1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

LOL you guys kill me

From the first post in this thread

I've sold my tinny (sold faster than I thought it would) to finance this

Some might say I went to the darkside with that move.

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

LOL you guys kill me

From the first post in this thread



Some might say I went to the darkside with that move.

No Sir, the "itchside"!

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Well want to see what my fellow amateur weather forecasters say?

I'm still finishing some non boat things but hopefully in the next two weeks I'll get out and get to making the center stringer. Which since I plan on going one (maybe two) at a time will require resin soon. I've been holding off buying another bucket of resin due to the fact that I have to store it in my unheated garage. I'd originally figured it'd be at least next month before I'd be safe from freeze but now with this great winter we are having I don't know what to think.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Well I did some researching today and here's some things I found out,

In Iowa boats are required to have the capacity # on the rear side corner(this I knew). This has a five which I never worred about since it means I can get the whole family in(four of us). Then I actually read my title/registration and found out that its actually registered for six.

When I bought it the PO said it was 19', title says 18', and the tape measure says its 17' 1". This is killing me trying to figure out what model it is. I finally found again the manufacturers spec page and looked at all the models and nothing matched the beam (78") measurement. All that listed a beam were mid to upper 80's. I looked at the brochure DJ posted earlier in this thread and started thinking maybe its a Starfire, but it's too hard to read in the posted form for me to get much useful out of and due to size he was never able to email it to me.
When I searched Aerocraft Starfire I don't get much but Evinrude engine info. So I'm left knowing a bit more about the boat but not much closer to knowing what I wanted to know. Ah well a day spent looking at old boats is still good no matter what.

Sidenote - Good news for iboats I think at least 30% of Google hits I saw today led back to iboats in one form or another.

 

[silver_bay]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

When I bought it the PO said it was 19', title says 18', and the tape measure says its 17' 1". This is killing me trying to figure out what model it is. I finally found again the manufacturers spec page and looked at all the models and nothing matched the beam (78") measurement. All that listed a beam were mid to upper 80's.

My (limited) experience is that titles often have bogus info. The title on my AeroCraft says it is a 1959 "JetCraft". I still don't know the year for sure. I _think_ it might be 1960. The original engine was a '60.....

I've been collecting AeroCraft info at http://www.ultimate.com/aerocraft-boats/ ever since!

Your boat might be a "York" -- the catalog lists the LOA as 17'3"
says it has a gunwale length of 18', beam of 82" and a 79" wide transom.

Check out the 1967 catalog: http://www.ultimate.com/aerocraft-boats/91967/index.html
The last year I've seen the York mentioned is 1969. In the 70's the boat names started to start with M...

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Silver, I can't believe I've missed your boat in the past but now pointed to it I have to compliment you on a fine looking little tinny. Thanks for the info that does look(and sound) like my girl.

Now I have to wonder about the year. The evidence of the motor serial# being a 70' but it has the electronics of a 72' on it. Plus the trailer vin plate lists 72'. Not to mention that it does have a HIN tag on it so I'm still fairly sure its a 72'. I would image that Browning kept using the AC molds once they bought Harwill so possibly the iboats specs are skewed a bit.

All that aside it gives me a great look at what she would of looked like new.

Which brings me to the fact that I would like to recreate these AC seats I found pics of in a CL ad.(maybe it was Ebay) After looking I think they were factory.

Plus after looking at and reading

Features automotive bucket type swivel seats for any arrangement of your choosing including lay down bunks

I think I'm coming up with an idea of how they work and would look way cooler than the loungers I had picked out.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

You could build those and they look WAY KOOL!!!! If I didn't have my Captains Seats, I'd be all over those!!!!

 

[silver_bay]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Silver, I can't believe I've missed your boat in the past but now pointed to it I have to compliment you on a fine looking little tinny.

Thanks!!

Thanks for the info that does look(and sound) like my girl.

.....
Not to mention that it does have a HIN tag on it so I'm still fairly sure its a 72'.

You're welcome! Do you mind sharing the HIN? I'm always trying to make sense of serial numbers.

Those seats are wild! Hopefully making a set won't keep the boat out of the water for too long! You seem like you can build anything given two sticks of wood and a stick of chewing gum!

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Man I'm sluffing and missing all the action on my own threads. :facepalm:

Do you mind sharing the HIN? I'm always trying to make sense of serial numbers.

My HIN plate looks just like SBB's but a different ser# (hopefully my quote of his pics works)​

From my original thread when I first bought this boat

TDF, I found your post on the Aercraft YO while I was surfing the net. I too have a YO that I don't know much about. It seems the company had switched ownership so much that the trail of information is limited.

I bought my Aerocraft near Detroit about 10 years ago. It's funny because I live about 20 minutes from St Charles Michigan where the boat was built supposedly.

The Yo model is York according to fiberglassics website.

I never paid any attention to the blue light, but after reading your post, I went and looked, and sure enough mine is blue as well.

I have read your thread on the resto and have been watching for updates. I would like to do the Transom and stringers on my boat in the near future. It has been fun to watch your progress.

Take care!​

And

View attachment 157464View attachment 157465View attachment 157466View attachment 157467View attachment 157468

So many questions SBB and atleast one answer since it seems I can definitely call this a York.

I may also have to admit that perhaps the bow lights have just been effected by the sun and gone blue. Seeing yours makes it seem more likely than it being blue from the PO's story of it being a police boat but still doesn't explain the extra bracket on the passenger side of the dash which I had assumed was police equipment related.

Do you have any pictures of the interior? dash? I'd love to see them if you do.

Have you had yours on the water? I have to ask since I've never had mine out, if so any details of how they behave would be great. I'm guessing it has to ride better than my little Jet.

I'm sure I'll have more.

If you haven't, check out Silver's Aerocraft Page there's lots of info there to wander through.

Finally I've been sidetracked tinkering/playing with the Jet but hoping to get back on this as we get into fall. Hopefully I'll do a better job of keeping track of my own threads too. :redface:

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

I may also have to admit that perhaps the bow lights have just been effected by the sun and gone blue. Seeing yours makes it seem more likely than it being blue from the PO's story of it being a police boat but still doesn't explain the extra bracket on the passenger side of the dash which I had assumed was police equipment related.

Finally I've been sidetracked tinkering/playing with the Jet but hoping to get back on this as we get into fall. Hopefully I'll do a better job of keeping track of my own threads too. :redface:

Et tu TDF, Jet?

I've seen a few mid-60's thru early 70's boats lately:facepalm: and they all had blue not green lenses on the bow light. I'd always thought it was because the light bulbs tended to cast a yellow light not white.

Blue + yellow = green In fact the bulbs in 3 of them were amber...

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Jetstar I should say, and while love that little boat it makes me long to have this one done. I can't wait for the bit of extra room it'll offer and hopefuly the smoother ride.
I'm starting to think the amber bulb is remedy for the color change. I have yet to check the bulb in the bow light but found it odd that the switch for it is labeled starboard and not bow or nav. I'm not sure what to think of the PO's story as I know she had to do a lot of looking since she bought it w/o a title and had to do the search back through owners to get it titled. Makes me wish I'd asked her more questions instead of being in such a hurry to head back home with my new boat.

 

[saginawbayboater]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Man I'm sluffing and missing all the action on my own threads. :facepalm:

My HIN plate looks just like SBB's but a different ser# (hopefully my quote of his pics works)​

From my original thread when I first bought this boat



And



So many questions SBB and atleast one answer since it seems I can definitely call this a York.

I may also have to admit that perhaps the bow lights have just been effected by the sun and gone blue. Seeing yours makes it seem more likely than it being blue from the PO's story of it being a police boat but still doesn't explain the extra bracket on the passenger side of the dash which I had assumed was police equipment related.

Do you have any pictures of the interior? dash? I'd love to see them if you do.

Have you had yours on the water? I have to ask since I've never had mine out, if so any details of how they behave would be great. I'm guessing it has to ride better than my little Jet.

I'm sure I'll have more.

If you haven't, check out Silver's Aerocraft Page there's lots of info there to wander through.

Finally I've been sidetracked tinkering/playing with the Jet but hoping to get back on this as we get into fall. Hopefully I'll do a better job of keeping track of my own threads too. :redface:

I will post more pics soon.

I have had this boat out a great deal and I like the high sides and the overall stability. You can fight a fish at the gunwale and not feel like your going overboard.

I only have a 50 hp force motor and it goes 24 or 25 mph flat out with just me in it. I troll in 1 to 2 footers all day long. it handles them great. I like it to because it isn't to big to go in the smaller lakes and streams. It's definitely way more comfortable and roomy then the smaller boats.

Thanks for the lead on silvers page!

 

[saginawbayboater]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Thanks for the pics SBB I notice the gauge layout is different in yours as mine has/had tach, fuel, and speed in a cluster in the middle. I also notice our windshields are different but I'm sure the vent in mine was some sort of option.

Its also interesting to see how closed up your bow bulkhead is. Someone had done the floors at one time and they must of trimmed it out. Its there but its opened up to be more of just a rib and not connected (side to side) at the top.

Also glad to hear you're getting that kind of speed out of a 50. I'd asked the PO if it was since I bought it non-running and she said "Ya it's scary fast". Since "scary fast" is relative I'd still wondered.

 

[saginawbayboater]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Thanks for the pics SBB I notice the gauge layout is different in yours as mine has/had tach, fuel, and speed in a cluster in the middle. I also notice our windshields are different but I'm sure the vent in mine was some sort of option.

Its also interesting to see how closed up your bow bulkhead is. Someone had done the floors at one time and they must of trimmed it out. Its there but its opened up to be more of just a rib and not connected (side to side) at the top.

Also glad to hear you're getting that kind of speed out of a 50. I'd asked the PO if it was since I bought it non-running and she said "Ya it's scary fast". Since "scary fast" is relative I'd still wondered.

Ya I noticed the vent and thought that was intresting. I also seen your bulk head in your resto pics and assumed you cut it out.

"Scary Fast" that's awsome! I think of those skinny bass boats with a 250hp merc, and think ok scary fast. I can't help but feel like those doods are gonna submarine.

Peace!!

 

[Deleted member 340796]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

TDF, Man you have quite the thread going here. I was looking back over my thread and started wondering where I lost you so I took a jump to your thread and found myself impressed with your skills. That is the best grinding I have seen. Please do tell me how you have become such a master with the grinder. Perhaps I am missing the point cause I tend to wear out the outer inch on my discs and leave the rest good as new. The other side of my efforts leave me grinding through the center nut that keeps the discs on. Hmmm, have not mastered it like you either cause mine work surface does not look that flat. Anyhow, AWESOME work.

Now I am left wondering where you are? You are missed! Hope things at home are great and hope to see you soon! :distracted: :emptiness: :focus:

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Thanks for checking in on me.

Not to mention a depleted budget, once it cools off my boat projects tend to get back burnered pretty fast. I've been busy lately working on cigar box guitar stuff.

I should be working on Christmas projects though.


As for the grinding best hint I've got is to keep it moving at all times. As for the way you wear you discs it just takes sometime to get the feel of what kind of angle you need between the center and the edge. Eventually it just becomes 2nd nature.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Nice work TDF, really nice work! It sounded like a guitar you could easily get into the hands of Jack White, he's an extremely eclectic player/collector and it's sound absolutely reminded me of Dead Weather, 1 of his project bands. It may have even been started during The White Stripes ....

Great work, thanks for the video....

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

Thanks JB,
I'm a big Jack White fan in all his forms (White Stripes, Raconteurs, Dead Weather) I could definately see him playing one of these especially after his diddy bow scene in "It Might Get Loud"

 

[Deleted member 340796]

Re: 1972 19' AeroCraft Help Formulating A Resto Plan

TDF, Do you actually make those? That is so cool. You are multi tallented and holding out on us. Share more of your talents with us.