New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!

[dogknott]

been sitting on the sidelines doin quite a bit of reading on the site, lots & lots of great stuff on here! I've been into mainly race cars, VW railbuggies & Harleys for years but took different approach here lately with some old boats. I've got a 96 Kawasaki 750 jet ski i've had for few years but just recently ended up with a little 10ft speed boat. I've done a lot of lookin online & from what I can tell it looks to be an old GW Invader. I bought it as a bare hull a few weeks ago with no title and a rotted floor. I'm still trying to come up with some sort of title for it without much luck. I live in KY & they're not real strict at least around here in the south central parts in regard to boat licensing. I guess what I'm saying is that when/if you're stopped on the water as long as you got your required safety stuff and current registration they don't really ever "inspect" the boat. I can't find any identifying numbers anywhere on the boat but it is pretty old. From what I've gathered I'm guessing its early 70's or so? Last time it was registered was 1986....lol Anyways I replaced floor and picked up a cheap motor to throw on it, a 92' 40hp Force ( I know not the best of motors....) I'm not expecting a 70mph boat or anything, just something mainly to get up and down the river. It does have power trim though thank god. Added a hot foot and redwired everything this past week and now all I'm really waiting on is the new rotary steering setup to come in. Can anyone verify exactly what I've got? Being unsure what to call it I've labeled it the "Stumble Bee"...lol

 

[Willyclay]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!

Welcome to the iboats.com forum! The members here are great and the experts can help you with any question about your boat, motor and trailer. Since your boat was registered previously, there is some info on file with the state agency that handles boat registration. I have always found them very helpful face-to-face and, if you are lucky, on the telephone also. Good luck!

 

[dogknott]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!

So i should be able to contact them and use the numbers on side of boat to give them something to go by?

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!



Yes, that is an invader. I know, around here, boats were not required to be titled until after the1970s. So if your boat is an early 70s model and if it was also not required to be titled in KY, then the registration and bill of sale should be enough to re-register the boat in your name. Grandfathered in, it is most likely your choice as to title the hull or not. And no, the LEO do not care about titling. They are looking for correct registration and proper safety equipment.

Now back to your invader: You should see a decent turn of speed with the Force 40 but don't expect miracles, high 30s, perhaps 40 . Also, with power tilt, the engine may be a bit heavy for the hull.

Remember, these are relatively smooth water boats. Treat them with respect or they will get you into trouble--fast. But they are really fun rides, even at the relatively slow speeds they attain.

The boat in the photos is a Cougar Cub 10 foot tunnel. It did about 50 with the Chrysler 60 and 45 with the Chrysler 50/55. The 60 was simply way too much engine and weight and the boat was almost uncontrollable. If you want to see it in action, Google youtube: Frank Acampora videos or mini cub Chrysler 60

I have flipped this boat on three separate occasions, once with only a 25 pushing it.

The dog is the "Chick Magnet" but the boat helps too.

EDIT: By the way, pump up your trailer tires. LOL

 

[dogknott]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!

Thanks for the response Frank and especially for confirming what it is I actually have! Like I said I'm pretty new with boats & outboard motors but have been building cars & bikes for several years and I've already came to the conclusion that theres a LOT more factors at play than I originally imagined with putting together a boat that works properly, and plus I always thought parts for race cars were high....Until I got to pricing outboards and other marine parts I've also got an old 14ft Fisher aluminum jon boat that we'd been fishing out of that's got an old Johnson 9.5hp that was my grandfathers several several years ago. Like I said I'm not expecting a powerhouse out of this invader as long as I have the 40hp Force but none-the-less should be a fun little boat. I need to take some more up to date pics of what I've done cause that pic is when I brought it home & the motor was simply hanging off the back. I was going to buy a jackplate but instead machined a plate from aluminum to raise the motor a few inches. These boats I'm guessing were originally fitted with short shaft OB's but I ran across this Force 40hp for $300 and came with all the controls/wiring harness so had to compromise a lil bit. Seems like this Force is an awful lot of weight hanging off the back so I mounted the fuel tank up in the nose to hopefully distribute weight a little. I've yet to have it out as I'm still waiting on my rotary steering setup to come in so I'll see pretty quick whether or not it'll work. Anyone got any tips on these boats as far as motors that perform the best? I'm open to all suggestions! Oh and that old boat trailer its sitting on is the one for the jon boat and it doesn't fit very well on it. What kind of trailers are usually used with these boats?

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!



These little boats were designed for short shaft engines and when you overpower--I think the invader was originally designed for 25 HP.-- the transom becomes a weak point.

On my 10 footer, the transom was already cracked when I bought it. It also had plain steel straps running from the transom to the seat back. They were rusted and ugly looking. My solution was to raise the transom with .080 aircraft aluminum and fill the gap with fiberglass. I also cross bolted the transom with angle gussets and side plated bolted through the sides of the splashwell to distribute engine thrust loads right through the whole rear of the boat. The wood block was inserted for measurement only. I had never done a tunnel hull before and didn't know how high to set the engine. So, the transom was raised twice.

In your boat, moving the fuel tank forward is a good thing. Move the battery too if you can.

 

[Ike-110722]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!

These little boats came under a special Coast Guard rule which allowed up to 40 HP, IF and I repeat IF they could maneuver through a specified course safely. I tested a Cougar Cub at the Mercury Marine Racing Facility in 1986 and it was rated for 35. Even at 35 it was squirelly. But it was a lot of fun if you don't scare easy. I don't recall what the Invader was rated for but it was 40 or less. see New Boatbuilders Home Page - Horsepower - Special Applications

 

[dogknott]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!

thanks for the info guys. I can't find HIN anywhere on the boat. From what I've read it should be on the transom but the transom has been replaced/reinforced at some point thru the years. Would the HIN be on the inside or outside of transom? So even if I relayed the numbers on the boat to the KY DMV and by some chance were able to tell me who the last registered owner was, I would still have to pretty much sweet talk them into applying for another title givin the fact that I'm sure titles been junked since 1986 (last year it was licensed according to sticker on hull), correct?

 

[dogknott]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!

Oh BTW Frank I had to check out video of your tunnel hull and it borderline looks scary from that point of view! The front end looks pretty light. So that boat is actually made by cougar? My brother-inlaw is on his 2nd cougar. His current one is I think 27ft tunnel hull with twin 300hp off shore Mercs.... I'll see if I can scrape up some pics of his boat

 

[Ike-110722]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!

If they replaced the transom they most likely wiped out the HIN. If the boat was built after 1984 (which is unlikely, because that's when Jet skis came on the scene and wiped out the market for thrill craft) there will be an HIN somewhere else in a location that is not obvious. It may be even concealed under a piece of hardware. However if it was produced in the 70's (most likely) then there is no concealed HIN. Look through the old papers on te boat. It may be on the registrations if you have them.

 

[dogknott]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!

I don't have any kind of registration or any papers with the boat unfortunately...That'd be wayyy to convenient! lol I checked tracking number and my rotary steering setup will be here tomorrow so I'm hoping to take it on maiden voyage this saturday if not raining, although it'll still be colder than h#ll!!!

 

[Ike-110722]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!

You might want to take a look at this GW Invader Boats - Boat Brochures, Ads and Patents - BigFinBoats It is a brochure and some photos of the G.W. Invader. Bear in mind that brochure is from 1970, many many years before the USCG regulations for maximum horsepower ratings on these little outboard boats went into effect. So I would take the hp rating in the brochure with a grain of salt and use some commonsense.

 

[Ike-110722]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!

Also on Wikipedia G-W Invader - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Google G-W Invader.

 

[dogknott]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!

according to the brochure the 10ft boats are rated for 55hp so I can still ditch this 40hp and go a lil bigger! lol I think it'll be plenty fun with what I've got and will definitely take some getting used to, thanks for the info I had no idea this boat was that old. Heres a few pics of it as it sits now with the new raised transom I fabbed up. The cavitation plate is about dead even with bottom of boat and from what I've read that's where it needs to be.

 

[dogknott]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!

Oh and here ya go Frank this is my brother inlaws Cougar I mentioned. Twin 300hp offshore Mercs, it's an absolute beast

 

[colbyt]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!

Last time it was registered was 1986....lol

View attachment 219405

Good luck with that. Even a blind bear can read the sticker year. Without a title you will have a really tough time getting one that reads 2014.

 

[dogknott]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!

Yeah I know thats why I was trying to ask and see the best way to go about getting it titled...90% of the water it'll most likely be ran in I would never have to even worry about getting it licensed but I'd like to not be "restricted" to just certain lakes. what part of central ky are you from Colbyt?

 

[southkogs]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!

Call your county clerk on the title of the boat. In some states you'll wind up with a salvage title on it. In TN you can survive on a notarized bill of sale … so if ya' got any family an hour or so south ...

 

[colbyt]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!

Yeah I know thats why I was trying to ask and see the best way to go about getting it titled...90% of the water it'll most likely be ran in I would never have to even worry about getting it licensed but I'd like to not be "restricted" to just certain lakes. what part of central ky are you from Colbyt?

Lexington.

Ky law says that if the PO owned the boat for at least 5 years and the HIN or old reg number does not show as stolen they can usually get a title by paying 5 years back taxes. That may be transferable to you with an affidavit and a bill of sale (different clerks seem to interpret that different ways).

Boats from out of state require whatever documentation the seller's state requires.

Without a title private lakes are the only place you can go and that is subject to the will of the county game warden. Any form of motor eliminates public waters from your use.

 

[dogknott]

Re: New member with UN-new boat...Need help identifying if possible!

You've got a good point southkogs I spoke with a buddy earlier in the week and he was in similar situation with his boat when he got it. He had it licensed in TN (although he lives here in KY) and I think he just had to have bill of sale and copy of previous registration (which I don't have unfortunately). According to him He said that legally he's supposed to use it in TN waters at least once a year.
I read that somewhere Colby about showing proof of ownership for past 5 years. The guy I got it from has had it longer than that just sitting in the barn the whole time but he didn't get a bill of sale showing date of purchase. Not trying to sound dumb but what exactly does a bill of sale consist of? I've owned 50+ cars,trucks,bikes,jet skis since I was 16 and they all had titles and never had to fool with bill of sale. The way I understood is that its pretty much piece of paper wrote up saying that "so & so" bought this vehicle from "so & so" , then signed/dated by both parties