What is it?

A

aborgman

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 30, 2007
Messages
210
Registration says 1961 Chriscraft.

14 foot, aluminum runabout.

No identifying tags, capacity plate, serial number - nothing.

DSCF6677.jpg

DSCF6678.jpg

DSCF6679.jpg

DSCF6680.jpg

DSCF6681.jpg


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aborgman
 
A

aborgman

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 30, 2007
Messages
210
Re: What is it?

Folks at duratechboats.com say it isn't a Duratech.


Now, I'm completely clueless as to what it might be.

--
aborgman
 
R

reelfishin

Captain
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Mar 19, 2007
Messages
3,047
Re: What is it?

I think one of the key features on that hull when it comes to finding the manufacturer is going to be the rear corner castings and the transom shape.

I'm not real familiar with Chris Craft but they did make some larger aluminum boats.

It could also be a made for brand, maybe manufactured for a store chain?
(As with Sea King and several others).

Are there any badges or logos? Any numbers? Any serial plates or rating plates?

Is it a fully welded hull? Stamped hull? Any rivets at all?
Is it completely aluminum?

I did have a 1964 Aerocraft trihull that had the same steering wheel, and they made aluminum boats too, but that's a long shot going only on the style of steering wheel.
 
A

aborgman

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Messages
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Re: What is it?

reelfishin said:
I think one of the key features on that hull when it comes to finding the manufacturer is going to be the rear corner castings and the transom shape.

I'm not real familiar with Chris Craft but they did make some larger aluminum boats.
Click to expand...

As far as I know they never made an aluminum smaller than about 30'... and I had a buddy check out his Chris Craft book and he sees no 14' aluminum runabouts in the '50's-'60's

reelfishin said:
It could also be a made for brand, maybe manufactured for a store chain?
(As with Sea King and several others).
Click to expand...

Certainly a possibility...

reelfishin said:
Are there any badges or logos? Any numbers? Any serial plates or rating plates?
Click to expand...

Not a thing. Not a badge, not a logo, not a number stamped anywhere, no capacity plate... absolutely zero that I've been able to find so far.

reelfishin said:
Is it a fully welded hull? Stamped hull?
Click to expand...

No.

reelfishin said:
Any rivets at all?
Click to expand...

Yes, quite a few actually...

With rivet line highlighted
side-rivets-annotated.jpg


Same picture where rivets are reasonably obvious
side-rivets.jpg



reelfishin said:
Is it completely aluminum?
Click to expand...

Yeah... both the cap and the hull are aluminum.

reelfishin said:
I did have a 1964 Aerocraft trihull that had the same steering wheel, and they made aluminum boats too, but that's a long shot going only on the style of steering wheel.
Click to expand...

I'll start looking... it ain't much of a lead, but it's more than none.

--
aborgman
 
MikDee

MikDee

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Re: What is it?

It's got a Lone Star, or Starcraft, look to it,,, sleek
 
A

aborgman

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Messages
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Re: What is it?

MikDee said:
It's got a Lone Star, or Starcraft, look to it,,, sleek
Click to expand...


Every Starcraft I've ever seen is lapstrake, not smooth hull - so I'm pretty sure it isn't a Starcraft. The Duratech folks say it isn't a Duratech. Doesn't look like any Feather Craft I've ever seen... in fact, outside of the Duratech Marlin I really haven't found anything that even resembles it all that much.
 
R

reelfishin

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3,047
Re: What is it?

The way the rub rail runs around the inside perimeter and the keel style sort of reminds me of a Duracraft I had but again, not much of a clue just a similarity.
I thought about Lone Star but couldn't find any pics here of one that resembled his.
 
CN Spots

CN Spots

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1,612
Re: What is it?

I was hoping that that engine overheat (button/gauge?) was a StarCraft exclusive option... both your's and that StarCraft have one, but it may have been a generic item used by several manufacturers. Is the steering wheel original? Maybe a symbol or something on it that might give up a clue?
 
A

aborgman

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Messages
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Re: What is it?

CN Spots said:
I was hoping that that engine overheat (button/gauge?) was a StarCraft exclusive option... both your's and that StarCraft have one, but it may have been a generic item used by several manufacturers. Is the steering wheel original? Maybe a symbol or something on it that might give up a clue?
Click to expand...

No idea if the wheel is original or not - and I haven't been able to find any marks on the wheel or the center hub.

The boat does appear to have 1960 Nautalloy Skylark hardware though:

http://www.theclassicboathouse.com/nautalloycat1.html

It has that bowlight (minus the pennant mast) and those 4" cleats.
 
R

reelfishin

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3,047
Re: What is it?

aborgman said:
No idea if the wheel is original or not - and I haven't been able to find any marks on the wheel or the center hub.

The boat does appear to have 1960 Nautalloy Skylark hardware though:

http://www.theclassicboathouse.com/nautalloycat1.html

It has that bowlight (minus the pennant mast) and those 4" cleats.
Click to expand...

Chris Craft and Duracraft both used that same hardware, as I suppose did many other builders back then.
Those bullet or aero cleats were common on many boats from the late 50's to early 60's.
 
R

reelfishin

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3,047
Re: What is it?

CN Spots said:
I was hoping that that engine overheat (button/gauge?) was a StarCraft exclusive option... both your's and that StarCraft have one, but it may have been a generic item used by several manufacturers. Is the steering wheel original? Maybe a symbol or something on it that might give up a clue?
Click to expand...

I've seen that overheat light and ignition switch on many OMC equipped boats from that period. I just took one out of a junk 1959 MFG, and another from a 1961 Glaspar. They appear to be what was used in lieu of the overheat buzzer in the modern controls, both boats had early twin stick Simplex controls.
The overheat light and panel may have come with the Simplex controls?
 
A

aborgman

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
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Messages
210
Re: What is it?

reelfishin said:
Chris Craft and Duracraft both used that same hardware, as I suppose did many other builders back then.
Those bullet or aero cleats were common on many boats from the late 50's to early 60's.
Click to expand...

Pretty much what I figured to be the case... but it's the only identifiable piece of anything I've found so far.
 
A

aborgman

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 30, 2007
Messages
210
Re: What is it?

So at this point I'm pretty sure it isn't:

Starcraft
Duratech
Lone Star
Feathercraft
Texas Maid

Current best guess possibilities under investigation -

Crestliner
Cherokee
 
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