SEABUDDY
ON BOATS

Posts Tagged ‘boat’

That is a car maker's steering wheel shown in this boat photo

The Century Boat Company’s Coronado was a smash hit when it entered the luxury runabout marketplace in the 1950s and into the 1960s. It was recognized for its groundbreaking styling that combined automotive accents from nearby Detroit along with a roomy cockpit. This boat features a lightweight and fast hull shape. Speeds of up to 55 MPH are mentioned for this wood classic.

The selection of engine offerings over the years alone is interesting.  Chrysler 354 hemis were an option, along with the Chrysler 413 wedge head “Golden Lion” engines.  Other choices included Buick and AMC engines as well as the “new” Cadillac V-8 selections.

About 1/2 of the way through their production years, Century boats even tried using Rolls Royce engines in its Coronado as an experiment for a gas engine power choice. It did not work well, however, so the boat had to be re-powered upon its sale.  The boat was such a powerful inboard that it was capable of pulling up 10 skiers at a time.

Cushioned seating inside the cockpit would let you take 8 or 9 friends for a ride around the lake – that was often the feature that sold this boat. Other attractive features included a Pontiac car windshield that was standard one year. Think Lincoln automobiles when it comes to the Coronado’s steering wheel. And lots of chrome trim, just like autos of the day.

The Coronados were wood-hulled boats from 1955-1968. All Coronados had basically the same length (21’- 22’) and width (approximately 8’ on the beam). The 1959 model seems to have been the biggest at the deck line, but was built on the same hull bottom used in the other years.

I mentioned earlier the one Coronado was configured with a Rolls Royce engine—seabuddy remembers seeing one at the NY Boat show when I was in my teens.  In those days you just had to walk into a boat show and ask to see the most luxurious boat on the floor, and you’d be pointed directly to the Century Coronado display.

cockpit photo of classic wood Century Coronado boat

Century Coronado engine box behind second of three rows of seating

A good ride comes standard with a 2012 Cobalt 242 bow rider

Here is a top shelf fiberglass bow rider that goes right at 47-50 MPH with a 305 cubic inch 5.0, breaks 50 MPH with a 350 cubic inch 5.7 and gets another 7 to 8 MPH on top of those numbers with a big block Mercruiser and its Mercury Marine I/O. All these power choices use a Chevy block as a base starting point for the gas engine.

The Mercury Marine Bravo Three drive with two props on one drive shaft is popular as is the similar Volvo – Penta Duo-Prop outdrive. Hole shot or 0 to 30 MPH acceleration times in the seven to eight second range indicates how well the hull and power packages are matched up. By the way, the best fuel economy is in the 22 MPH to 30 MPH cruising speed range.

She is a very well detailed luxury runabout with seating in the bow featuring a special foot well space, good hand rail positioning, comfortable seating, all within a deep, secure cockpit. A Cobalt designed boat really focuses on cockpit space, especially its interior width. High spec materials in a good hefty weight and well attached is all over and under a Cobalt boat. Quality, thoughtful touches, and cockpit comfort with room comes with a Cobalt boat as standard equipment. Cobalt’s warrantee coverage on this 242 bow rider boat is outstanding. Just check all the parts, items, events, and systems that are covered.

Another nice thing with a Cobalt is that one needs only to add 7-8% to the base price for a well equipped boat. A loaded boat takes more than that, but careful selection of the needed options keeps the add-ons down.

Finely detailed luxury inside a 242 Cobalt 2012 cockpit

tall inside the private head compartment of 242 Cobalt 2012 boat

big swim platform on a 2012 Bryant 233 boat

Here is the take away about just two key differences that sets Bryant Boats apart from most boats seen in a boat show.

One, Bryant boats are 100% wood free construction in their hulls, decks, stringers, cockpit liners, transoms, seat bases, side panels, and motor mounts. Many family runabout boat companies say they are wood free, but take a walk around their boat building plant and you will see lifts of plywood stacked in with the boat building supplies. Do you not want or cannot visit all the potential boat companies you are considering? Ask this simple, but long question of a factory representative. Is it guaranteed that there is not any wood, anywhere in his boat and in any of its parts?

Two, almost all boat builders say that their boat is “Hand Laid”. It is a must have answer to get folks to look at a boat. The problem is industry practice is not uniform as to what Hand Laid means. All boats show a finish that is a sprayed-in gel coat shiny finish. After that, some think that their bow rider is – Hand Laid – if only one layer of fiberglass is laid up into the construction of the boat and then all the other layers (boats take several layers of built-up glass to make their major parts) in the boat are sprayed in with a chopper gun and then hand “rolled” into a tight mix. Practically all boats are hand – rolled. That rolling step does not really make for a hand laid boat. It is just one aspect of a two aspect process. The problem with this hand laid, high quality way to build a boat is that few people on the boat show sales floor can explain these differences, let alone correctly say that their boat is fully hand laid.

Bryant boats are hand laid and wood free boats. I have been in their boat building factory and seen the boats in all stages of construction. I have visited many other boat builders, also. I know and have seen first-hand the differences.

there is a walk into the cockpit passage way in this photo

the ice chest is hidden under one of the "no wood" bow seats

see the mix of old and new in this classic wood Owens boat photo

This Owens Flagship is an outboard powered boat. Here the boat has been flipped right-side up. At this stage, much of the selecting, fitting, scarfing, and screwing / securing of the new sections of wood in conjunction with the boat’s existing bottom and hull side work has been done. Note the mix of old and new wood.

www.mywbr.com is just starting to work on fitting the boat’s deck pieces back into their original position. Those sections that are still good pieces will be the beginning of defining a runabout deck, side rails, motor well, and cockpit for this Owens wooden boat restoration. Some of the new wood is being trial fitted as shown in these photos. Much of a runabout’s look and impact on the water will come from the deck. Most Antique and Classic Boat Society boat owners like to be reviewed or judged by experts against a very exacting set of standards. For that and other reasons, this classic outboard powered runabout needs to be restored to the highest level of fit and finish.

The dash board of this Classic Owens outboard was saved by George Hazzard and his crew as much of it can be cleaned, stripped, stained, and finished with many coats of varnish. Wooden Boat Restoration, LLC has a very complete paint booth on site to best achieve that high level of finish that makes for a boat that fellow boaters look at with admiration.

The steering wheel and its assembly are to get their own separate attention for a proper total classic boat restoration. I have seen George’s work on these types of somewhat side issues and must say that his inventiveness and attention to detail is outstanding.

new wood for the transom of classic wood outboard Owens runabout

original wood dash for this classic wooden Owens runabout

Deck House Mold for Post Yacht, check the man for a size relationship

www.postyacht.com is the web site as news becomes available.

In what step is the company and its flagship model in right now? The 56 foot Sport Fishing Yacht molds are in Maryland now. All but one of the boat building buildings is complete and that last building is well under construction. Seabuddy saw more than a dozen workers in the yard working on boats and that building during a late winter Friday afternoon visit.

It was in just before last Christmas that John Patnovic, owner of Worton Creek Marina bought the assets of Post Yachts. He is famous up and down the East Coast for his top-shelf manufacture (or remanufacture) of tired Bertram Yachts, particularly making Bertram 31s all new again and repowered with diesels to make fishing and cruising an up-to-the-minute experience. John has the confidence of experienced yachtsmen in his talent to get big things done. If you do not know him, just check out one of his boats. Seeing one of them is often the reason that folks sight as the reason that they brought their harder marine jobs to Worton Creek Marina for John to work his magic on.

The original Post Marine got caught in the downturn in the boat business. They closed the doors of a boat builder that had been making yachts since 1957. Russell Post, the founder of Post  Marine, had been a lifelong boat builder and was, in fact, one of the four original founding partners of Egg Harbor Yachts in back in 1946. Once Mr. Post retired, other long time employees ran Post Marine. Then after all those years of building those sweet-running boats a modern business recession got them.

While Post started out in the wood boat business, the company transitioned to pretty much all fiberglass boats years ago (the last boats had some mahogany wood incased inside their fiberglass engine beds). Now the latest in proved fiberglass materials are slanted for the 2013 yachts.

last Post Yacht building under construction

see the room in the Intrepid Boats Power center console cockpit

Intrepid Power Boats center console with Volvo IPS diesels gets unbelievable MPG at 40 MPH in the open ocean. They make center consoles in various sizes, but always with the top designs. Intrepid may very well use the best techniques, materials, technology, and customization among all of the center console boat builders.

Here is a 40 foot center console fishing boat that betters the fuel consumption numbers than many 25 to 30 footers at cruising speed. Getting the 1.6 MPG number at a fuel burn rate of 25 gallons per hour while running at 40 MPH is setting a record. This is the talk of the dock by fishermen. Their center console fishing machine does not achieve this level of efficiency.

She features a unique padded cushion and long box configuration in front of the helm station, also. Take a look at how it can be arranged to fit you and your fishing style by repositioning them.

The Volvo Penta IPS drive system with joystick makes this boat succeed. It is the new high tech power package in fishing boats. Here is the safety of diesel fuel coupled with center console fishing efficiency and a hi-tech drive system approach to offshore performance.

Its top speed is not 60-65 MPH. This boat did not have that as its design goal. If that is what you need, go somewhere else. Ask Intrepid power boats, they specialize in filling design goals as long as one of the selection their hull molds is the starting point.

By the way, Intrepid boats calls this a 400 I/O diesel model.

big cockpit and easy swim platform access on Intrepid center console

open hatch showing the twin Volvo diesel IPS engines and drives

running across the bay in a Grady White Center console

If you want a top notch Center Console you must take a look at the well-built Grady White boat. They are award winning, year after year. Grady’s offer all the features that make for a great fishing boat.

This boat builder shipped its first Hatteras model boats early in 1960. These were 17 foot mahogany plywood planked clinker built outboard wood boats ideal for catching fish. Clinker Built means that each plank bottom edge stands out from the one below it such that it give a small lift to the boat while it throws spray down and away from the cockpit. Glen Grady, a boat builder from Wisconsin, and White, from a farming family in North Carolina, had joined forces to start G-W Boats, Inc. in a former tobacco Warehouse. These were boats that were similar to what Glen had built while working for other boat builders back where he had called home.

Eddie Smith and his family later brought into G-W when there was a business problem. While the original team built good boats, apparently, they did not run a good business. Eddie brought a business sense to the boat builder at first. Then, he became a champion sales success leader for the company and then later he bought the original partners out, when they wanted to retire.

Pictured here is the 2012 Grady White 306 Center Console that measures 30’ 6” down the center and needs a permit to trailer 10’ 7” at its widest point. The boat tends to weight over 10,000 lbs. ready to run and around 12,000 lbs. on a trailer going down the road. In a package B-M-T, She sells for around $230,000 from a local dealer. Just note the heft of the hardware on a Grady, please.

Powered with the popular package of twin 300 horsepower 4.2 Yamaha outboards, she gets good mileage of about 1.75 mpg at 22-23 mph and can hit 50 plus while getting just less than 1 mph. Avoid 2,500 rpm which is around 11 mph.

Award winning Grady White boats make this 306 model pictured and other center console fishing boats.

note the clean and dry running of a Grady White boat

Trim the Yamaha engines under to keep the bow down in the water

Jumping a wake in a Custom Craft fiberglass classic boat

Custom Craft Boats were manufactured in Buffalo or Tonawanda, NY and also called themselves Custom Craft Marine and/ or Custom Craft Industries. They were sold under the Munro name in London, Ontario, Canada. Munro almost always sold their boats featuring a low down payment and packaged with an outboard motor and a trailer.

The very first boats were kit boats and the boat builder changed over to fully finished boats with their fiberglass models. Production of the fiberglass boats can be traced back to having been started in the very late 1950s. Production stopped in 1964 with the boats being sold as 1965 models. These classic fiberglass boats made my seabuddy heart pound when they were shown in a boat dealership in New Jersey in the 1960s.

They were designed by company owner Henry Donald Canazzi. H. Donald used several of today’s popular design features far ahead of most of current performance boat builders. The Manta Ray and Delta Ray models featured steps, tunnels, and non-trip chines as well as other ahead-of-the-time type features.

He raced his Custom Craft Boats occasionally and won the Grand Island Regatta and the St. Lawrence Regatta. A Custom Craft T Ray 15 was tested by Mercury Marine many years back with their 65 horsepower outboard engine at 39.2 mph.

Custom Craft boat model choices were numerous, and they were made in several hull lengths from 14 feet to 19 feet, and usually in three trim levels in each of those sizes. The Manta Ray and Delta Ray models shared the same complicated boat bottom design mentioned earlier. A Manta Ray was a 14’ 2” boat with a beam of 68” and weighted about 440 lbs. Other models were Master Delta Ray, Flying Ray, Speed Ray, Star Ray, Sea Ray, Sting Ray, Devil Ray, Tiger Ray, Aqua Ray, T Ray, and Sun Ray.

Please, one more thing. Some folks used gunwale measurement length instead of centerline length in naming a boat model. Many boats can be misidentified by a casual study of older boats. The 14’ 2” Manta Ray measures 15’9” as a gunwale measure. Even major manufactures have used a gunwale measurement as it makes their boat seem bigger.

Delta Ray model from Custom Craft

Riva Aquarama at just above idle speeds

The best known Riva entered production in 1963 with 21 boats built. Its wood hull was based on the Riva Tritone model. The first three wood boats were carvel planked, but then laminated hull sides were used from all the hulls from then on. These laminated boat construction pieces proved to make for a better looking boat, especially as the classic boat ages.

The bottom shape was changed from the prototype model for all boats, starting with boat 34. By hull #178, built around 1967, the bottom shape was changed again to give a better ride at cruising speeds. By 1969, the hull shape above the waterline, the stem, and a different bow cap were instituted. The first boat with this change was 309. The height of the hull side was raised after #315 at the stern quarters.

Aquarama Riva model boats came in several hull lengths from 26’ 3’, 27’, 27’ 3”, 27’ 7”, and 27’ 9” but are routinely called as around 28 feet long or almost 29 feet in Length over all (LOA). The 29 foot boats are called “long Aquarama”. All of these classic wood boats are just under 8’ 6” in beam.

Horsepower sets a Super Aquarama off from a Aquarama. Figure on from about 370 total horsepower on the low side to most having about 640 total Horsepower with one boat showing as having 800 combined horsepower. All the boats are twin engine boats and feature wood framing as well as planking of the hull and deck of these classics.

Thanks to Riva and MBBW for the photos.

Spray is thrown down and away Aquarama classic wood boat photo

Riva boat framing classic boat photo

New side planking sheets for Classic wood Riva

low profile optional windshield is shown in this boat photo

Regal Marine for 2012 has a lock on stylish under 20 LOA bow riders with their 1900 model that measures 19’ 10”. Take a look at the sculpted fiberglass hull sides. The windshield choices. The engine choices. The standard equipment, much of which is designed in from the get-go.

Here is a boat with a very deep vee that super softens the chop and stays in control in tight turns. It is a performance boat. The only negative to a deep vee in this size boat is bow rise on initial take-off but the helm seat design and location fixes that.

She goes 50 MPH plus with the middle engine choice, a 220 Horsepower Mercruiser MPI engine and out drive package. You can go even faster with the 270 Horsepower Volvo option.

So it is excellent speed with a reasonable engine package, peppy turning ability, high style hull and cockpit features, and a lot of storage in a nice tight high value package with the 2012 Regal Bow Rider.

One thing that seabuddy must point out is the size of the standard swim platform and access from out of the water to inside the cockpit design feature that this Regal offers. Even at a boat show, drop the swim ladder and try this out for yourself, it is that good.

Finally, this boat has a generous 8’ 3” beam for its length that is wider than most. That gives extra room to move around inside the cockpit. Once in the cockpit, check out the removable ice chest under the rear seat. Regal spent more time and attention in designing this boat than other boat builders do and this feature shows one of the resulting benefits of that extra thinking to a boater and his family.

extra seat along the rear of the cockpit

This is one big swim platform plus standard full height windshield here