Bolens Snowmobiles 1965 Tapestry

The history of Bolens snowmobiles begins with another manufacturer, called Hus-Ski Limited from Pointe-Claire, Quebec. Hus-Ski built their first prototypes in 1957, but unlike traditional snowmobiles, Hus-Ski's design was a radical twin-track setup that was front driven. The tracks with the engine on top looked like a garden tractor, and the rider sat on a sled trailer behind the machine. Bolens purchased Hus-Ski Limited in 1965 and moved the production from Canada to Port Washington, Wisconsin. The Hus-Ski line was further refined and rebranded by Bolens and quickly became a top-selling snow machine, as the tow tractor configuration allowed multiple sleds to be daisy-chained together as needed to haul loads of various sizes.