Thanks for the history! Now, what year was it?
And, I read this year (2020) is the 100th year anniversary of SkiDoo. If so, they sure aren't making much of a splash about it.

 

That was in 1959.
This will be the 62nd year for Skidoo I believe

 

First sleds built were ski-dogs

 

Except it was SKI-DOG as stated above.

A misprint and they became SKI DOO.

 

Except it was SKI-DOG as stated above.

A misprint and they became SKI DOO.

Much like how "Monkey Kong" became "Donkey Kong"

 

if you get the chance go to Valcourt Qc to the ski doo museum ,was one of the greatest things in snowmobiling I have done ,Eagle River snow derby was another .But the museum is done right.

 

if you get the chance go to Valcourt Qc to the ski doo museum ,was one of the greatest things in snowmobiling I have done ,Eagle River snow derby was another .But the museum is done right.

It is pretty cool to see,Valcourt is about 1 hour 45 minutes from me.

 

I know this isnt about who was first but, Carl Ealison in Sayner is credited with firs sled and the Lumber yard in Sayner has that sled on display.

 

I believe the first bombardier was a converted bus for transportation. The smaller for fun ski-doo came later.

 

I know this isnt about who was first but, Carl Ealison in Sayner is credited with firs sled and the Lumber yard in Sayner has that sled on display.

Motorized toboggan designed for utility purposes. The original 1959 Ski-Doo was the first small relatively lightweight purpose built for recreation over the snow vehicle. It was the first anything even remotely resembling a modern snowmobile. And it sent Polaris, who was building 1,000+ lb rear engine tractors at the time, back to the drawing board.

 

I thought he was putting tracks on model t’s during ww2

 

It was the sprocket driven track that was the big deal. The early Bombardiar logo represented that.

 

Motorized toboggan designed for utility purposes. The original 1959 Ski-Doo was the first small relatively lightweight purpose built for recreation over the snow vehicle. It was the first anything even remotely resembling a modern snowmobile. And it sent Polaris, who was building 1,000+ lb rear engine tractors at the time, back to the drawing board.

And poo has been copying doo ever since h34r:

 

And for who is wondering why he end up with the yellow color and the red leather seat, it is because J. Armand bought the left over of the administration of public thoroughfares of Quebec for cheap prices. If you remember all the vehicules were yellow with red leather seat including the school buses. I know that cause i was born and raise close to Valcourt and went to high school at Valcourt.

 

This tells the whole story

https://www.museebombardier.com/fr/biographie

 

This tells the whole story

https://www.museebombardier.com/fr/biographie

For the english version https://www.museebombardier.com/en/biography

 

And it sent Polaris, who was building 1,000+ lb rear engine tractors at the time, back to the drawing board.

Funny how history is repeating itself, over and over again...

 

As long as we are discussing the pioneers of the sport allow me to add this gentleman.

https://www.snowmobilehalloffame.com/snowmobile-hall-of-fame-inductees/edgar-hetteen/

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting and having a long talk with Mr. Hetteen in 1992 at the International Snowmobile Congress in Madison Wisconsin. He was a soft spoken genius. He had a prototype of his first gas powered sled there on display.

He spoke at one of the seminars we had. He told a story about when he first started selling sleds out of his garage. He said he'd put three or four out in front of his garage and let them sit for a day or two. Then he'd move one to behind his garage. Then the next day he'd move another behind his garage. Then a day or two later he'd clean the lot. A couple days later the lot would have three or four sleds in it again. People started dropping by and asking Mr. Hetteen where the sleds were going? Mr. Hetteen told them he was selling them and having trouble keeping up with demand. This sparked a lot of interest and the sleds indeed did start to sell. Then he did have trouble keeping up.

The rest is history.

Lynn

 

There is a book on Amazon called "Snowmobile Bombardier's Dream" Looks like a kids book but I might order in.

 

https://sternrubber.com/blog/edgar-hetteen-polaris-arctic-cat-and-asv

A little more about Mr. Heeteen.

Lynn

 

Motorized toboggan designed for utility purposes. The original 1959 Ski-Doo was the first small relatively lightweight purpose built for recreation over the snow vehicle. It was the first anything even remotely resembling a modern snowmobile. And it sent Polaris, who was building 1,000+ lb rear engine tractors at the time, back to the drawing board.

And Polaris co-founder David Johnson had built the rear engine tractors by copying the Eliason snowmobile he had became familiar with in the service - after the patents had run out.