In 2015, Chuck and Toni Miltenberger received an unexpected email from a couple they had met at the Pismo Beach Vintage Trailer Rallies. Wayne and Kathy Ferguson, the owners of a beautifully restored 1955 Aljoa trailer, had something unique they wanted to pass on—a vintage Masonite-sided trailer boat, first registered in 1948. They had purchased it in 2012 with the intent of saving it, and while they succeeded in doing so, the trailer was damaged during transport to their home in Northern California. Now, they were offering this potential gem to Chuck and Toni, knowing it would be in good hands.
A special gift
Despite already having a long list of incomplete projects, Chuck and Toni couldn’t resist the opportunity.
Wayne described the trailer boat as 14 feet long with a detachable boat, 5 feet wide, and 7 feet 2 inches tall. The exterior was made of Masonite, with a plywood interior and a small kitchen area in the back. The trailer had been built by Horner and Thatcher Trailer Service and came complete with oars, an era-appropriate boat motor, a propane tank, stove, and icebox. “It is a very special and one-of-a-kind trailer,” Wayne said in his email. He believed that Chuck and Toni had the skills to restore it and generously offered the trailer and all its accessories as a gift.
A trailer with a past
The trailer had an intriguing history. The Fergusons had purchased it from Simpson’s Garden Town Nursery in Jamul, California, a quirky and beloved drive-through landscape nursery known for its vintage vehicles and trailers scattered throughout the property. The nursery, which had been a fixture in Jamul since 1968, closed in 2011 when the owners retired. It was a place steeped in nostalgia, and the trailer boat was part of its charm.
The journey home
Chuck and Toni eagerly made the trip north to pick up the trailer boat. With Wayne’s help, they carefully loaded it onto a car trailer, securing it with duct tape and tarps. The journey home was a challenge, requiring six stops to re-secure the load as the Masonite pieces shifted during transport. Once home, the trailer boat was parked in a backyard carport for a couple of years while Chuck completed another project.
The restoration begins
In late 2017, the restoration finally began. Chuck started with the boat, ensuring it would fit perfectly onto the trailer top. The ribs and hull wood sides were original, though the gunwales needed replacing. The original boat mount on the trailer was still intact, leaving Chuck to wonder whether the trailer was built to carry the boat or if the boat was custom-made to fit the trailer.
Preserving history
The trailer restoration involved a frame-off approach to strengthen and preserve its original shape. About 70 percent of the interior plywood was salvaged, and the kitchen area in the back remained largely intact, except for the rear hatch door. The interior retained its original light sconces and bunk beds, with Chuck adding removable chairs for comfort on rainy days. He even repurposed vintage chairs, cutting them down to fit the bunk beds and replacing the canvas himself.
A personal touch
Chuck, a lifelong collector of fishing gear, added a personal touch to the trailer, incorporating items that had belonged to Toni’s father, an avid fisherman who had built his own rods and lures. The question on everyone’s mind was whether the boat would float. Chuck was confident it would, though they hadn’t tested it yet. His goal was to catch at least one fish before the ensemble was dry-docked.
A successful revival
In 2019, they successfully re-licensed the trailer and boat, thanks to the Fergusons’ careful preservation of old paperwork. The registration had last been renewed in 1997.
A labor of love
Seeing the project come together brought Chuck and Toni immense joy, fulfilling their creative and aesthetic sensibilities. Chuck was the artist behind the restoration, while Toni cheered him on every step of the way.
Gratitude to the Fergusons
Wayne and Kathy Ferguson, now the caretakers of a 1965 Boles-Aero trailer, exemplify the warmth and generosity found within the vintage trailer community. Chuck and Toni are proud to share in the history of this unique trailer boat, and they salute the Fergusons for their contributions to preserving vintage trailer history.
