“The Minnow Would Be Lost”

Among the most long-lived of the silly '60s sitcoms is, of course, Gilligan's Island. Mindless entertainment that lasted for around three years on the Network and for what seems like centuries in syndication. I'm sure it's still playing somewhere. Well, now you can be the proud owner of one of the four boats that played the part of the SS Minnow. That's right shoppers, the 37 foot mahogany Wheeler Express Cruiser SS Minnow can be yours for a mere 99,000 Canadian dollars (89,500 US).

The SS Minnow set out on a "three-hour tour" with actor Bob Denver (Gilligan) and his gang, which wound up as castaways for three years on US primetime television, and their buffoonery replayed around the world for many decades.

"It's the same boat that was on Gilligan's Island … They used it when they went out on the water," said agent George Schultz, who is selling the boat for a retired friend, Scott Taylor.

The vessel, named after former US Federal Communications Commission chairman Newton Minow, whom show creator Sherwood Schwartz was quoted as saying "ruined television," is the third of four boats used in the sitcom, according to a fan website.

One was towed to Kauai for beach scenes. Another was rented for the opening credits in Honolulu Harbor and the other was a prop built by television studio CBS in the second season.

Taylor's Minnow was filmed in the opening credits of the second season at Marina Del Rey in Los Angeles, Schultz said.

According to the show's theme song: "The weather started getting rough/the tiny ship was tossed/if not for the courage of the fearless crew/the Minnow would be lost."

Indeed, the real Minnow capsized off Canada's West Coast during a trip from Alaska in 1993 after hitting a reef, rendering all of its electrical systems useless.

Yup, I checked. They got fans. A Wikipedia entry, too. And you thought Trekkies were dedicated! Here's the boat's listing, by the way. If any reader buys it, I expect and invite on a cruise. Just not a three hour tour, ok?