Jolly roger boats, add any history or pictures

[jollyroger69]

1969 jollyroger cutlass. looks like a tahiti clone to me, I haven't found another one with an I/O setup yet. Jolly roger boats were produced in Spokane WA in the late 60's and early 70's and seem to be a "splashed hull" outfit at the time, looks like alot was copied from the Tahiti variation of the Aqualift hull.


Tahiti History-http://www.oceannear.com/EBaySales/Tahiti/

- The 16ft Tahiti is considered by many to be the most copied hull in boating history. In the industry this is called a 'Splashed Hull'. The story goes like this:

**** Schuster borrowed a new innovative hull built by Glastron called the 'Aqua Lift' in 1964?. He built the Tahiti's from this. Later he gave a hull to Ken Baker his Brother-In-Law. He too built a boat called the Side Winder. Featured at the 1969 Chicago Boat Show. The boat is IDENTICAL to this Tahiti.

Later apparently, a family squabble occurred and Ken Baker sued everybody who had also copied this hull (like everyone). The suit eventually failed because the patent was too vague.

 

[dls322]

Re: Jolly roger boats, add any history or pictures

I like the look of those older boats

 

[MikDee]

Re: Jolly roger boats, add any history or pictures

Kewl boat! So, What motor is powering this Bad Boy!

 

[jollyroger69]

Re: Jolly roger boats, add any history or pictures

Kewl boat! So, What motor is powering this Bad Boy!

a 120 mercruiser

 

[icanto]

I am the daughter of Chuck Walters (passed away in 2007) who designed and built Jolly Roger boats here in Spokane Washington. He bought it as a small company out of California and moved it to the industrial park, where he redesigned the hull and installed the Berkley Jets, Merc IO's and Merc outboards. It's really fun to see so much interest in the boats and curiosity of where they came from. We lived on Priest Lake near Indian Creek and spent a lot of time running around the lake in multiple Jolly Rogers. I even got to pick some of the colors. My two brothers can shed a lot more light if anyone reads this and would like to connect with them. Also if you see the popular Priest Lake boat - American, (Roy Johnson) that was Dad's friend who used the same hull design after JR folded - then there was Apollo after (Jack Hofford). I see someone has a Jolly Roger DGB - I remember Dad naming that model. The DGB stood for 'Damn Good Boat"

 

[ecrcks]

I am the daughter of Chuck Walters (passed away in 2007) who designed and built Jolly Roger boats here in Spokane Washington. He bought it as a small company out of California and moved it to the industrial park, where he redesigned the hull and installed the Berkley Jets, Merc IO's and Merc outboards. It's really fun to see so much interest in the boats and curiosity of where they came from. We lived on Priest Lake near Indian Creek and spent a lot of time running around the lake in multiple Jolly Rogers. I even got to pick some of the colors. My two brothers can shed a lot more light if anyone reads this and would like to connect with them. Also if you see the popular Priest Lake boat - American, (Roy Johnson) that was Dad's friend who used the same hull design after JR folded - then there was Apollo after (Jack Hofford). I see someone has a Jolly Roger DGB - I remember Dad naming that model. The DGB stood for 'Damn Good Boat"

Oh please tell me you have some old ad's lying around for these boats! I have a 73 jolly roger. Every time I take the dam thing out I get stuck on the boat ramp having an hr long conversation with someone about how thats the boat they learned to ski with. The boat is very popular in the Puget Sound area, but I can find little to no Info on the web. I'll put up some pic's of mine when I get a chance

 

[mr_v8horsepower]

I have a 1982 Freedom Marine Mercedes that was made from the Jolly Roger molds in Spokane, WA. It's been difficult to hook up with any info on these also. Mine has a Mercrusier 454 MAG and Bravo 1 sterndrive. Not many of them here in Shreveport, LA. I'm looking for others with the 7.4L setup and performance/handling info.

 

[southkogs]

Mr_v8: Welcome aboard:

Please read over the FORUM RULES. #12 Please do not post to threads that have been inactive for more than 3 months UN-LESS you are the original poster.

 

[Ridge95]

I have the exact same boat all this time I thought I had the only one. Even the same engine cover. The only difference is mine is white with blue.

 

[southkogs]

And just to keep from typing it again ... welcome aboard Ridge95:

Please read over the FORUM RULES. #12 Please do not post to threads that have been inactive for more than 3 months UN-LESS you are the original poster.

 

[jollyroger69]

Ťhread is now active again. Thank you all for for comments and info. Please post any pictures or old ads if you have them.

 

[adamchesley]

So I have a 1971 Jolly Roger with the inline 4 does anyone else have this boat on here? I am still trying to figure out how to add a photo of what I have.

 

[southkogs]

Welcome aboard Adam:

You need to post three times to the forum in order to post pictures or start a new topic. Once you make those three posts, I would suggest you start a new topic about your boat (you'll get more answers that way).

Make sure you mention what manufacturer drive you have.

 

[jollyroger69]

So I have a 1971 Jolly Roger with the inline 4 does anyone else have this boat on here? I am still trying to figure out how to add a photo of what I have.

I would love to see it

 

[84AmericanEagle]

I, too, am very interested in the history of these boats and all of their iterations. I recently purchased an '84 American and i absolutely love it. Lots of them out here in the NW, since they were all built in Spokane. Mine is an American, but they also were built by Apollo hot tubs for a while. I have heard lots if interesting stories about how the companies evolved, and how the molds moved around from company to company. Also, and interesting story about the powering of all these boats, and how they were all chev 350s for a while since the ABC owner purchased them all from an out of business supply house? If anyone has a COMPLETE history of these companies and how they all intersect each other, I am sure it would be a very popular post. Again, much interest in these boats, and a very specific following, but not much information available out there other than stories. Please any info at all on these boats, specifically the ABC American Eagle, would be much appreciated!!

 

[Jolly-Roger]

When I first seen these boats back in Seattle in the early 70's, I wanted one. I bought a 73 JollyRoger in 1985, SBC with OMC Jetdrive. Did a complete restore in 1990.Just finished a complete restore on the 63 GMC that pulled the RJ to many lakes in MT & WY over the years. Still ski behind it. Can't seem to post a picture. will try again.

 

[southkogs]

Let's let the old topics sleep and start new ones. Welcome aboard JR - please take a few minutes to read our forum rules.