Thread: Boat ID help please

ID's on these old 'glass machines is difficult, as there are literally thousands to choose from. You might have luck at www.fiberglassics.com.

It really doesn't matter all that much as you can bet the company is long since dead. If the boat has been fairly recently registered, it should have a manufacture, model and year listed on the paper work.

If that styling line, that swoops down in the aft sections is a hull to deck joint seam, I'd check for leaks in the aft sections of that seam. The hull to deck joint is a common location or leaks, even more so if the seam is that close to the water.

Look for hidden numbers, ID plates and logos, maybe behind the dash or under the splash well.

All the hardware looks to be shot, just toss it and get new steering and engine controls. Ditto the electrical.

From the cutouts amidship, she likely had a bench, box or fully shaped athwartship seat. This would greatly stiffen the boat.

PAR,

Thanks for the reply.

Firstly, although possibly an imported boat, I'm going to hedge my bets the boat was manufactured in Aus, which means there's WAY fewer manufactures over here than what you have in the US and I hope, therefore, a better chance of getting an ID.

Knowing some background on the boat as in who by and when it was made and what it looked like originally is important to me. Even just the make so I can serach for details on the web. So the search will continue.

There is an ID plate to the right of the steering wheel, but the seller of the boat was unable to provide any details. I pick up the boat tomorrow, so hopefully when I get to have a good look some more light will be shone on the matter.

Re the running gear (which is really non existent anyhow).... don't worry, none is staying and the boat will be rebuilt fibre by fibre if need be. I can depend on my anally retentive nature and attention to detail for that ;-)

Thanks for the Fibreglass Classics link too. I have already registered with them and am just waiting on the account activation email.

Anyone else got thought on what this boat is?

Cheers.

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Anyone else got thought on what this boat is?

It's one of those noisy ruddy things that makes all the waves

Best of luck with her. I understand your wanting to know her heritage, even if I can't help with any names.

Richard

That era of boat will be a heavy chopper layup, meaning you should be careful about adding too much additional material to her. She has a molded splash well which means it's probably mid 60's and the styling looks like the early end of that era.

There will be some plywood in the transom and possibly more wood in other structural elements of the boat, like the dashboard or a king plank under the centerline of the foredeck. Check these for rot, as they'll likely have some after this much time.

It probably had a wrap around, plastic (acrylic or polycarbonate) windshield at some point. These were also common in that era, but a pain to find in good condition. You can make a new one, but it's a fairly involved process if you want it to be clear, undistorted, etc. I've made a few over the years, but wouldn't want to do it again if I can avoid it. Mine were done in a home made, low temperature kiln, over a plaster "buck" shaped to the inside dimensions of the windshield. I burned up a few expensive pieces of plastic, getting it right.

The last time I did this, I elected not to make one, but used a car windshield and cut it down to fit. I roamed around a junk yard measuring windows with a template I'd made, until I found one that was close, which happened to be a VW Garmin Ghia. It was too tall, but the curves were "close enough" and a glass shop cut it down to my marks. It worked great and looked a lot better then the plastic one it replaced, but is substantially heavier.

You have a blank slate with that old gal, so have fun. Maybe a wooden veneer dash panel to hide all those holes, varnished up pretty. New custom made seating, some tuck and roll upholstery and paint, she'll look good. Maybe an Australian flag theme as a paint job?

It's a sin she's so small, as this hull would look great as a V8 powered hull with an outdrive or straight shaft, with two big, chrome exhaust tips sticking out the transom, barking away.

Awesome info and help thanks PAR.

I like you ides for her rebuilt. Had not thought about the Aussie flag but leaning towards a duo-tone colour scheme of maybe pearl white under the gunwhale and a nice righ red or blue above (or visa versa).

Although mabe a bit out of period I was thinkng all stainless steel for major fittings and dash panel. If I went the red paint maybe smaller alloy fittings (guage surrounds, switch collars) in anodised red.

Interesting your coment about the hull size versus V8 inboard.... I am tinkering with the idea of a small inboard. LOTS of rersearch to go of course, but have thought of a small 4-cylinder or rotary (marinised) inboard prop of jet unit. Have been wondering it she is too big or with an appropriate shaped hull for a jet ski motor and jet conversion. The only pre-requisite would be to still enable a seating confuguaration for four people, be the rear seating a full width bench or pair of buckets either side of an engiine cover.

I used to un a smal busines making acrylic plastic filtration parts for marine aquariums, so have loads of machining experience, but I too would be hesitant to tackle heat forming a windscreen. This was one component of the project I thought I may just fork out the $$ and get one made.

To try and sumarise my end plan for this boat it would be a bit doing a moderate hotrod car. I want to keep the general style, look and age-appearance of the boat, but in doing this modernise and gernally "hot" it up. Just a bit of a toy boat really with my "daily driver' to come next and hopefully out of timber (strip planked as I mentioned in mn fist post).

Anyhow, I pick it up this arvo so wil post back with any new details I find once its in my hot little hands.

Oh.... with the likelihood of ply in the transom and timber elsewhere I now don't feel so back for resorting to posting in a woodwork forum ;-)

Geez PAR,

You should have bought that Karman Ghia! Bet you could get a few dollars for that windscreen now!

MIK

Hi Aaron,

You might like to try this vintage outboard and runnabout forum.

These guys have lts of collective experience with this type of craft.

http://www.board.net.au/yabbse/index.php

Thanks FD, I will have a look.

For those intersted, I thought rather than post in all the different forums I like to frequent, I'd try my hand for the first time at a web blog.

See here:

http://capricious2009.blogspot.com/

Cheers,
Aaron.

Actually, over here Karman Ghia's are fairly common. Nothing like a Honda Civic mind you, but you can get a well beat one for a few hundred and a nicely kept one for a couple of grand. A buddy of mine is restoring a convertible and I tried to get him to donate his windshield and go with the full roadster look, but he didn't buy it.