# What is this boat?



## pescadero (Mar 31, 2006)

Registration says 1962 Chriscraft.

14 foot, aluminum runabout. Don't what it really is... no capacity tag, serial number, nothing...










































-- 
lp


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## Lucky Dog (Jul 4, 2004)

I just thumbed through my Chris craft book, and there is no mention of a small aluminum outboard in 1962 or any of the 60's for that matter.

Could it be an Aristocraft???

Pretty cool looking old boat, is there a hull number on it?


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## pescadero (Mar 31, 2006)

Lucky Dog said:


> I just thumbed through my Chris craft book, and there is no mention of a small aluminum outboard in 1962 or any of the 60's for that matter.


Yeah, I'm certain it isn't a Chris Craft.



Lucky Dog said:


> Could it be an Aristocraft???


Mt best guess at this point is a Duratech Marlin

http://www.duratechboats.com/pb/wp_f1bdb4da/images/img1584146eb269e61c57.jpg

http://www.duratechboats.com/pb/wp_3e83b1fc/images/img1418045515f6684942.jpg

http://www.theclassicboathouse.com/duratechcatalog1965.html



Lucky Dog said:


> Pretty cool looking old boat, is there a hull number on it?


Not a thing...

-- 
lp


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## Crowhunter (Aug 27, 2005)

It might be a Cherokee .Bud


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## john warren (Jan 25, 2005)

well,,, if its registered a chriscraft,,,its now a chriscraft,,, so...go fishing looks like a dandy fishing boat.


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## pescadero (Mar 31, 2006)

john warren said:


> well,,, if its registered a chriscraft,,,its now a chriscraft,,, so...go fishing looks like a dandy fishing boat.


I'm just hoping to find out what it is for two reasons:

1) No capacity plate. I have no idea what the max size acceptable motor is, nor how much weight it can safely handle.

2) Restoring it in the future will be a lot easier if I have some idea what it is...

-- 
lp


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## TONGA (Jul 22, 2002)

> 1) No capacity plate. I have no idea what the max size acceptable motor is


Have a real good look around the boat, some manufacturers put them in strange places like up under the guns, up in the tip of the boat or on the back of the dash panel.
As for motor capacity? With an old boat like that try to think of it in terms of size not horse power, 
So it looks to have an early 60s Johnson super 40 on her and thats about as big as you can go. I bet if you find the tag it will read 45hp max, so back when that boat was made it would give you a max choice of an Big twin John/Rude/Gale like is on it or maybe a big twin Mcculloch or a small mercury 4 cylinder 45hp.
They would cut it off at 45hp because back then John/Rude made a fat 50 V-4 and there is no way they would want you to hang one of those monsters on that poor little boat!
So sticking to the John/Rude stuff the motor you have now would have been a 35hp in 59 then 40hp during the 60s then suddenly in 70 it picked up another carb and became 50hp then mid 70s 55hp
And eventually ringing out at 60hp, this of course is leaving out factory hot rods.
So what I am saying is even though your boat is probably 45hp max your boat would handle any of the big twin John/Rudes without much fuss, or any of the small mercury 4 cylinders.
Just look at it from a size weight perspective.
The motor that is on it was a pretty reliable motor but they can be a little hard on fuel and if it has the optional belt driven generator it will be much easier to live with, if you find a big twin from the 70s they do a bit better on fuel, but you may just want to keep the vintage power, you know so you are era-correct!


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## pescadero (Mar 31, 2006)

pescadero said:


> Yeah, I'm certain it isn't a Chris Craft.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well, according to the dude who runs duratechboats.com - it ain't a Duratech. I'm still a bit suspicious he might be wrong... but he's supposedly the expert.

So now I'm back to square one. I've done everything but start pulling part off, and not a logo, number, name - nothing anywhere. 

Someone, somewhere must know what it is...


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## DangerDan (Mar 10, 2005)

Have you tried iboats.com yet? I'm sure someone on there could identify it pretty quickly.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

I'm thinking it kind of favors a Lone Star. 

Edit........
The steering wheel is certainly right for it to be one. Is the dash finished in a rough textured paint?


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## pescadero (Mar 31, 2006)

DangerDan said:


> Have you tried iboats.com yet? I'm sure someone on there could identify it pretty quickly.


Yep, I've had a post up there for a couple of days and no one has come up with an answer... that was the first place I thought of posting.

-- 
lp


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## pescadero (Mar 31, 2006)

ESOX said:


> I'm thinking it kind of favors a Lone Star.


It doesn't look like any Lone Star pictures I've been able to find, but it could be.




ESOX said:


> The steering wheel is certainly right for it to be one. Is the dash finished in a rough textured paint?


Nope... the dash is more like tuck & roll/pleated vinyl.










-- 
lp


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## pescadero (Mar 31, 2006)

A little more (although almost certainly useless) info.

The hardware (cleats/bow light) are Nautalloy Skylark model (1960)

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

The motor is a Johnson RDS-23 - 1961 40HP Super Seahorse.

So it looks like the 1961 date is probably correct. Too bad the actual brand on the title isn't.

-- 
lp


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## TONGA (Jul 22, 2002)

Did you check her nose to tail for that plate?
Is there any indication she was ever sporting badges, you know like a small pattern of holes where it may have been riveted on, if not maybe she was marked with decals, that may help if you start to get really CSI.
To look at her I am kind of with Esox, it dose have a real Loan Star look to her or maybe Crestliner.


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## pescadero (Mar 31, 2006)

TONGA said:


> Did you check her nose to tail for that plate?


I've looked just about everywhere possible without removing anything - under the deck, backside of the dash, underside of gunwales, under side of splashwell, all over th transom inside and out... 

There is one spot on the inside of the transom that looks like it might have formerly held the capacity plate (or some sort of small riveted on plate) - but nothing that looks like it would have been a logo or identifying mark... and of course the plate is gone.




TONGA said:


> Is there any indication she was ever sporting badges, you know like a small pattern of holes where it may have been riveted on, if not maybe she was marked with decals, that may help if you start to get really CSI.



I can't find any - but this boat has been repainted, and I don't know how many times.




TONGA said:


> To look at her I am kind of with Esox, it dose have a real Loan Star look to her or maybe Crestliner.


I can't find a picture of a Lone Star that looks anything like it. I just started looking into Crestliner before I saw this message... there might be some promise there. 

The shape looks close to being right for a Crestliner, and it also has no rivets above the spray rail - which matches with the Crestliner "Invisible Riveting". So that is where I'm investigating now...

-- 
lp


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## TONGA (Jul 22, 2002)

Was a site for nothing but classic aluminum boats but I cant seem to find it ,plus the feather craft board, the loan star board, and I believe there was even a site for Crests but I cant seem to find anything now.
Of course I am more of a strange old fiberglass kind of guy.
I think you need to find the board where the alumanuts hang out!
good luck and the truth is out there


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## mb (Jan 10, 2001)

Try looking at fiberglassics.com They have info on old fiberglass as well as aluminum boats


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## tinmarine (Nov 19, 2007)

TONGA said:


> Was a site for nothing but classic aluminum boats but I cant seem to find it ,*plus the feather craft board*, the loan star board, and I believe there was even a site for Crests but I cant seem to find anything now.
> Of course I am more of a strange old fiberglass kind of guy.
> I think you need to find the board where the alumanuts hang out!
> good luck and the truth is out there


Was looking at that feather craft board last night. Those are some cool old boats. The moderators boat is fully polished to a mirror finish. Wow. Would love to have one of those.


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## Naden fourteen (Jan 26, 2009)

The transom and the cutwater angle scream 'Crestliner' to me. also that characteristic long deck. There are a lot of aluminum boat fans on fiberglassics.com who can likely pin it down for you.


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## flinch (Aug 10, 2003)

Here is the 1962 crestliner catalog:

http://www.retrocrestliner.com/1962 crestliner catalog.htm


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