Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

[streetrods]

Hi

Have been set on finding a 64 or 65 Johnson Deluxe boat for awhile but hard to find one decent in my area.. The other day I ran across a 71 nineteen in my area.. started reading info about them and now am leaning towards building one..

Seems like a good boat and probably much easier to get parts for... Found some pictures on the web and love the red and white scheme although I don't think its factory..

Jason

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

Because either you want it or you don't. I don't think anyone will tell you should or shouldn't buy it.

BTW - I had a '71 9TEEN. The hull was white and the interior and hardtop was blue. I liked it, it is a heavy boat. They came in a lot of colors, including red. Check out Aristocraft.com and look at some of the brochures. They still have some parts available.

Welcome aboard, SR

 

[ziggy]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

ya should buy one because......

generally speaking. they are mostly all fiberglass boats. at least no wood stringers, and very little if any (i get conflickting info) in the transom. if there's any, it's around where the drive bolts onto the boat.

they're unique. the ninteens have a sliding hardtop. this is very cool. literally. it's great shade in the dead of summer. ya can take the side windows out of the hardtop too and be cooler yet. or. if your cold ya have your hardtop fwd and attached to the windshield. the center panel of a nineteen slides vertically in it's track. this allows you to open it a little or a lot. temp and wind control. if ya wanna boat in real cool weather. ya can attach a aft curtain to the hardtop. this fully encloses the boat. i've been rained on, hailed on, blown on and i'm nice and toasty inside my nineteen.

i've seen many nineteens set up for fishing. while i don't fish, they look like they work fine for that.

ya can ski behind them.

there's still support for AristoCraft boats. it's still a family biz that the son and grandson of the original owner started. some parts are still available. for the boat that is. this is unprecedented now a days. last summer, i got oem side glass for my hardtop. what other boat could ya have that's 30 or so years old that ya can still get parts from the oem.

i could go on and on. i just got an AristoCraft accidentally. but man, i'm hooked. these are good boats that do much more than your typical bowrider can do.

check out all the treads on the AristoCraft forum. there's much info here. pics are in many.

for more info, check out AristoCraft. the fiberglass brochures under vintage boats for sure.

 

[dbkerley]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

Because my wife and I can cruise in the rain and stay dry while holding a normal conversation. Even my Formula won't do that.

 

[streetrods]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

Thanks for info guys.. Getting parts for the boat and enginge outdrive is really the big plus for me.. and yes the hardtop is the reason I like the looks of the boat.. Parts are almost impossible on the Johnson and it would need a repower to get rid of the old junk omc drive..

I don't fish but want something to cruise and tube with the kids..

I found one close for $500..looks to have a decent hull but probably needs a motor and will need interior work.. It has the 165hp six... I'm good with projects but not sure on this one..might be better to wait and find a nice one thats turn key.. of course I'm pretty set on painting one so a project might be better..

Here is a lonestar I restored last summer

 

[streetrods]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

Pictures of the Lonestar

 

[Oldrod 47]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

Streetrods, curious about sthe screen name, I have a 47 Ford with small block Ford+C4.

I also am looking for an Aristocraft 19/165 m.c. within 1 days drive of central Indiana,water ready if possible and the more original the better.

This will replace one I had a long time ago. Very family friendly boat, boat camped with it for 4 to 5 years. definetly will pull 2 or more skiers. easy on gas and easy to tow.

 

[streetrods]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

Oldrod 47... I build some old Fords once in awhile.. mostly 60s stuff but I did build a 47 Ford coupe..here are a few of them

 

[streetrods]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

Here is a picture of the nineteen that sent me over the edge...not sure who it belongs to but its awesome..

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

I had a 74 Aristocraft with the 140 hp Mercruiser and ran it until 1980. The boat was great, but I had problems out of the motor and first generation Mercruiser unit. My dealer's mechanic ended up being like my uncle--my best friend.

The Aristocraft was a very efficient hull, and not terribly heavy. The steering console and windshields were toward the front, and it gave a lot of cockpit room with two rear jump seats and back to back seats.

My uncle had one with the Mercruiser 165, and it was a great combination. Too bad they're still not making these boats with a modern 4.3 Mercruiser--50 mph+ potential with great fuel mileage.

They were distinctive boats with the fiberglass hardtop. I only used the top for late Fall riding, as the engine noise was pretty loud inside when up to spead.

Hard to believe the family is still in business building a little retro boat. Too bad they're not building new boats for the masses, as they sold a bunch of these boats. What the world needs is a reasonably priced fiberglass i/o boat without any wood stringers to rot.

 

[renojim]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

Here is a picture of the nineteen that sent me over the edge...not sure who it belongs to but its awesome..

Hey! This is our boat taken at Lake Tahoe back in August 2011. We cruised up to go to the classic boat show up there. I have been working on it for the last couple of years and hand painted it myself. We used it all summer for water skiing and fishing with a friend. My wife and I joke that we bought it for the "girls" the mermaid bumpers that came with it. If I can figure it out, will post pictures on this site.

 

[streetrods]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

Hey! This is our boat taken at Lake Tahoe back in August 2010. We cruised up to go to the classic boat show up there. I have been working on it for the last couple of years and hand painted it myself. We used it all summer for water skiing and fishing with a friend. My wife and I joke that we bought it for the "girls" the mermaid bumpers that came with it. If I can figure it out, will post pictures on this site.

Hey Jim... Thanks for posting the pictures.. Love your boat.. Hope you don't mind me copying the color scheme if I find one ... Is yours the 165 Mercruiser?

 

[renojim]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

Hey Jim... Thanks for posting the pictures.. Love your boat.. Hope you don't mind me copying the color scheme if I find one ... Is yours the 165 Mercruiser?

Yes, it is a 1972, 165 Merc Cruiser. I'm going to attempt to post the before picture. When we bought it, didn't realize it had "boat pox" so had to sand all the gel coat off the bottom down to the fiberglass, then covered the bottom with Interlux VC Performance paint to reseal it. Then the red paint is Interlux Perfection two part polyurethane which I painted on with a roller (as well as the roof). I also redid the front windows by making moulds myself and then having a local plastic fabricator heat them and wrap them. It was all a long learning experience. This year tearing out the floor to replace saturated foam and rebuilding the engine while it is out.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

This year tearing out the floor to replace saturated foam

if ya do that, help us fellow nineteen owners and document it on film and post up what ya do.
fwiw, i keep thinking i may be doing this eventually too. i feel like i ride a little lower in the water and a little bow high than i should. reason i don't go look is i still have a good holeshot + my wot speed hasn't changed since i got the boat...
i'm interested in how ya cut the floor and put it back where it came from. i'm interested in more than that, but that, for me (never worked with glass) would be my first (of many i'm sure) obstacles.

great looking boat btw... very nice color matching aft curtain too.. way cool.

 

[streetrods]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

Jim..Any reason you rolled instead of spraying the paint or is that two part not sprayable?

 

[renojim]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

It is sprayable but according to Interlux if you aren't experienced with spraying this paint you would probably get better results rolling and tipping. Interlux has how to videos. Basicly roll on a 3' area then very lightly drag the tip of a Badger hair brush down it to knock down the roller stipple. If you are standing closer then 3' and in just the right light you can faintly see brush strokes. I have never painted anything so do not have the equipment nor the expertice. They also said the vapors from sraying are pretty nasty. Hell it was bad enough rolling it on even using a mask. Looking at your pics above it should be a piece of cake for you. If I can help by telling you what not to do as I had many screwups. Let me know.

 

[streetrods]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

Well I went to look at this 19... http://springfield.craigslist.org/boa/2764043578.html with hopes of it being decent enough to build but no luck... The top side fiberglass with coming up in chunks pretty bad... the hull and sides were good but not much else.. The rear sear bases were busted up as well

 

[streetrods]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

Anyone repower their nineteen? Wondering if I found a nice one with a 120 if the 165 setup is bolt in or requires other changes??

 

[ziggy]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

never done a change. but i'd think for starters. the gear ratio in the drive would be incorrect and the ft. motor mount would have to be moved fwd to compensate for 2 extra cyls. of the 6. the dog house would also be longer on the 6. there could be more too. might ask the question on the i/o forum.

 

[renojim]

Re: Why should I buy an AristoCraft ??

the ft. motor mount would have to be moved fwd to compensate for 2 extra cyls. of the 6. the dog house would also be longer on the 6. there could be more too. might ask the question on the i/o forum.

Hey streetrods

In the process of refoaming & fixing a transom leak on my 1972 "19" with 165 merc.
Took some pics that might answer some questions. The 6 cyl mount is 3 1/2" back from ski locker depresion. It looks like the deck was made for the 4 cyl with the 1/2" drop down at 9 1/4". They probably didn't bother to change the mold when they went the 6 cyl just moved wood underneath for the mount to bolt to. As you can see the wood goes back to the 12 3/4" mark. This is just a top piece of 1/2" ply. I think the thicker wood is back under towards the front 1/2" to 3/4". If you need I could get a better measurement tomorrow. I don't know how much shorter the 4 cyl is. Did they move the wood forward or back to accommodate each engine? You may have to contact Aristocraft about that.

Good Hunting