THIS TUGBOAT IS NO EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE! THE EXACT DATE THIS WAS MADE ELUDES ME, BUT IF I WERE TO GUESS, I WOULD SAY THIS IS FROM THE LATE 1960'S TO EARLY 1970'S. THIS TUGBOAT IS DESIGNED TO BE PLACED INTO WATER. UNLIKE MOST OF THE OTHER VINTAGE TUGBOATS YOU SEE WHICH HAVE WHAT IS KNOWN AS "MYSTERY BUMP'N GO DRIVES" THESE ARE DESIGNED TO BE PLACED ON A FLOOR. THIS IS A GOOD SIZE TUGBOAT AND MEASURES OUT AT ABOUT 13 INCHES (33CM) IN LENGTH AND ABOUT 4 1/2 INCHES WIDE (11.5CM).
IT IS MADE FULLY OF TIN AND HAS NO PLASTIC ON IT. ALL OF THE ORIGINAL FUNCTIONS WORK AS DESIGNED AND THIS TUGBOAT STILL PUFFS OUT A GOOD AMOUNT OF SMOKE VIA IT'S SMOKE STACK. ALL OF THE GRAPHICS ARE DONE VIA TIN LITHOGRAPHY, SO YOU HAVE NO DECALS OR STICKERS TO PEEL OR FALL OFF.ON THE DECK AND HULL THERE IS NO RUST, NO CORROSION, NO DINGS, NO DENTS OR CREASES FOUND ANYWHERE ON THIS TUGBOAT. BEING A TOY WHICH IS PLACED IN WATER, YOU ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD CHANCE THAT ONE DAY SOME RUST AND CORROSION WILL APPEAR.
THIS TUGBOAT WAS MINE AS A CHILD, SO IT'S ENTIRE HISTORY IS NO MYSTERY! I REMEMBER MY DAD FREAKING OUT ONE DAY BECAUSE WHEN HE WENT TO PLACE IT IN MY BATHTUB, HE NOTICED SOME SUPERFICIAL RUST IN THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT WHEN HE WAS INSERTING THE BATTERIES. BACK THEN, I RECALL MY MOTHER REMOVING THESE BATTERIES, WHEN THIS TUGBOAT WAS LAST USED (A HABIT MY DAD DRILLED INTO ALL OF US).BUT, SHE NEGLECTED TO DRAIN OUT THE WATER WHICH BUILT UP INSIDE OF THE HULL FROM PLAYING WITH IT. WELL, OVER THE COURSE OF A COUPLE OF MONTHS, THIS LEFTOVERRESIDUAL WATER DID CAUSE SOME SLIGHT AND SUPERFICIAL RUST/CORROSION TO BREAK OUT ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT. WELL THIS WAS ENOUGH FOR MY DAD TO REMOVE THIS TUGBOAT FROM OUR SIGHT AND WE NEVER GOT A SECOND CHANCE TO PLAY WITH IT AGAIN, AS HE SHELVED IT.... AND THERE IT SAT FOR LITERALLY DECADES! HE WAS A STICKLER FOR DETAILS AND SEEING THIS RUST ON ONE OF HIS FAMILY TOYS BROKE HIS HEART.
EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT THAT BAD, THE DAMAGE WAS DONE. I SWEAR, TO THIS DAY, THIS RUST AND CORROSION HAS GOTTEN NO WORSE! WHEN I WENT TO LOOK AT THIS TUGBOAT THE OTHER DAY, I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT WHEN I OPENED THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT...
I ALMOST SHED A TEAR! AS A CHILD IT BROKE MY HEART TO SEE THIS PRIZED TOY GO AWAY. HOWEVER, I WAS THRILLED WHEN I PLACED IN TWO (2) SIZE "D" BATTERIES AND THEN ADDED THREE (3) DROPS OF 3-IN-1 OIL ONTO THE SMOKERS PAD....... IT FIRED RIGHT UP AND WITHIN SECONDS STARTED TO SMOKE ONCE AGAIN! I JUST WISH I HAD A DRAWN BATH....
HERE'S HOW IT WORKS: OPEN THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT AND PLACE IN TWO (2) SIZE "D" BATTERIES (NOT INCLUDED) AS PICTURED. SLIDE THE UPPER DECK SECTION INTO THE OPENINGS LOCATED AT THE REAR AND THEN PUSH THE FRONT DOWN SO IT LOCKS ONTO THE DECK. THEN YOU TWIST THE ORIGINAL TIN SMOKE STACK ONTO IT'S BASE.
PRIOR TO PLACING THE SMOKE STACK, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU ALSO PLACE TWO (2) TO THREE (3) DROPS OF OIL ONTO THE SMOKERS PAD. THIS WAY, YOU'LL HAVE NO ISSUE WITH IT SMOKING!
BE SURE THAT YOU DO NOT PLACE TOO MUCH OIL ON THE PAD, AS YOU MIGHT FLOOD IT OUT! NOW YOU NEED SOME WATER, A TUB WOULD WORK FOR NOW.
ON THE REAR OF THIS BOAT IS THE "ON/OFF" SWITCH. WITH THE WATER IN ARMS REACH, YOU NOW SWITCH THIS TUGBOAT "ON" AND GENTLY PLACE IT INTO THE WATER AND OFF SHE GOES.
YOU CAN ADJUST THE REAR RUDDER SO THE BOAT MAKES CIRCLES, BUT WITH THE LIMITATIONS OF THE TUBS SIZE, THIS IS NOT NECESSARY (BUT GREAT IN A POND, POOL OR LAKE). WITHIN SECONDS THE SMOKE SHOULD APPEAR FROM IT'S SMOKE STACK.THERE IS A BELLOW WHICH AIDS IN THE EXITING OF THE SMOKE.... AND YES, THAT IS THE ORIGINAL OIL BOTTLE WHICH CAME WITH THIS TUGBOAT AS NEW! BE MINDFUL OF THE PROPELLER AS THERE IS NO CAGE TO PROTECT LITTLE FINGERS (OR BODY PARTS) FROM IT'S SPINNING! NOW SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS (AS YOU ALSO HAVE A NICE ENGINE NOISE WHICH EMITS FROM WITHIN).
THE BOX IS IN ROUGH SHAPE. I RECALL MY MOM PLACING THIS TUGBOAT BACK INTO THE BOX AFTER A QUICK TOWEL DRYING.
OVER THE DECADES THIS BOX HAS BECOME BRITTLE AND AT SOME POINT MY SON ATTEMPTED A REPAIR AND PLACED A BUNCH OF TAPE ON THE INSIDE OF THE LID. IT LOOKS LIKE IT REALLY NEEDED IT, BUT I WOULD HAVE TAKEN A DIFFERENT ROUTE. IT DOES DISPLAY NICELY AND THE GRAPHICH STILL POP NICELY. ON ONE OF THE SMALLER SIDE PANELS YOU HAVE THE INSTRUCTIONS.SOME BOX RASH IS ALSO PRESENT. I WOULD ASK THAT YOU INSPECT ALL OF MY PICTURES AS THESE DO A FAR BETTER JOB OF SHOWING YOU EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WILL BE RECEIVING FROM ME VS.
IN ADDITION, THESE PICTURES DO BECOME A VITAL AND IMPORTANT PART OF THE DESCRIPTION HEREOF. IN ORDER TO "SEE" THE SMOKE, I REMOVED THE TIN SMOKE STACK AS THE BELLOW WAS PUSHING THE SMOKE OUT VERY QUICKLY AND THIS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO PHOTOGRAPH. I DO HAVE OPTIONS AND I CHOOSE TO OFFER ONLY THE VERY FINEST THAT I HAVE AVAILABLE. I TEST EVERYTHING PRIOR TO LISTING THEM AND ONCE AGAIN PRIOR TO SENDING THEM OFF.I DO THIS SO WE WILL BOTH BE VERY HAPPY WITH THE END RESULT, IT'S THE ONLY WAY I DO THINGS! ALL-IN-ALL YOU WILL BE VERY HARD PRESSED TO LOCATE ANOTHER MARUSAN SHOTEN, LTD TUGBOAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WORKS LIKE THIS BABY DOES!
ADD TO THIS THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE THE ORIGINAL BOX AND THE BOAT IS FULLY FUNCTIONING... NOW YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT ANY COLLECTOR WOULD BE PLEASED TO ADD TO THEIR COLLECTION OF TIN, BATTERY OPERATED, ANTIQUE/VINTAGE JAPANESE/AMERICAN MODEL MARITIME COLLECTION!
THIS VINTAGE TIN/METAL "SAN" TUGBOAT IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF A MODEL, OF AN ERA THAT HAS PASSED. A GOLD T/RATED PSELLER WITH OVER 8 YEARS OF THIS STATUS BACKING ME.I SPECIALIZE IN PRIMARILY THE AUTOMOTIVE FIELD AND I CONCENTRATE WITH/ON PORSCHE, BENTLEY, AUDI AND. I HAVE A UPS ACCOUNT AND MOST OF MY OFFERINGS HERE SHALL BE SENT THAT WAY. I PACK EACH AND EVERY ITEM MYSELF AND DO SO AS IF I WERE RECEIVING IT. UNFORTUNATELY, IN THE PAST I HAVE HAD A FEW RUN-INS WITH SOME UNSCRUPULOUS BUYERS, WHO BY THEIR VERY NATURE "DO NOT PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS". THIS HAS BECOME A FULL TIME BUSINESS FOR ME AND I REALLY ENJOY DOING IT.
I WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO TILL IT BECOMES A BURDEN AND I CAN NO LONGER ENJOY IT. I WILL BE ADDING TO THIS STORE WEEKLY (OR TRYING TO) AND HOPEFULLY YOU WILL SEE THAT I DO EXACTLY WHAT I SAY AND DO SO IN A VERY TIMELY FASHION.
INTERNATIONAL BUYERS, PLEASE READ THE VERY BOTTOM OF THIS SECTION AS THIS DOES APPLY TO YOU.... THIS IS WHERE I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN READING ALL OF THE ABOVE.
IN ORDER TO VIEW MY LISTINGS IN A CONCISE AND ORDERLY FASHION, ALL YOU NEED DO IS TO LOCATE THAT SMALL. " DOOR A TOP THIS PAGE OR THE "VISIT STORE LINK. THIS IS LOCATED JUST BELOW MY SELLERS ID AND FEEDBACK TALLY. IN ORDER TO STREAMLINE YOUR SEARCH FURTHER, ONCE YOU'RE IN MY STORE YOU WILL SEE A "SEARCH" BAR, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE JUST MY MODEL CARS, JUST TYPE IN "MODEL CAR" AND JUST MY LISTED MODEL CARS WILL POP-UP. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE SOME LP'S... I THINK YOU GET THE GIST OF THIS NOW! I HAVE A LIST OF CATEGORIES THAT WILL ASSIST YOU IN STREAMLINING YOUR SEARCH AS WELL. ONCE AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATIONS ON THIS LIGHTLY USED, MARUSAN SHOTEN, LTD VINTAGE, TIN, FULLY OPERATIONAL, BATTERY OPERATED, TUGBOAT WHICH IS STILL IN IT'S ORIGINAL BOX (WITH ISSUES) AND FOR ANY OTHER CONSIDERATIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE GIVEN ME IN THE PAST..... The item "MARUSAN VINTAGE TIN TUGBOAT THAT PUFFS OUT REAL SMOKE WithORIGINAL BOX. WORKING" is in sale since Thursday, June 17, 2021. This item is in the category "Toys & Hobbies\Electronic, Battery & Wind-Up\Battery Operated\Pre-1970".911" and is located in Coventry, Rhode Island.This item can be shipped worldwide.