PATH: Boat Building & Refitting » Boat Equipment » Propulsion » Engines »
PATH: Do-It-Yourself » DIY Boat Building & Refitting » Boat Equipment » Propulsion » Engines »
PATH: Media › Creators » Articles, Books, Magazines, Documentation, Videos, Websites »

---

PAGE CONTENTS: (click ⇒ to go to each section on this page)
⇒ Vendor's Profile, Contact Information, etc.
⇒ Vendor's Products: Models, Specifications, Years, Ratings, etc.
⇒ Product Documentation: Catalogs, Brochures, SpecSheets, Manuals, Parts Lists. Recalls, etc.
⇒ Related Media: Articles, Books, Magazines, Videos, Websites, etc.
⇒ Related EAB Webpages & Main Topic Pages with Links.
⇒ Visit our FEATURED ARTICLES Home Page. Thanks to our amazing contributors.
⇒ This Month's Top 20 Most Popular Articles on our EAB website.
⇒ What our nonprofit Anchors Aweigh Academy and its EAB website have accomplished.
⇒ Members must SIGN IN to gain access to Members Only areas of this website.
⇒ Become an Academy Member and gain access to additional pages and programs!
⇒ Comments: Submit To ⇒ Comments♥EverythingAboutBoats.org (Replace "♥" with "@").

---

The Eska Outboard motor was manufactured from 1961 to 1987 in Dubuque, Iowa. Motors were sold under numerous brand names. Most all Department Stores, Hardware Stores and some Auto Parts Stores sold these outboards, at one time or another. Some were sold under the Eska name and some under a private brand.   The Power Heads were all manufactured by Tecumseh (Tec) Engines. These Power Heads were all Air Cooled, except the 9.9 through 15 horsepower Twin Cylinders. Most all of the Eska outboards had water cooled exhaust columns using “ram tubes” just aft of the propellers (small engines) or rubber impeller pumps (larger engines).

Hard core parts for these outboards are getting more difficult to find as time goes on. Many older outboards used common Ignition and Carburetor vendors for that period. Thus, many tune-up parts remained available long after the model’s obsolescence.

More from www.discount-marine-parts.com.

Like most air cooled outboard motors lacking engine running temperature regulation, they required almost constant adjustment of the fuel mixture jets to run smoothly. This was a common inconvenience especially during low speed operation such as trolling.

History

Lavern Kascel and Bud Essman formed the ESKA Company in 1945. The name of the company was created from the first two letters of Essman and the first two letters of Kasel.

Frederick Ertl and his Toy Tractors

Until the mid-1950s, Frederick ERTL worked in the die-cast department of the JOHN DEERE DUBUQUE WORKS. He bought a small, used die-casting machine, which he installed in his garage on Asbury Road and made the small die cast parts for model tractor toys (not the riding pedal versions that came later) for ESKA. ESKA sold these to the toy industry as well as to farm implement dealers. In these early years, ESKA manufactured the first die cast pedal tractors.

ESKA planned to provide Ertl farm toys to companies with the ordering company’s original equipment manufacturer’s logo. Under an agreement of the three men, Ertl products were delivered to ESKA which then shipped them. Another agreement was that Ertl made tractors and ESKA manufactured implements, but not tractors.

The agreement continued until 1948 when ESKA began producing steel-stamped farm implements in its factory at 32nd and White. In 1950-51, Carter Tu-Scale took over the ESKA manufacturing operation and moved it from Dubuque to Rockford, Illinois. The acquisition allowed Carter Tru-Scale to expand its farm toy production under the Carter Tru-Scale and ESKA brands. When Ertl discontinued the production of large sand-cast riding, or pedal, tractors, ESKA gained another product. ESKA made several varieties of John Deere pedal tractors and trailers. In 1950 Eska also made cardboard farm buildings.

Bud Essman sold out to Lavern Kascel sometime around 1955. Around 1960, William A. Wright, Jr. (Vice President of Manufacturing) and Luke Sapan of Long Island, NY (Vice President of Sales) each bought 1/3 of Lavern Kascel’s shares and the three became equal partners in The ESKA Company.

At around the same time, ESKA, which had begun manufacturing lawn mowers and chain saws in the mid-1950s, added the Eska Sno-Flyr snowblowers to its line and lost interest in the toy industry. In 1960-61 Ertl obtained Eska’s licensing right for Deere, International Harvester, Case, Oliver, and Allis Chalmers.

From Encyclopedia Dubuque.

William A. WRIGHT, Jr.

William A. Wright, Jr. who passed away in 2012, made a big impact on fishing.

Born in Maryland, Wright moved to Dubuque, Iowa in 1950, following a stint in the Army Air Corps and a few years of college, where he studied engineering. He worked for two years at Dubuque Stamping and Manufacturing, then earned an economics degree at University of Dubuque.

He began work at The Eska Company and, within a few years, became a partner. Among his work were innovations for lawn mowers and snow blowers. With that technical expertise — and an interest in fishing — Wright developed an affordable outboard motor by mounting a small, air-cooled lawn mower engine onto an old Evinrude lower unit.

By the early 1960s, the product had become fine-tuned enough to market. Fishermen were the primary audience for the 3.5 hp and 5 hp models, the latter selling for $99. When 1,000 were sold in the first two weeks, the company knew it had a winner.

Eska outboards eventually became the world’s best-selling motors under 10 hp, thanks in part to Sears Roebuck & Co., their largest distributor. Eska also sold engines through several other retailers and under dozens of other brand names, which are listed further down this page.

Wright and his partners sold The Eska Co. in 1970.

In the early 1970s, baseball Hall of Famer and Sears spokesman Ted Williams paid a visit to Dubuque to honor Wright and the Eska team with The Sears Award of Excellence in manufacturing.

In 1980 Eska, by then a subsidiary of Talley Industries of Mesa, Arizona, purchased the Clinton outboard motor product line from the Clinton Engines Corp. The purchase was to consolidate area manufacturers to maintain a strong hold on the market which had dropped due to the lagging economy. Some later engines were built by Tanaka.

Eska’s various Dubuque, Iowa locations are listed as follows:

• The 1948 Dubuque Classified Business Directory listed the corner of Jackson and E. 32nd.
• In 1957 through 1967 the company was located at 100 West Second Street.
• The 1970 – 1986 Dubuque City Directories listed The Eska Company Inc. at 2400 Kerper.
• Eska Outboard Motors went out of production in 1986. Engine stocks continued being marketed with the 1986 model numbers until exhausted in 1987.

From Encyclopedia Dubuque.

Contact Information

Eska Company > Business Closed 1987
2400 Kerper Blvd.
Dubuque, IA 52001
Toll Free: 1-8
Phone:
Fax:
Website:
Contact Form:
Email:

Please do not try to contact any of the vendors on this website via our EverythingAboutBoats.org Phone, Email or Comment Systems. Your message will NOT be forwarded to the vendor.
Contact vendors directly.

---

Vendor's Products

---

Eska’s Private Brands

AquaBug
Barracuda
Blue Jet
Coast to Coast
Colt
Explorer
Federals
Fury
Golden Arrow
Golden Jet
Hanimex
Hiawatha
Pathfinder
Sea Hawk
Seabreeze
Seaco
Seacruiser
Sears Canada
Skipper
Sportfisher
Superbug
Voyager
Wiljo

---

Other Brands made by Eska
(These brands assigned their own Model Numbers)

JC Penny
Sea King (Montgomery Ward)
Sears (including Ted Williams)
Wizard (Western Auto)

---

Eska Model Numbers by Year
(CID = Cubic Inch Displacement   —   TG = Twist Grip Throttle)

From Eska Model Year Guides by Discount Marine
1961-1966
1967-1970
1971-1973
1974-1975
1976-1979
1980-1983
1984-1987

---

Eska Model Guides

1101 – 1734B
1745A – 14034D
14035B – 14241B

---

Specifications For Eska
2-Stroke Cycle Gasoline Outboard Engines
Features: Vertical Crankshaft and Horizontal Cylinders

TABLE KEY:
^ Data: ⊗ = Data Not Available from Data Source. ¿… = …? = Data in Question/Unconfirmed.
BASE ENGINE: Manufacturer/Vendor & Model of Base Engine followed by Specifications.
^ CYL: Cylinder Configuration – (Dash w/no spaces) Number of Cylinders:
^ ^ Cylinder Configuration: …S = Single Cylinder. …T = Twin Cylinder.
^ BORE & STROKE: …mm = Millimeters. …in = …” = Inches.
^ DISPLACEMENT = Swept Volume: …cc = Cubic Centimeters (cm³). …L = Liters. …ci = Cubic Inches (in³).
^ DS = Data Source: Click DS Link to view DS. ⊕ = Data Compiled from Multiple Sources.
MODEL RATINGS: Base Engine Model, Duty Ratings, Power Ratings, Years Produced, etc.
^ A-F: Aspiration-Fueling: Intake Air uncharged – Petrol.
^ ^ Aspiration: N = Naturally Aspirated (uncharged).
^ ^ Petrol Fueling: C = Carbureted.
^ DR = Duty Ratings: P = Pleasure Craft)
^ POWER: kW = Kilowatts. HP = Horsepower. MHP = Metric Horsepower.
^ RPM = Power Ratings @ Revolutions Per Minute.
^ YEARS: Beginning-Ending. Trailing “–” (Dash) without an Ending Date = Still in Production/Available.
^ ^ Vendors usually market products after production ceases, often until stockpiles are exhausted.
^ DS = Data Source: Click DS Link to view DS. ⊕ = Data Compiled from Multiple Sources.

HOW TO READ THIS TABLE

Each line displays the data available from the identified Data Source (DS). The data is displayed according to the Table Key above. Clicking on the Data Source Link will open a new window displaying our webpage for that Data Source. Data Sources include Catalogs, Brochures, SpecSheets, OpManuals, Parts Catalogs Shop Manuals and Articles. The Triple Diamond "♦♦♦" = Summary of data compiled from multiple Data Sources.

Keep in mind that Data can be inaccurate in the source material. We do not correct these errors in the table, however we do point them out in the "NOTES" when we find them. Also remember that in a few cases the source material may be illegible. We try to obtain the best source material available. If you wish to point out an error or you can help us obtain good source materials, please let us know via email To: Editor♥EverythingAboutBoats.org (Replace "♥" with "@")

---

NOTES:

---

Eska
Engine Duty Ratings

Marine:
P = Pleasure Craft.

---

Product Documentation

Documentation with Bold Titles are part of our Academy Library!
To view the entire document, click on its Bold Title Link to go to our webpage for
that item and then scroll down to the "Academy Library" section on that page.
DS = Data Source for Engine Specifications.

---

Related Media
with Links to EAB's Media Overview and Creator Profile Pages

Media with Bold Titles are part of our Academy Library!
Academy Members can view the Media by clicking on its Bold Title Link to go to its
EAB overview page and then scrolling down to the "Academy Library" section for its link.

To help us alphabetize the media lists below, each leading grammatical
article ("The" - "A" - "An") has been moved to the end of the title.
DS = Data Source code

If media should be added to this list, please submit info or link via email To:
Editor♥EverythingAboutBoats.org (Replace "♥" with "@")

---

NOT YET AN ACADEMY MEMBER?
CLICK HERE to discover how you can become a Member and gain FULL access to
thousands of expanded pages and dozens of excellent programs including our library!

CLICK HERE to view ALL the books, magazines, videos, etc. in our Academy Library.
Media are also listed by category on the Topic Pages found on the Right Sidebar ⇒
CLICK HERE to donate any books, magazines or videos, etc. to our Library.

---

Related EAB Topic Pages, Articles, etc.

2 – BOAT BUILDING & REFITTING: (Incl. DO-IT-YOURSELF Boat Building & Refitting).
2.6 – Boat Equipment: (Vendors, Specs, Manuals, Reviews, Recalls, etc).
2.6.8 – Propulsion Machinery: (Types, Configurations, Features, Control Systems, etc).
2.6.8.1 – Engines: (Manufacturers, Marinizers, Resellers, etc).

15 – DO-IT-YOURSELF (DIY):
15.1 – DIY Boat Building & Refitting: (Including: Maintenance, Troubleshooting & Repair).

16 – MEDIA w/Creator Directory: (Authors, Editors, Publishers, etc) + Lending Library.
16.1 – Articles: (incl. Forum Posts, Tech Tips, Tech Notes, etc).
16.2 – Books: (Bound, eBooks, etc).
16.3 – Magazines: (incl. Back Issues, etc).
16.4 – Product Documentation: (SpecSheets, Installation Drawings, Manuals, Parts Books, etc).
16.5 – Videos: (How-to-Tutorials, Documentaries, Travelogues, etc).
16.6 – Websites: (w/Links).

---

If there is anything on this webpage that needs fixing, please let us know via email To:
Editor♥EverythingAboutBoats.org (Replace "♥" with "@")

THIS ARTICLE IS STILL EVOLVING!
The page may contain rough drafts that include raw source materials.

---

♥

---

Visit our FEATURED ARTICLES Home Page
to see examples of our website's comprehensive contents!

Thanks to our amazing contributors for the steady flow of articles, and to our dedicated all-volunteer staff who sort, polish and format them, everyday we get a little bit closer to our goal of
Everything About Boats. If you would like to submit an article,
See Submitting Articles.

— TOP 20 MOST POPULAR ARTICLES —

Ford Industrial Power Products Diesel Engines
How to Identify Ford Diesel Engines
Ford 2715E
Lehman Mfg. Co.
Detroit Diesel 8.2
Universal Atomic 4
Chrysler & Force Outboards
Eska Outboard Motors
Perkins Engines
ZF Friedrichshafen AG
Allison Transmission
American Marine Ltd (Grand Banks)
Boat Inspection
Types of Marine Surveys
Marine Surveyors by Country
Boat Builders By MIC
Beta Marine
Waterwitch
American Boat and Yacht Counsel (ABYC)
USCG NVIC 07-95 Guidance on Inspection, Repair and Maintenance of Wooden Hulls

---

What our nonprofit Anchors Aweigh Academy and its
EverythingAboutBoats.org website have accomplished so far.

• Published over 300 website main topic webpages, many with full articles on the topic. See our Website Contents in the Right Sidebar for the listing of the main topic pages.
• Published over 9,000 marine vendor webpages, all with their contact information, most with a description of their products and services, many with product documentation, specifications and independent reviews. (Includes: Boat designers, boat building tools, material and equipment manufacturers and suppliers, boat builders and dealers, yacht brokers, marine surveyors, boat insurers, boat transporters, skippers and crews, boatyards and marinas, yacht clubs, boat rentals and yacht charters, boating, seamanship and maritime schools, marine law attorneys and expert witnesses, boat refitters and repairers, book authors and publishers, and video producers)
• Acquired over 120,000 pages of product documentation including Catalogs, Brochures, SpecSheets, Pictures, Serial Number Guides, Installation Manuals, OpManuals, Parts Schematics, Parts Bulletins, Shop Manuals, Wiring Diagrams, Service Bulletins, and Recalls. And have made all viewable to academy members through the EAB website.
• Acquired over 1,200 books and magazine back issues in our academy library and so far have made over 700 viewable to academy members through the EAB website.
• Published over 500 DIY How-To articles about boat design, construction, inspection, operation, maintenance, troubleshooting and repair. We are working hard to do more.

We are currently formatting and polishing the Anchors Aweigh Academy online and hands-on courses. The Marine Surveying course has proven to be excellent for both the beginner and the seasoned surveyor, and especially helpful to the Do-It-Yourselfer.

---

Current Academy Members must SIGN IN to gain FULL access to this
website including expanded pages and valuable Academy programs
like our Academy Lending Library and our Ask-An-Expert Program!
If your membership has expired, CLICK HERE to Renew.

IF YOU ARE NOT YET AN ANCHORS AWEIGH ACADEMY MEMBER,
CLICK HERE to discover how you can become a Member and gain FULL access to
thousands of expanded pages and articles, and dozens of excellent programs
WITH JUST A SMALL DONATION!

♥

---

Comments for Public Viewing

Submit any comments for public viewing via email To: Comments#EverthingAboutBoats.org (Replace "#" with "@")
Please remember to put this webpage's title in the subject line of your email.
All comments are moderated before they appear on this page. See Comment Rules.

FROM Donald: "This is an awesome website. I found the information that I needed right away from one of the over 20,000 free articles that you provide as a public service. I'm surprised that so much if this site is free. But I still signed up so I could access the thousands of expanded pages, interesting articles, and dozens of valuable programs! The member's library of books, magazines and videos that I can view online is really terrific! I understand that you and your staff are all unpaid volunteers. Please keep up the good work. And I commend you for your plans to add another 10,000 free informative articles over the next year. I'm thrilled to support you in this endeavor with my small membership donation. Thanks again for all your hard work."

FROM Huey: "I agree with my Uncle, I too have found the articles to be very enlightening. They say that it will take about 100,000 articles to cover the full scope that they have envisioned for the website. They have over 20,000 articles so far and that's doing pretty well, but it could take several years to get the rest. I also noticed that many of the Main Topic Pages and some of the article pages are still in the rough draft stage. I guess that they will fill in as they can get volunteers to work on them. But what I can't figure out is why anyone would spend the time writing informative in depth articles just to give away free to this website for publication? What's in it for them?"

FROM Dewey: "Well Huey, to me It looks like most of the articles on this website are written by very informed people, like boating instructors, boat designers, boat builders, riggers, electricians, fitters, marine repair technicians and marine surveyors. Writing such articles helps establish them as knowledgeable professionals. After all, this website was originally created by a school for marine technicians and marine surveyors. The website is growing in content every day. They even had to move to a bigger, more powerful server because the website's traffic has been growing exponentially."

FROM Louie: "I agree with everyone above. This site is quickly becoming the ultimate reference resource about every aspect of boats and ships for everyone from the beginning recreational boater to the seasoned professional mariner. I use the topic pages on the right sidebar to browse around the website. It's like a Junior Woodchucks' Guidebook for Boaters. Their Members' Library of over 300 popular and obscure books and over 200 magazine back issues that can be viewed online is fabulous. The Academy's magazine is especially informative. On top of that, there is the "Ask-An-Expert program for members where you can get an expert's answer to any of your boat questions. And a whole years membership is only $25. What a deal! I really love being part of this "Everything About Boats" community and help provide thousands of helpful articles free to the public. I think that I'll sit down right now and write an article about my experiences boating with my uncle."

FROM Scrooge: "You rave about this website like it was the best thing since sliced bread. Well, I think it stinks. Sure, it has a lot of good information for boaters, and they're adding more every day, but it will probably never be finished. Furthermore, I don't even own a boat. And I wouldn't have a boat even if someone gave me one. Boats are a waste of money and time and energy and money! They're just a hole in the water you pour money into. If you gave me a boat, I'd sell it quicker then you could say Baggywrinkle. Then I'd lock up the cash with all my other money so I could keep my eye on it and count it every day. Bah humbug."

FROM Daisy: "I'm just so glad that Donald got the boat so we and the boys could enjoy boating — together. And of course all of the girls, April, May, and June, love to be on the water too, especially when that is where the boys are. Oh poor Scrooge, boating is more fun then you could possibly imagine."

FROM Scrooge: "After seeing how much fun you all have on the water together, I regret that I didn't have that much fun when I was young. I've had a change of heart, and I'm giving each of you a Lifetime Academy Membership."

FROM Editor: "For those of you that have stayed with us this far, many thanks. You inspire us to keep working on this phenomenal website. We know that we have a lot more to do. Ultimately, we hope that we can help you enjoy the wonder filled world of boating as much as we do. We are all waiting to see what you have to say about this webpage article. Submit any comments via email To⇒ Comments♥EverythingAboutBoats.org (Replace "♥" with "@"). Be sure to include this page's title in the subject line. Also, your corrections, updates, additions and suggestions are welcomed. Please submit them via email To: Editor♥EverythingAboutBoats.org (Replace "♥" with "@"). It has been truly amazing to see what we have been able to accomplished when we've worked together. Thanks to all those that have donated their valuable time and energy, and a special THANK YOU to all that have supported this cause with their membership donations."

♥

FROM Roger: I have a model 1973-A that I’m trying to find a carburetor for. I did not see that model on your list. Can you help me? {180314}

FROM Editor: Model 1973A is now listed under “Models by Year” and “Model Guides”. See the Parts Catalogs in the “Product Documentation” section. Carburetor Kits are still showing as available, but complete carburetors are becoming a lot harder to find. {200728}

FROM Spencer: Hello eska family, I have a working Ted Williams 5.5 and broke the gas bulb mount screw while trying to stop leaky bulb .  Argh. So I need a new carb.  Serial numbers are all nearly rubbed off the motor. The carb is stamped with  ? L2 390.  Searches come up with  tecumseh  stuff in will a lawn mower carb work if the holes line up? {200517}

FROM Michelle: My dad has tons of eska parts and a couple of non working motors. Any idea of how to sell the parts or what to do with  them.  Any info will help. Thank you Michelle. {200726}

♥