SEABUDDY
ON BOATS

Archive for the ‘Motors and Power’ Category

There are three companies associated with Dart Boats. All made their runabouts of wood, with oak and ash for the keel, chines, bent frames, station frames, and battens and mahogany for the planking. These are often true Mahogany runabout specifications. Dart was somewhat different in that they used brass angle plates in their construction as well as brass screws and copper rivets. The rivets and screws were said to be every “a row of rivets or screws every 4 inches from stem to stern” according to 1927 Dart Boat literature.

Dart Boats were first made by the Indian Lake Boat Company, Inc. in Lima, Ohio which licensed the Canadian boat builder, Greavette Boats Limited to make some of their designs and use their hardware. Greavette made just 31 boats under this license and then changed to another runabout design. Their Greavette Dart boats production were spread out among four models; two 18’ different boat models, plus a 23’ and a 26’ boat model.

In 1928 the name and rights to Dart Boats were sold by Indian Lake Boat Company to Dart Boats Incorporated in Toledo, Ohio which had Webb Hayes II, as its chief operating officer. He was the grandson of Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19^th President of the United States and ex-congressman and ex-Governor of Ohio. This company ended production and closed in 1933.

Dart Boats made two styles in a 18 ½’ length boat, a 22 1/2’ by 6’ 1” (the Dart Jr)., a 26’ by 6’ 8” (the Dart), a 29’ and a 30’. The longer boats were usually offered in several designs. A 30’ Gold Dart triple cockpit powered by a Chrysler Imperial engine was considered the top-of-the-line. A Silver Dart (26’) was another model name as well as the previously mentioned “Dart” and “Dart Jr”.

Irving J. “Hocky” Holler designed the boats (he also designed some Richardson Boats/Yachts, later) to handle the Lake Erie chop and they advertised that a Dart Boat design featured: “seaworthiness, speed per Hp, and ride quality” compared to other brands of the era.

No discussion about this yacht should happen without a mention about its yacht designer, Tom Fexas. He used some extra ordinary design skills, grand style, and technical acumen to create a special yacht in the Midnight Lace boats. He first used his thoughts about fast power cruising using modest power in his 44’ Midnight Lace model. I have driven an example of one of those cruisers in the Pacific Ocean. A very nice boat, but somewhat under powered as that one had twin small Renault engines under its cockpit. The Renaults also were smoky engines on that 44’ boat cruise and that was a fairly big issue to me at that time.Tom Fexas made a fast yacht in the Midnight Lace 52 by watching the hull weight and its balance along with a easy to push, narrow beam hull shape.

He has said that the design was “inspired…by the slippery old hulls…of the rumrunners” and the yacht designs of Consolidated and Elco boats.

She is a 52’ yacht with less than 10 tons in displacement! Her 13’ beam makes her narrow compared to other boats of this length. Yet the boat has a double berth master with its own head (with a short bath tub). Plus, a private guest stateroom that has two single berths and there is also a fully found second head.

Cheoy Lee built this yacht in 1983 using the latest fiberglass construction with coring for a light weight composite hull. They constructed a glorious interior to match her exterior design. She has since been updated and her equipment has been generously replaced as needed by an attentive yacht owner.

Oh yah, I saved the best for last…a Midnight Lace is a bow rider.

The photos are from Yachtworld.com that has this yacht currently for sale.

One of 419 examples of this model size built the year that she was made and one of the best old style ski boats is this mahogany Century 16’ Resorter model. This one has a replacement 260 Hp Chevy Mercruiser inboard V-8 for power and she really goes when a skier says “hit it”. She is a high speed, speedboat.

A wood runabout Century boat has a good amount of v (vee) at the bow that flattens aft for a very shallow amount of deadrise for the most speed and quick acceleration that a performance boat on lake waters needs.

Further, a Resorter Century from this era used the light but strong batten seam construction style for her hull construction. She has many athwart ship frames as well as having seam covering longitudinal battens that the planks are both fastened to (A separate wood batten runs behind all of the planking seams to add strength and water tightness to the hull in this style of boat building).

 A hard chine, v-bottom mahogany runabout was and is the runabout style of choice for many water sports. She is best described as a utility, as each passenger row is easy to get between, rather than being described as a twin cockpit mahogany speedboat.

Straight shaft inboard runabouts with their separate prop, rudder, and propeller strut, are one of the oldest, most reliable ways to design a timber boat. And, Century was a quality leader in both design and styling in the 1950s era. This classic mahogany runabout was the official tow boat brand in the late 1950s, not a Chris Craft.

Century Boat Company started in the wood boat business in 1926 and by 1969 had stopped production of wood hulled boats as they continued on with fiberglass boats.

The photos are from antique boat america.com that has this boat for sale.

16 century wood boat 1959 model

Dashboard of the 16' Resorter Century

the Tiara Yachts 4500 Sovern underway

At 4.4 mph a 4500 Tiara Yacht is estimated to get a range of 1951 miles from its tankage.

At 19.6 mph the same boat and power (870 Hp total) gets a range of 255 miles.

At 30 mph she gets 280 miles in her range.

At 36 mph (WOT) she still is estimated to get a range of 256 miles.

These are the numbers for Tiara Yachts new 4500 with about a 1,000 lbs of gear on board.

Look for a new Tiara 4500 Sovran powered with the twin Volvo IPS 600 package, which is her standard power.

To get 255 miles to 256 miles from her standard tankage from as slow as 19.6 mph to as fast as 36 mph shows a very well developed hull shape, running balance, prop set, and power package combo.

She is a nice express cruising with a hardtop boat that comes with top shelf back-up support, too. And take a look at her standard teak wood interior.

Chris Craft Runabout

 This a Chris Craft runabout under rstoration at a company that does quality classic boat work, Wooden Boat Restoration LLC. I also have seen the boat all but finished except for final “punch List” work. She is a great sight to see. She is 15  1/2 feet in lenght and powered as a speed boat should.

Sly Fox is a classic wood runabout, with two cockpits and two rows of seating aboard with good room for all.

She uses a utility style layout for ease of acess between the two cockpits. An engine box keeps the mechanicals out of the seating areas.

Its a joy to explore the lakes and bays of america’s waterways in such an antique and classic boat. Its a different feeling than one gets in a new boat. People that share the water with you give you a smile and a wave as they like seeing you and the boat in use.

a new Cigarette for 2012

 Cigarette Racing or Cigarette Boats has a new hatch with a special air intake treatment for their 1400 Hp powered Top Gun model.  It features the newest outdrive from Mercury Marine or Mercruiser division of Brunswick.

This hatch is the latest method to get dense air into the engine room and therefore the engine for more boating power.

Cigarette is noted for top shelf race boats and innovation in pleasure boating.  See a 2012 model year Cigarette wherever you can, its worth a look.

New electronics, new colors, and new interiors are very nice, but hot boats, real Hot Boats, are really about performance on the water.

Cigarette Racing is a built in Florida boat, the east coast of Florida. Its is and in the center of fast boats and safe and durable speed on the water.

Other models of Cigarette Racing Boats are made for open water cruising or for offshore fishing.

Classic boats are here along with historic planes and antique cars.  Wood Antique and classic booats as well as race boats are apart of this Florida event.  Enjoy the boats on the water and on land. Ideally, one would enjoy all three (land, sea, and air) in this one event.

United States Yacht Shows, Inc., producer of the renowned United States Sail and Powerboat Shows, is launching a new event for aspiring, as well as experienced, cruisers: The first annual Cruisers University, to be held May 12-15, 2011 at the Baltimore Inner Harbor Marine Center.

Billed as “The Ultimate Aid To Navigation,” the program will provide expert instruction in a wide range of subjects pertinent to long-range cruising. Classes range from general cruising topics, such as Crossing the Gulf Stream, Proper Provisioning and Cruising with Children, to master certification courses in Diesel Maintenance, Weather Forecasting and a comprehensive educational package called the Seamanship Series. All classes will be taught by subject matter experts from respected institutions, such as the Annapolis School of Seamanship, while the opportunity to meet other participants who share the cruising dream is a significant bonus.

One of the most unique aspect of Cruisers University is its interactivity, including a large in-water display of boats, both sail and power, outfitted with live-aboard cruising in mind. Participants will not only attend classes, they can become involved with learning through demonstrations of equipment and systems, as well as by taking selected boats out for sea trials during the extended weekend.

The event’s structure allows participants to choose from three programs, with tuitions ranging from $450 for the four-day Masters Certification Program or the Seamanship Series to $160 for the one-day Introduction to Cruising Package.  Each package includes breakfast and lunch as well as boat demo boarding passes.  The number of courses and inclusions vary at each level.  Evening social events featuring music, cocktails and a keynote speaker are available for an additional fee. Special hotel and marina rates and VIP parking passes, are also available for Cruisers University participants. 

For a daily admission fee of $15, consumers can view over 150 sail and power cruising boats and 100 boating equipment exhibits.

For tickets and more information, visit www.usboat.com.

January 27–30, 2011
Baltimore Convention Center
1 W Pratt Street (at Charles Street)  One block away from the Inner Harbor
Baltimore, MD 21201
 

Show Hours

Thursday, January 27, 2011
      11am–9pm 

Friday, January 28, 2011 
      11am–9pm 

Saturday, January 29, 2011 
      10am–9pm

Sunday, January 30, 2011 
      10am–5pm

NEW! Hands-on, Close Quarters Maneuvering Clinic