Overloaded Keel Boat Flips

For over 40 years keel boats operated in Frontierland waters. Many guests today wouldn't even know what a keel boat was unless they had seen the Davy Crockett Keel Boat Race episode of the old Disneyland TV series. In the late 1950s however, everyone would have had recognize a keel boat as a small old fashioned wooden houseboat since that popular TV episode helped propel the nation's Crockett craze. On the show tough guy Mike Fink raced ramshackled Gullywhopper against Davie's Bertha Mae to the vanquished went the spoils Mike an actual historical figure lost the fictional race, but won a long-running, Disneyland attraction.

The original boats had 2 windows they were also used in the Adventures Of Tom Sawyer movie. New boats had 3 windows.The boats were powered by diesel engines. Each boat could hold about 30 guests 1958 original wooden boats were replaced by fiberglass boats.

From WED Disneyland Dictionary 1968 Mike Fink Keel Boats are similar to those used in "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" television production of "Mike Fink and the Keelboats."

From Steve Birnbaum brings you the best of Disneyland 1982: Mike Fink, who lived from around 1770 until about 1823, was noted as a marksman and a fighter-and for telling such tall tales about his own life that he eventually became a sort of Paul Bunyan of flatboat life on America's rivers. One yarn, for instance, recounts the time that Fink, as part of a ceremony of friendship then common among keel boatmen, shot an apple off a companion's head and, when the man fell, was himself shot by the fellow's brother, who had been watching.

In 2001 the Bertha Mae was auctioned off for $15,000. In April 2003 the Gullywhumper was added as a static display along the Rivers Of America

Specs Capacity 308 per hour -- Capacity per boat 30 -- Cycle Time 7:47 -- Load Time 2:12 -- Unload Time 2:12 -- Trip Time 7:30 -- Dispatch Interval 7:47 -- Trips per hour 8 -- Distance Traveled 2300 feet -- Speed 4.7 MPH

The original boats had 2 windows they were also used in the Adventures Of Tom Sawyer movie. New boats had 3 windows

The boats were powered by diesel engines.

Required a "D" ticket in 1956-1957

1958 original wooden boats were replaced by fiberglass boats

Required a "C" ticket in 1959

Required a "B" ticket in 1964-1965

From WED Disneyland Dictionary 1968
Are similar to those used in "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" television production of "Mike Fink and the Keelboats." These Mississippi-type "mudwumpers" carry guests around the Rivers Of America from a dock near Fowlers Harbor.

Required a "D" ticket in 1970's

From Steve Birnbaum brings you the best of Disneyland 1982:
Mike Fink, who lived from around 1770 until about 1823, was noted as a marksman and a fighter-and for telling such tall tales about his own life that he eventually became a sort of Paul Bunyan of flatboat life on America's rivers. One yarn, for instance, recounts the time that Fink, as part of a ceremony of friendship then common among keel boatmen, shot an apple off a companion's head and, when the man fell, was himself shot by the fellow's brother, who had been watching. This was very much to the later consternation of Fink's friend, who had only fainted in fright. The ride in the Bertha Mae-named for Davy Crockett's keel boat in Walt Disney's November 1955 television production of Davy Crockett's Keel Boat Race-and the Gullywhumper-named for Crockett's opponent's vessel is not so colorful. But floating along the Rivers of America in these squat, oddly shaped craft does provide a close-up look at the river scenery not available from the larger, grander Mark Twain and Columbia. You probably wouldn't want to travel aboard all three on a single day, but the keel boats are an excellent choice. Incidentally, the best view is from the pair of seats on the bow and from those on the roof.

In 2001 the Bertha Mae was auctioned off for $15,000

In April 2003 the Gullywhumper was added as a static display along the Rivers Of America