Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

[guardian64]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

Would you happen to know the history of this boat? I find the more I learn, the more I want to know.

 

[saildan]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

Would you happen to know the history of this boat? I find the more I learn, the more I want to know.

No more than we have both discovered while figuring out the type of rig along with what I have already surmised from general knowledge of small sailboats during that era.

I think you can sum it up by saying it was a pitch by a powerboat company who specialized in aluminum boats to ease the belt tightening of the oil crisis by temporarily building a fiberglass sailboat during a time when small sailboats were extremely popular.

The boat is a basic family fun boat as opposed to an Olympic class racer. It uses a gaff rig reminiscent of New England fishing boats from half a century earlier. It's wide for comfort and stability (hopefully - I've never sailed one) rather than narrow for speed.

I would speculate if you were to find out where AlumaCraft was located during the time period this boat was produced and visited the library in that town, you might find an article or an ad about the boat in an old newspaper.

As we've both seen, there wasn't enough notoriety about this particular boat to make it into the annals that followed it's motorboat siblings.

Here's a little AlumaCraft trivia off the net.

An article on AlumaCraft history by Lee Wangstad appeared in the Jan/Feb 2009 issue of "Classic Boating" magazine. AlumaCraft was sold in 1960 to Hupp Corporation. And in 1963 Hupp sold AlumaCraft to Alpex Corporation. Alpex sold off the aluminum line in 1970 to Timpte Industries, builder of aluminum truck trailers. In 1972 AlumaCraft moved from Minneapolis to St. Peter, MN and they dropped the fiberglass line.

And this set of specs

LOA = 14' 0"
LWL = 12' 0"
Beam = 5' 0"
CenterBoard Up 0' 5", Down ?' ?"
Keel = Swing Centerboard
Rig = Sloop (Gaff rigged)
Sail Area = 108 ft2
Material = Plastic
Country = USA
Designer = ?
Builder = Alumacraft Boat Co USA

Sail area is about the only thing you didn't already figure out and there's no way to know if this is accurate because it was in a database of info supplied by owners (notorious for getting their boat facts wrong)

I will prepare you again - that sail quote is very likely going to be higher than the fixed up boat will be worth. You clean up these old boats for the love of keeping them going and the fun of sailing something still around from the '70s.

 

[saildan]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

I was reminded today by a colleague, that style gaff rig is technically referred to as a "Gunter Rig".

 

[guardian64]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

I made a sail out of poly tarp, I made the Foot 10 foot and the Luff 15 foot. I reinforced the leach with 1/4 inch rope, then stitched the rope into the edge of the sail. Have enough poly tarp to make another sail and a jib sheet.The poly tarp was less than $60.00 dollars.
Took the boat out today, my brother in law went with me, went to a small lake near home and put the boat in the water. Once we raised the sail and got underway I was surprised at how fast it will go. Spent the day on the lake sailing downwind and taking. Had a blast, thanks again for all your help.

 

[saildan]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

Glad that works for you.

Keep a paddle or oars with you. Tarps have limitations.

Enjoy.

 

[guardian64]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

A friend suggested I make a sail out of painters canvas, use to protect floor. and I never go out in any kind of boat without oar's.
Thanks again for the help

 

[saildan]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

A friend suggested I make a sail out of painters canvas, use to protect floor. and I never go out in any kind of boat without oar's.
Thanks again for the help

No Problem, I'm glad to see you're having fun.

Your friend is wise.

Painter's canvas - cool - just like the canvas of past ages of sail. If it's a used drop cloth call it the Jackson Pollock sail.

There are guides to sewing your own. Even inexpensive Dacron-polyester sailcloth and, you won't believe this, canvas duck sail cloth.

Drop by online at Duckworks or Sail Makers Supply.

 

[ironbutter]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

I bought one of these this weekend. Mine came with sails, and a really super duper 3HP Johnson folding leg outboard with a clamshell case too. I have played around with it, and to my best guess set the rigging on the boat. Ive uploaded some pictures. If you want me to measure the sails, I would be glad to.

 

[OldParts]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

Hello to all. I'm new to this forum, but I think this thread is closest to what I have a few questions on.

I found these parts in my grandparents attic, and I was told that the fiberglass hull was stolen. No one else can remember anything about what's left of the boat. From the symbol and lettering, I am guessing that it is an Alumacraft S-12, but I can find nothing about the model, or any pictures of it. Any help would be appreciated.

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i157/amichalson/Mystery%20Boat%2
0Parts/118.jpg

I apologize for the large pictures. Not sure how to downsize them.

 

[saildan]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

From the symbol and lettering, I am guessing that it is an Alumacraft S-12, but I can find nothing about the model, or any pictures of it. Any help would be appreciated.

Well, since you found this thread you've seen the only pictures of this boat design I'm aware exist publicly.

I would guess from your pictures the model you had was an S-12. The earlier post here shows an S-14 so from both those bits of information it appears Alumacraft had two models. And, yes, information seems to be scarce.

With this thread you now probably know as much as anybody about this boat design.

 

[sheshr]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

I happen to have bought an S 12 and have some pictures! How do u poswt pistures?

 

[saildan]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

How do u post pistures?

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Start a Reply

Look below the reply window for the Additional Options window.

Click the Manage Attachments button

Upload from your computer

OR

If your pictures are in an on-line album, click on the Insert Image icon (

) and put in the URL for a picture.

 

[OldParts]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

Pictures would be great. I might end up making a new hull for it, or just selling whats left, but either way it would be nice to know what they look like.

 

[alwaysplayin]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

i have an ALPEX S-12 with original sail that i have had for many years and never use. I also have the sales brochure listing specs and list price of $545. My boat is listed at http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/boa/1923854153.html if you want to take a look at the pics for reference.

 

[libertyville]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

Hi, I just picked up an Alpex S-12, it may have even been the one on the Craigslist listing above. I got it for a good price but there is no rigging for it and I can't figure it out. Any insights would be helpful. It is 12 feet long, 4 feet wide, has a 10 foot boom and a 18 foot mast. Some pictures are at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/57787167@N07/with/5317625676/. Pictures of the rigging would be nice if anyone has such. I'm up for a challenge but could use some clues.

Thanks

 

[mikel3324]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

My brother has a blue/white sail, mast and boom for the S-12, boat was stolen many years ago. I'm sure he would sell cheap, if anyone wants to pick it up in Waseca, MN

 

[Leifster]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

I have an Alumacraft S-12 (pictures) and an Alumacraft S-14, both were missing jibs when I got them and both needed extensive repair and sail repair, but they are fun and easy to sail. And they have to be the easiest boats to rig. The S-12, being a dry-cavity boat, is fun to tip over. I even turtled it once (mast straight down into water). Just be sure the downhaul is on or your mast and sail will sink to the floor. My S-12 is surprisingly heavy. It is balanced so I can stand it up on its side so the deck is past straight up and down (a little more than 90 degrees from horizontal) and it will tip back right side up.

The pictures are of the S-12 boat and I tipped it over so you can see the hull and daggerboard. Even tipped over it sits high in the water. The mast is filled with styrofoam to help avoid sinking/turtling when you capsize.

Trying to sell it by the way if anyone's interested. I don't use it and my dad wants to fix up the S-14 so he can have legroom to sit upright and be more comfortable.

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[Leifster]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

Here's some pictures of the rigging and how to rig it. The pictures are from the bow to the stern the last three follow the path of the mainsheet. You can put a screwlink on the aft hull (like I did in the last picture) so you don't have to run the mainsheet through every time all you have to do is unscrew the screwlink and the sail will come off. You can see the mainsheet goes from your hand, to the block in the middle of the boom, back to the first block, down to the block on the screwlink, and back up to clip to the end of the boom. This gives you a slight mechanical advantage and allows you to control the sail from the middle so the boom is more likely to stay down.

 

[gregrw100]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

All, Thanks for the awesome pictures of the Aplex S-12. Some one gave me one, of course no sail. I have contacted the MILLS Canvas comply to see if the still make sails. If anyone has a set for sail I am definatly interested!!

Greg

 

[gregrw100]

Re: Alumacraft fiberglass sailboat

I contacted the original maker of the sails, J W Mills Awning Company and the no longer have the pattern for the S-12 sail. So does nyone have one for sale? Does some one have the sail dimensions so I could make a new one. Clearly I have the Hull mast etc but no sail!