Ventura Inflatable Boat

Hi,
I picked up this inflatable last week for $500 and am looking for any information available. There is no coast guard plate or HIN number on the boat. The only distinguishing mark is the Ventura label attached to the front of it. Several days of internet searching have failed to yield any clue as to who or what Ventura boats was or where it was made. I'm not even sure if the boat is hypalon or PVC, although I intend to do the solvent test soon. Any information available would be appreciated. The boat has wooden floors, a two piece wooden keel, and a plywood transom for a short shaft motor. It's roughly 13 feet 7 inches long (approximately 4.2 meters) and 5' 6" wide. It has three chambers, one for each side tube and one for the nose tube. The inside dimensions are approximately 34" x 88". Interestingly, it came with an Achilles floor bag that fits the floor boards perfectly. I do not think the boat is an Achilles, but if it was I wouldn't complain.

Thanks,

Mike


Here's a couple of pictures.

Re: Ventura Inflatable Boat

Looking at the extended large cones, probably an Achilles made for second party, if so, definitely hypalon made.

Happy Boating

Re: Ventura Inflatable Boat

A member of another forum dug up this information.

"VENTURA INFLATABLES, VENTURA WHOLESALE INC, 14901 OXNARD ST VAN NUYS 91411, LOS, Importers

Presume your boat was imported and rebadged by these guys. They shut shop on 10/6/1988, having been in business for three years, so there's an age for your SIB too."

There's also the assumption that it is likely Hypalon as PVC boats don't usually last that long. The floor boards show 30 years of wear, but other than being dirty I wouldn't have guessed the tubes are more tha 5-10 years old. They look pretty good.

Now I have to refinish the wood, clean it up, and get it on the water.

Thanks,

Mike