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River Queen Houseboats - identifying, painting, and rebuilding a house boat?

by Rodney Roy
(Windsor, Ontario, Canada)

Help to identify an older River Queen houseboat?

Help to identify an older River Queen houseboat?

Would like to identify a River Queen houseboat, and start a painting and rebuilding project this summer. I got an old River Queen, but I don't know what year it is?


After a good paint job, it will be nice when me and friends get done, but what I need to know is when I paint the cabin, do I need to caulk the seams on the walls ?

Thanks for any help, Rodney, Windsor, Ontario, Canada.



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Reply - Answer
Well Rodney, welcome to the houseboat forums, and glad to hear about your River Queen project. The River Queens are great boats, especially when someone takes the time to rebuild one.

Just before we get going, did you get a good marine survey done to verify the steel hull condition? Steel hulls have a life expectancy, and their conditions are of major importance to insurance companies.

As to the year, I would venture to guess a late 60's or a early 70's houseboat. If you have access to your registration, serial number, HIN or MIC numbers, there's an article about a website that can help identify and track a houseboats history.

As to caulking the seams, I am not sure what you mean, and I haven't heard of others doing any seam caulking before painting the exteriors.

Lastly, hopefully some of our readers will share and post comments about identifying and painting their River Queen houseboats. Feel free to use the "Click here to post comments." link found near the bottom of this page.


Thanks again for sharing, IAN from all-about-houseboats


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Comments for River Queen Houseboats - identifying, painting, and rebuilding a house boat?

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Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Best Luxury Houseboats in Alleppey
by: Anonymous

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Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Join Our River Queen Owners Group
by: Pyro Chuck

If you own a River Queen houseboat please join our group @ https://www.facebook.com/groups/riverqueenhouseboats
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		how old is she? not sure really.
by: Pyro Chuck Scheerschmidt

We'll be digging into our 1966 River Queen project within 2 weeks now. We will be checking the normal spots of course for such info but our paperwork so far says 1966. I am trying to trace this boats lineage and we'll post what we find out here and in our River Queen Houseboat Owners Group on facebook feel free to join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/riverqueenhouseboats

Pyro Chuck
WyomingMudRacing@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/riverqueenhouseboats
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		New River Queen facebook Group
by: Pyro Chuck

we lost administrative controls to our old facebook group so we started a new one with multiple admins to avoid any issues in the future. join our new river queen owners group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/378804799876228
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Progress report?
by: Pyro Chuck

Hey Rodney, have you made any progress? When did you post this I hate this "forum" format due to the fact it has no dates and such like that I wish they'd just go to the normal internet forum format here.

Anyhow, enough bitching lol. How is your project coming along? Do you even still have it? We are trying to figure out to get ours home for a complete rebuild/remodel it's a 1966 38-footer. Was still timber built cabin then so it ALL has to come down due to rot. We will be posting pics and such in our River Queen Owners group on facebook if you wanna join. https://www.facebook.com/groups/178332660250354

Thanks,
Pyro Chuck
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		River Queen History
by: Anonymous

I am 78 and spent my summer in Ogden Dunes Indiana. My father was a good friend of RJ Peterson. RJ built his first River Queen in a old wooden toy factory in Miller Indiana. He marketed at the Chicago Boat Show. It was basically a box inside a steel hull.This was in the late 50s. Because of its success he built a plant on Burns Ditch in Portage Indiana on the shore of Lake Michigan. He wanted the boats to be able to take the rough water so he came up with the raised bow model. After a few years he moved the plant to Douglas Michigan. His son Rollie took over the business when his dad retired from the steel mill in Gary Indiana. It's a great boat that started the modern house boat industry along with a couple others.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Rebuilding my 1970 50' River Queen
by: Wayne Bolla

Bought her in Peoria. Name Bubbles? Fitted her out with a couple of Mercury 225 outboards and have lots of original parts to sell. Outdrives are sold. 318 engines, steering, cables, many hard to find parts. Also new never installed Elder carbs, electronic ignition and engine controls. I am located in Orange Park, Florida. Try googling me for a contact.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Worked at River Queen
by: Anonymous

Long ago I worked at RiverQueen as a welder at the Portage Indiana fabricating plant. I forgot all about it until now.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Dry Rot
by: Anonymous

I have a circa '74 RQ in Kansas with massive dry rot issues. Seems the vinyl on the canopy was overlapped bottom to top.

Any roofer knows you need to cover top to bottom. This seemed to be done at the factory. So when you repair the dry rot on your overhang and replace the vinyl, be sure and make the roof vinyl overlap the ceiling vinyl. You will prevent years of future dry rot.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		What caulk used?
by: Anonymous

So what caulk did you decide on? I am redoing a houseboat in a similar manner and am curious of your outcome.

Thanks, com
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Source of information
by: Anonymous

Contact Tower Marine where River Queens were built. R.J. Peterson would be most likely to know.

John
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Spare Houseboat Parts - replacement drive on RQ
by: Anonymous

We are thinking of buying a 1969 40' River Queen. Can someone give me information on spare replacement parts? Replacing or repairing drives on the RQ? (Nothing wrong with it at this time but if we need to replace or fix can we find parts).
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		1964 River Queen
by: Andbham

I have a 1964, Register No. 1315. It is 36 feet and has been modified to an unknown extent. Seems to have originally been an inboard, but now is powered by an 85 horse Yamaha.

I don't know much about it or its history. I suspect it has been heavily repaired. Right now it needs a new roof deck. That should keep me busy for a while.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Houseboat Repairs - caulking seams
by: Ray

Definitely caulk all outside seams. Make certain to clean out any old caulk and any rust before recaulking. This is also no place to economize. Use the best marine caulk available. It only cost a buck or two to go first class.

I had a '72 40'er with twin 318's and V-Drives. Awesome boat. The canopy was steel, as was the upper sun deck, and had no supports. Front windows were flat with small sliders at the bottom.

Hull # was welded on the engine room bulkhead.
If you have unanswered questions, you might contact R. J. Peterson. He built your boat. He is at Tower Marine, Saugatuk, Michigan. Great guy and easy to talk with. And a WWII combat vet. Good luck on your venture.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Identify a Houseboat - it looks like a 1973
by: Greg H.

It looks exactly like our previous 1973 twin 318 Chrysler, 40' model. Not sure if this one has a flybridge or not, but ours did. I haven't seen many with the bowed front windows along with the sliding glass and screens. My guess is a 1973.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		River Queen history
by: captjohn

I worked for Rolly Peterson designing boats for him in the early 1980's. We were not building the houseboats any more while I was there.

Added many of the raised bows, and extended the lingth on many. The hull numbers were welded inside the engine room at the time. Not a plate, just used the welding rod to make the numbers.

The plant was in Saugatuck, MI. I hope this helped. In the 80's we went to much larger boats, 55' just to take people for rides.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		River Queen information
by: Anonymous

Hello to the river queen owners. The owner of Tower Marina is Mr Peters. Mr Peters father owned a steel mill and as a side business made the River Queens. There are many River Queens still in the West Michigan areas.

I am not sure if Bill is still working there, but is does not hurt call. They can rebuild your houseboat completely to factory specs. They have a top notch repair and rebuilding department. I hope this is helpful.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Hull ID on a houseboat
by: Dave Montrois

The ID on my boat is arc welded on the bulkhead right in front of the gas tanks. 6937-78 that means it's the 78th 37 footer built in 1969. It is fully restored and won the People's Choice Award in my area's antique boat show against lots of vintage Chris Craft and Gar Wood runabouts. Always a crowd pleaser and we love it.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Caulk the houseboat seams
by: pat palmer

Heck yea u have to caulk the seams..There is alot of flex on the house & the caulk normally gets old cracks & lets water in..then rust..This is worse on lake Mich. as alot rougher & throwing the vessels cabin around..

Im guessing this is a 69-70...If u look up in bow compartment it will be welded in...I had a 71- 43' & it had a raised bow & splash rail..As well as non opening front windows...

I HAD IT OUT MANY TIMES IN 12 FOOTERS PLUS..but I just welded a new heavier keel in..Plus I gusseted it in..Making it stiffer & stronger..
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Riverqueen Information
by: Twyla

This one looks just like mine. Thanks to all who posted information, it was helpful to me as well. I would like to see updated pictures of the inside.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		HIN locations on houseboats
by: Anonymous

Check around the starboard stern area and see if there's an HIN (Hull Identification Number) plate on, or stamped into, the hull. If not, check the engine room and look on a bulkhead.

The hidden HIN used to be put there. The last two numbers of the HIN indicate the year. Hope this helps
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Rubberized fabric on River Queens
by: Ron

I just picked up an old River Queen about a 1968 or 69. I'm going to paint it and noticed that the whole cabin area is wrapped in a rubberized fabric.

Is this how they came, it can't be painted, so is replacing it my only option. I don't know what's underneath it. New fan of the RQ's

Ron
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		1971 43ft model.
by: Dan

It is a River Queen houseboat, 1971, 43ft model.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Year of River Queens
by: Bob of Bethel Isl CA

Been years since I worked on one. 1969-1972 at
Richards Yacht Sales on dutch sough RD. Oakley CA.

I believe the last two digits of the year were arc welded inside of the hull on a bulkhead possibly under the cabins bulkhead entrance was my first guess, or maybe the engine compartment.

Richards Yacht Sales sold out about 1974 when he retired. Looking at the Bow, it has no splash guard. They had just came out when I left in June 1972.

Yours looks like a "71" model. The 69 Models and maybe some early 70 models I believe had only one support to the canopy and 68-69 the canopy were rounded in front. The paint looks about right.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		RiverQueen
by: Old Houseboater

Looks like early 70s 43 footer. Probably 318 Chryslers and Dana drives, Kohler 6.5 genny
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Just bought my second River Queen
by: Donna

In the early 70s my husband and I purchased a 1968 River Queen from R J Peterson. We had four children at the time and spent every weekend and vacation on it. As the kids grew and after spending two weeks on board with rain pouring down everyday, the kids were mildewed and I was claustrophobic so we decided we needed a house. It broke my heart to give up the RQ, but I have come full cycle and just purchased a rather beat up 1970 Queen with a good hull and am about to begin remodeling it. 48 years later the kids have children of their own and they are all excited about the next generation being on the River Queen. It will be in the same Marina owned by R J, who was 92 years old last January, still working everyday.
I lost my husband in June, decided to sell the house and love the idea of spending weekends on board the Queen and being on Lake Michigan again. At 79 years old some may think I am out of my mind, but I can’t wait to begin the adventure.

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