalker

Well-known member
I have found several dozen of these "bottomless boats" and like Mat have not found anyone that has the answer as to WhazIt.
I did cut and paste Mat's posting from our club's website. He did such a fine job in both the write up and photo.
The only bit of information I can add to Mat's is that I have found 3 sizes (3/4", 1" and 1 1/4" wide) of these beauties. I have also asked at many of the beach accessory stores and no one has ever seen the metal pieces.
If you do not know for sure what they are, ask around and lets see if we can put this mystery to rest.
We both would love to have a definitive answer to the WhazIt.
Thanks for your reply.
WaterWalker

I've had many people on different forums make guesses from cookie cutters to beach chair parts for these little blue things. They are metal and are magnetic. Many insist that they are cookie cutters, but I won't buy it, they're just too small. I've done extensive searching on the Internet and still haven't found an answer to this puzzle.

Let's think about it for a minute. Look at the size of these things. Cookies made with these would be much too tiny. Trying to build a sand castle with these would take forever. Every bag of sand toys I've ever seen have toys made out of plastic. They also have more than one shape in the bag and each is usually a different color. Most are large enough in size making it easy for little hands to play with. Metal cookie cutters also come in many shapes, but not this small, as these would be a choking hazard. I know I wouldn't let my grandkids play with these as the bottoms are too sharp.

What makes these things so mind boggling is that they are found from Maine to the Gulf Coast. Everyone that has found one says that they are all THE SAME COLOR, SIZE and SHAPE. Some may be more rusted than others but they are all exactly the same. Where did they come from? What are they used for?

Here is my best guess. Even though most of these have been found in resort or public swimming areas one thing remains constant. They have all been found at Salt Water Beaches along the East Coast and the Gulf Coast. None have ever been found inland on fresh water beaches. My conclusion is that they are something off of a boat or ship of some kind, possibly a fishing or lobster boat. I have spoken with lobster and fishing people and they don't know what they are either. They may be used to thread ropes through one thing or another. Can they be part of a sail boat? I don't know. I can't think of any other possible logical explanation. Any ideas? What is it?

Submitted by: Mat
 
I have seen those things before at Ocean City Beach, but I have NO clue what they are from...

HH,
 
Line collet...
 
Ever since I have seen this post ,these are driving me crazy. What are they???lol

They remind me of the inserts on some of the older car rims,,but that is not what they are.
 
Also keep thinking ,,ice cube tray,,,but nope!! I don't think they have anything to with a boat,,at least not part of one. They don't float ,so more than likely they didn't wash into the beach. They were brought in,,part of something and dropped.

The way they are built,rough on the outside and smooth on inside. Tells me they were inserted into a hole similar to their shape. Either for looks or for a mechanical reason.

I also don't think they are real old. That type of metal will rot away pretty quickly.

What was there purpose?? Part of a ??? Cooler,fishing tackle,,wagon,car,trailer,tent,canoe,row boat,food container,beach toy, kite,?????
 
A bit more info after reading the Re: posts.

The items are magnetic, made of steel and they do rust.
I have never seen any signs of wear from ropes or other object on the paint.
I have never seen anyone playing with them or anything that looks like them.
I have never seen any at a fresh water beach. FYI I have detected over 600 beaches (fresh and salt water).

Some one some where must know what these beauties are.

Thanks for looking and adding you two cents worth.

WaterWalker
 
You say these have been found on beaches all over?? Tell me more about where some were found and if all are the same. That is what has me confused. If just a random ,one time thing it could be much easier to explain.

Them things are shaped just like the rung of a ladder,,could be a insert on the ends. But it doesn't explain why these things would be on beaches. And may not be steel.
 
I have found them from Long Island NY, in CT, RI, out to Cape Cod, MA and up to Boston MA.
I have reports of being found in Ocean City NJ, NC and in FL.
Yes they are all the same color, size within a half an inch. So I said there are three sizes.
Yes the ARE steel and they DO rust.

Thanks for the request for more info.

WaterWalker
 
This is still got me thinking?? I have looked through pages and pages looking for a clue!!! I'm thinking it will remain a mystery!!
 
to me they look like inserts or guides for something... maybe a shrimp boat
is there any wear patterns on the inside where the blue paint might be missing? / like string guides?
I hope this one gets figured out
 
It has the positivity of remaining a mystery as it has for over 15 years of my looking for the answer.

Keep on looking...

Thanks
WaterWalker
 
n/t
 
Could be from the bottom of lifeguard flags that they stick in the sand. But that's a weird shape for a flag pole. Tough one
 
A few good leads, thanks to all that posted their thoughts, but no ID yet.

Today is overcast and the lifeguards should have nothing to do but talk with me.
Maybe one of them has seen a "Bottomless Boat" before it was lost.
I am still seaking an answer after finding my first some 10+ years ago.
They are nothing new and always the same.
 
18 years after finding my first bottomless boat on the salt water beaches from Massachusetts to Florida I have found my first at a fresh water beach on Cape Cod, MA.
It is the same size and color as all others, but in much better shape - no rust. And still no ID has been made. There have been many good guesses and thought about what they could be, but no definitive ID yet. As was posted, the mystery may never be solved.

WaterWalker
 
Just a few minutes ago I got word and a picture from Jim W. on Tresaure Depot with the answer!

They are as I thought several years ago, but could not prove. Now I have the picture to prove what the bottomless boats really are.

They are window and door frames for sand castles.

Whatzit solved thanks for all the inputs.

WaterWalker

PS I will sleep much better tonight knowing what they are.
 
[size=large]Thanks WaterWalker and Jim W. for the solution. The puzzle has been put to rest.
Happy Hunting.[/size]
 
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