1961 Ski-Doo K61
1963 Ski-Doo K7
1965 Ski-Doo Chalet
1966 Ski-Doo Olympique 'S'
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George and Stephen Burdick in
Valcourt, Quebec
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The Following Is
Directly From The J.A. Bombardier Museum
1959
to 1964: The Ski-Doo snowmobile
At the close of
the 1950s, the Valcourt company (L'Auto-Neige Bombardier) is
very successful, as shown by its sales of $3.5 million and
profits of $850,000 in 1958-59. The coming few years will
launch Joseph-Armand Bombardier's greatest invention, the
recreational snowmobile, marketed under the name Ski-Doo*.
This invention will fulfill Joseph-Armand's boyhood dream
and have a profound impact on the success and future of
L'Auto-Neige Bombardier.
A "miniature" snowmobile
Joseph-Armand's ability to finally develop the light,
individual vehicle he had always dreamed of was made
possible by the advent of lighter motors, and especially by
the revolutionary continuous track designed and patented by
his son Germain at the Kingsbury experimental site.
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At the end of 1958,
working with close collaborators, Joseph-Armand
creates the prototype for a "miniature" snowmobile.
The April 1959 thaw meant the end of Joseph-Armand's
Valcourt trials and a chance to take the machine
for a visit with his friend Maurice Ouimet, a Marie-Immaculée
oblate and missionary among the Ojibwa peoples of
Lansdowne House in Northern Ontario. Fascinated by
the little vehicle, the natives try it almost
non-stop for three days. Joseph-Armand is satisfied
with the results, gives the vehicle to Father Ouimet
as a gift, and returns to Valcourt to complete the
project. |
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Father Ouimet |
Production and marketing
Mass production of the Ski-Doo snowmobile begins in the
autumn of 1959. It is immediately welcomed by missionaries,
trappers, prospectors, surveyors, and other people who need
to travel over snow in isolated regions. But the little $900
machine also finds a keen new clientele in sports and
outdoor recreation lovers, who eventually become the reason
for the snowmobile's immense popularity in the years to
come.
After a modest start, demand increases from year to year as
promotion and the sales network expand. In 1959-60, 225
units are produced; 250 in 1960-61, then 1200 in 1961-62,
2500 in 1962-63 and 8200 in 1963-64 requiring numerous
expansions to the Valcourt facilities.
Always concerned with self-sufficiency, in 1963
Joseph-Armand Bombardier establishes his company's second
subsidiary, Roski Ltd., in Roxton Falls near Valcourt, for
the manufacture of fibreglass parts required for the
snowmobile hoods.
The dream is interrupted
Joseph-Armand Bombardier would only see the earliest signs
of the phenomenal popularity of his snowmobile. His death on
February 18, 1964 at the age of 56 ends a full and happy
life. With his departure, the world loses an ingenious
inventor and exceptional entrepreneur. In a moving letter to
his children, he encourages them to pursue his work. The
success of Bombardier Inc. and the humanitarian and social
mission fulfilled by the J. Armand Bombardier Foundation
show he had every reason to have confidence in them.
A model citizen
Success in no way diminishes Joseph-Armand Bombardier's
social responsibility and attachment to his hometown. He
recruits his workforce in Valcourt and respects the pace of
life in the region, such as by allowing farmers to work
their fields in the summer and take factory shifts in the
winter. He also demands the best of himself and his
employees, increasing their pride and sense of belonging.
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Joseph-Armand takes an active part in the community
life of Valcourt. He serves as municipal councillor,
founds council 3207 of the Valcourt Knights of
Columbus, and earns the title Knight of Saint-Grégoire-le-Grand
for his support of Church endeavours.
Passionate about music, he is a member of the parish
choir, and enjoys many happy moments singing with
his children whom he accompanies on the piano. His
love of music leads him to promote and finance the
launch of an orchestra in Valcourt, and his concern
for education leads him to help and encourage youth
to pursue their studies. |
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Knight of Columbus |
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Despite his need for solitude to dream, cogitate,
design, invent, develop, and test, Joseph-Armand
Bombardier always welcomes family, friends,
employees, and fellow citizens who need a
sympathetic ear, a helping hand, support, or advice.
Hunting and fishing are his ways of enjoying the
natural world, which he loves and visits often while
testing vehicles. He also enjoys flying, and buys a
plane and learns to pilot it maybe even dreaming
of one day exploring air transport.
The
first Ski-Doo model snowmobile, marketed in
1959-1960, is equipped with wood skis and a helical
spring suspension. It includes an all-rubber track
and a centrifugal clutch made of only six moving
parts. Driven by a four-stroke Kohler engine, its
maximum speed is 40 kilometres per hour.
1960 sales brochure
Patent for the snowmobile
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