Jack Craib's Rowboat Motor Information Site

The First American
American Motor Company
Long Island City, New York

 

This is the first internal combustion outboard for which there is documentation! 1896

I believe Albert T. Otto is the designer of the American. His patents match up and he was the president of the company. He was an engineer but not a promoter of his outboard as the company reportedly made only 20 or 25 detachable rowboat motors.

Look at the material here and decide for yourself.

For more information and history:

  • Check Arlan Carter's book that is specifically on rowboat motors.
  • Check out Peter Hunn's book.
These photos are of an amazing reproduction of the American by Dave Bono. There is no extant American, so Dave used the illustrations and information available in old publications.

 
When you compare the illustrations it is interesting to see how they adapted the American marine motor to become an outboard.
For much larger images, click these thumbnails.

 

 

Most all of the images were taken from Horseless Age, Nov. 1895.

 
 

See full size article
from 1895.

 

Albert T. Otto patent

Patent US645044

  

 

Below: Motor Sportsman magazine from 1897
     

This little snippet below from Boy's Life, 1957, was interesting!

Where is Mr. Hodge and his research now? - I can't find it.

   Doesn't take long, does it?! This from 1896.