New book for Christmas

m casey stock

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Apr 29, 2012
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Guess what I got for Christmas????? A fresh new copy of "Tail Fins and Two-Tones" Good book and am pleased for the most part. Seems to be full of useful information, but I was surprised that DuraCraft wasn't mentioned as one of the big companies that helped to shape the aluminum boat industry. I know it is hard to find detailed information on this companies production number from back then, but there is enough history on DuraCrafts own web site to make me get the idea they were a player. I won't take anything away from the just deserves of the ones that were mentioned, but DuraCraft was making and distributing Thousands of top quality boats of many styles and sizes in the same time era as the ones that were mentioned and outlived most of them. Yes I am biased, no doubt, but am I the only one that thinks some others should have been mentioned?
 
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seabob4

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Re: New Book for Christmas...

Re: New Book for Christmas...

Yes...
 
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26aftcab454

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Re: New Book for Christmas...

Re: New Book for Christmas...

Is there a " Classic DuraCraft Owners Group" ?
 

m casey stock

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Re: New book for Christmas

Is there a classic Aero-Craft owners group? Arkansas traviler? Cadillac (not the car)? Chrysler (again, not the car LOL)? Duratech? Just sayin', I know we all love Feather Craft, I do anyway, as I said, not taking anything away from the ones that are mentioned.
 
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jbcurt00

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Re: New book for Christmas

Guess what I got for Christmas????? A fresh new copy of "Tail Fins and Two-Tones".................................
Yes I am biased, no doubt, but am I the only one that thinks some others should have been mentioned?
I too have that book.

Also as a vintage Duracraft owner, I too am biased.

I think that the Duracrafts suffer from a few 'problems' that keep it from having the following that other marquees do.

They are fairly rugged hulls so they are not considered sleek & sexy like other lighter weight hulls, or at least mine is built like a tank. This could also lead to the 'problem' of having such a rugged hull that they were abused fairly regularly by their owners, and when they became unserviceable, the weight offered a pretty good return for scrapping it.

Being a rugged hull also lends them to being 'converted' into fishing rigs by subsequent owners.

Before the internet provided access to vast amounts of info, FeatherCrafts were already 1 of the upper tier vintage marquees. Whether accurate or not, I do suspect that the marketing that tauted FC's as built from aircraft scraps & leftovers from WW2, helped cut a fat market share for their boats, that continues today.

For some marquees, there is an unbelievable amount of info available, for others there is very little, and it doesn't seem to be based on production numbers.

Nor innovations, didn't you dig up the info that had Duracraft as 1 of the early adopters of hydroforming the hull, w/ minimal or very few seams?

My impression is that Duracraft certainly had the drastic detailing & fins of other 1957 boats, but for whatever reason, didn't garner the demand as they became vintage hulls:
Duracraftb57002.jpg


Early Porsche cars suffer from typical vintage automotive problems just like others, but have a much greater popular following then other car markers of the same time period that are discounted as electrical/mechanical nightmares. And having little following, means part support becomes even more problematic every year.

In the early 80's I helped a friend attempt to revive a Triumph TR-4. Parts were scarce & w/out access to the internet, it was challenging to source weber carb parts. But I suspect a similar year (1964+/- ??) Volkswagen bug, Porsche or MG wouldn't have been as difficult, IMHO. Brent LOVED that car. Took over 10yrs, but eventually after he got married he let it go. I don't think he ever did much of anything to it after he graduated from high school.

If you are so inclined, I'd suggest you contact the Retro Crestliner site & find out the particulars of how it came the be such a great resource for vintage Crestliners. The FC site is good, but an interestingly narrow minded focus on as they were originally, to the detriment of the marquee, IMHO. Not using a boat that is 95% complete because you can't find the correct stern handle set, or badgering someone who wants to USE their FC rather then resto it to factory original specs is counter intuitive/productive IMHO.

I think the vintage Duratech site is still a corporate maintained website. So even less 'famous' marquess are still popular & supported.

Not sure what I missed, but thanks for the Christmas cheer bob :rolleyes::

:confused:

Your loss, SeaBob. Failing to recognize a quality vintage hull, means there are thousands of great boats that you'll never have the pleasure of boarding or using.

^^^ Cool, more for me & Casey :cool:

Collecting info as you have, ser#'s, production data, your interview w/ the son of 1 of the founders (correct?) is all info that you have that probably no one else does all in 1 location/database............
 

64osby

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Re: New book for Christmas

Casey, sounds like it's time to write your own book.

DuraCraft's are definitely a stout boat. The 14' utility that I had was built like a tank. If it would have been wider it would be sitting in the yard instead of the Lone Star.

If you look at this site you would think Starcraft's are about the only tin boat. Yes I belong to the Starmada. The following is deserved, they are a nice boat to rebuild and handle the water great. There are many other brands that could also be rebuilt and it would be hard to tell them apart excepting logos and paperwork.
 

m casey stock

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Apr 29, 2012
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Re: New book for Christmas

Thanks for the great response JB. I see so many great vintage boats in my back roads travels in the southern coastal area, I wish I had the money to snatch them all up, if for nothing else but to pass them along to someone else that will spend the time to love them back to life. Maybe some day (soon) I'll be able to do just that. I'll be sure to offer them first to those that have been polite in my endeavors to gain knowledge and skills about and for restoring these vintage boats.

Yes Mr. Ward did tell me that they hydra formed those cool vintage hulls, not sure if that was the method used to "stretch" form, as mentioned elsewhere on the web. Pretty innovative for that time era. He also told me that those 14ft runabouts would really scoot with a 40hp bolted on the rear LOL :eek:

My son and I were talking just last night about the need for me to organize all this information in an easy to follow format and send it to a local print shop for a professional layout to be duplicated. I have no plans other than to share a few copies with some friends.

Thanks again Jb for the great response. I'll have to check out the Crestliner site and see if I can pick a few brains. I have spent some time on the Feather Craft sites but mostly just poking around because of my interest in them and only making comments on the "Non-Feather Craft" sections as to stay out of trouble. ;)
 
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m casey stock

Chief Petty Officer
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Apr 29, 2012
Messages
514
Re: New book for Christmas

If you look at this site you would think Starcraft's are about the only tin boat. Yes I belong to the Starmada. The following is deserved, they are a nice boat to rebuild and handle the water great. There are many other brands that could also be rebuilt and it would be hard to tell them apart excepting logos and paperwork.

I kinda would like a Starcraft Cabin Cruiser to tool around the intracoastal waterways in. The one (Islander) that jasoutside was restoring (pre topless) would have done me just fine :happy:

I really have no problem with every boat manufacture that was mention as being a major contributor, and I know that there are tons of small ones that popped up and had a short life that had little or no design contribution, but DuraCraft stuck around for a long time and contributed as much as the least of them mentioned. In fact "In the latter part of 1945, Bill and Chick Ward created the first welded seam aluminum jon boat. This first Ward Brothers aluminum boat was patterned similar to the flat bottom cypress wood boat of that period. However, the Wards saw the advantage of more rake at the bow and more flair on the sides. After testing this aluminum Jon boat, they realized it was much easier to paddle -- and, more responsive with a outboard motor. Also, they found it much easier to load, unload, and pull up the banks of the river. The name Dura Craft was decided upon; and, an industry was born. " FIRST WELDED SEAM, IN THE FORTIES no less! been around as long as the other guys and finally sold out (in name only) in the eighties and the family is still making boats under the name of War Eagle Boats, pretty impressive. All easily found info. by just searching the WWW.

Anyway, just my two cents worth.
 
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