Help me identify this DuraCraft's year & model

[Bam_Bam_of_Atlanta]

It measures 14' long, 64 3/4" beam, HIN 45217, 925lb rating, 40hp max

My best estimate so far for 14’, 64 3/4" Beam Models w/40hp: 1959 SportsmanCust. 275lbs, 1959 Sportsman Del. 250lbs, 1960 Sportsman Cust. 365lbs,

For those interested:
I bought the boat with a perfect running 1964 Evinrude 40HP Big Twin. I have a 12", 13 1/4" and 14" pitch aluminum props and one 14" bronze that looks PERFECT Still looking for 15” and 2 blade 16”.
The boat is so light and the motor 100% rev limited that speed seems to be strictly controlled by prop pitch.
So far I have only used the under pitched 12”. The 13 ?” spun about 300’ into the first ride. I have a new hub for it.
These Evinrude Big Twins have no over rev capabilities. Since I got the 14” aluminum prop so cheap and the bronze is much better, I plan to try to re-pitch it and add some cup. It will be a DIY … I have nothing to lose experiment. Lol The internet has some great guidelines to help on the science side of the science/art of props.

She seems to cruise at about 2 gallons an hour. The 12 gallon tank seems to run all day with 1/2 left over.
I scheduled buying a 6 gallon tank this weekend. That will save weight on the tank and fuel. The motor was also shimmed about 3/4" up and about 5 degrees more trim since she was on the last trim hole. Still have to test.
I hope with the thinner bronze prop with more pitch, less weight, and the motor raised a tad, that she will burn a bit less fuel and I have little doubt top speed will improve. If the water is smooth, GPS will let me know.

I have repainted the hull & motor w/new decals. Polished out the Nautalloy steering wheel. Rebuilt the Transom. Welded up over 20 holes and about 20 cracks! Seems every boat I buy was Swiss cheesed by the previous owner(s). New classic seats are ready to mount. All the bolts to the ski rope anchors snapped so they had to be drilled, tapped and studs put in. Lucky, Holley carburetor studs worked perfect.
I am trying to finish up the wiring to get it back on the water since rebuilding the transom.
Still have to add the Humminbird 587ci HD, 12v & 5.5v USB outlets. I just found out these motors have no charging systems.
It came with a new big deep cycle battery anyway.

The wiring harness for the KIA Soul EV came in. This will be a good test on an EV pulling a boat. I’m guessing it will take a 30 - 50% hit on range.
The Town Car could not even feel it back there. They are light.
The two tone paint job helps give it a classic wagon look. That should help match a modern car w/a classic boat.
I have charted every item & it’s weight to keep it as light as possible. That includes the trailer, now w/LEDs

This is my first flat bottomed transom boat. My god she rides rough in rough water. I have not been beaten like that (Allatoona Lake … Memorial weekend) since riding 70’s Motor-Cross bikes! I did notice she landed much softer nose first using the V bow than landing on the back end. The internet said to trim the front down so that the V bow is hitting first and accept you will lose speed. Now you know why the transom was rebuilt several years before planned. Allatoona Lake looks more like the ocean on Memorial weekend and it was fun playing Burt Reynolds in “Gator”. Lol! It is so light and small that you can’t help but stand up and run it like a JetSki.

The draft is ridicules with the motor raised. She only needed 3-4” of water to float over sand bars on the Chattahoochee river. This is where I will only use the most beat up prop I have. It “will” come back a little more beat up, but what a beautiful place to cruise.

It gets compliments everywhere I go! Strange since it looked like #&&^$ when first bought it. The picture does not give you a clue how ragged out it was. I would hate to see what they called ugly.

My biggest challenge seems to be the crazed 11.3lbs windshield. Told you I was weighing every part to get her light. Internet says you can sand it out and polish it. Ummm … I am having my doubts.

I will try to take some pictures this weekend. In a few weeks I will know more on its speed potential.

 

[Bam_Bam_of_Atlanta]

No Title

Restoration in progress. Still have to finish wiring, install new seats, install windshield, and a little painting left.

Who says you can't tow with an electric car. So far it looks like it can pull about 102 miles before recharging.

BTW, does anyone know what happens to the fish and near by swimmers if I back down the ramp to far and the water hits the 400 volt main battery?
Will the DNR let me collect the fish? Or would that be considered illegal fishing? Lol

 

[jbcurt00]

Sorry I missed your initial post

Based on the Serial# of yours: 45217, I'd bet its early to mid 1960s. Since the motor is a 1964, I'm guessing the boat is too, if its the original outboard.

Duracraft serial #s are sequential regardless of model. It may have been used as a HIN at some point, my '57s was, but it was originally a serial# not a HIN.

My 57s Ser# is 17898

So yours came off the line about the 28300th boat after mine.

M Casey Stock has quite a bit of info about Duracrafts. He spoke at length to the son of the original guy who started Duracraft.

Glad its getting lots of attention.

FYI I kinda doubt Fish and Game guys will be the least of your problems if the 400V car battery ever gets wet

Hows the windshield polishing up?
Any idea what a new 1 of those batteries will set you back?

 

[Bam_Bam_of_Atlanta]

No Title

Thanks! Since I was aiming for my BD year and missed it, does that mean I am now 5 years younger? Lol

I called DuraCraft when I went to rebuild the transom. They put me with the Owner/President. I was stunned. He was very nice.
Since he was the one around when it was built, he was the one to answer my questions. Answer: There is no short cut, had to drill out the rivets & take the splash well off Where do you reach M Casey Stock?

I have not met anyone buying an electric car for anyone to care what the replacement cost would be for a battery. Everyone is leasing. Nissan is about $7500 for a new battery or $100 a month to lease. KIA has not been out long enough to worry about it. Buying an EV is like buying a slide rule or an 8 track. Everything is changing to fast. The Nissan Leaf was free for 2 years. This one will not be free, but way cheaper than a well used econobox. Georgia just ended the $5000 tax credit. Nissan was $4950 for a lease for 30k miles or just under the $5000 tax credit so it was free. Electricity is about $2 for a 100 miles in the summer and $1 in the winter. You would have to get about 150mpg to 300mpg to beat the cost of electricity per mile. And if gas prices go up, even more.

Nissan has tested to 12" of water at speed so it was on the hood. A Tesla owner tested during a flood to ~2'. I don't plan to test. I plan to stop when the water is up to the rim. I hope the rollers will make easy any weight left and the winch for reloading. They try to make EVs so they can handle some flooding.

I never understood a car with 4-5" clearance and the boat 2'. So the axle was moved on top of the springs & the roller mounts cut down so the boat is a bit lower.
My previous boat had a 4" drop axle and that helped. I will see in a week or two.

The windshield is not working out great. The crack repair shows. Maybe the ones who fixed theirs did not wait 10-20 years. Crazing is still bad. More heavy sanding before I can even work to finer sand paper and then buffing. So far it does not look promising.

Again, thanks for the info.

 

[Bam_Bam_of_Atlanta]

No Title

What happens when you do not let Hurricane Joaquin stand in your way. We had a great 4 days at Lake Lanier! Not pictured is Joaquin won. High winds (43mph), heavy rain, 1.5' water level jump, and waves swamped and sank our beached boat. Only the splash tray was not under water in the rear. Subway cups fit the control holes that were underwater and the bilge and bailing slowly exceeded the water coming back in. No damage to the boat. We got lucky! I still have not switched from course sandpaper on the windshield.