Help me ID my boat

[YeLLowBoaT]

i bougt this boat off of a older lady... she did not know what it was. it had been in her family for over 20 years. She told me that her husband bought it off of a guy up near lake shasta that was the orginal owner(atleas thats what she was told).
The boat is 16 feet 4 inchs long and was 1st regstered with DMV in 1973.
I has a berk 12jc and came with a 1965 421 pontiac that was clearly not the orgnila motor, the stringers have holes in them from what look like a earily berk cent mount small block. under neath the yellow and white paint there is a metal flaked sliver and black gel coat. sorry about the bad picks a freind took pics with his new camera phone.
http://images5.theimagehosting.com/boat1.jpeg (http://www.theimagehosting.com)
http://images5.theimagehosting.com/boat2.jpeg (http://www.theimagehosting.com)
back with out "wing"
http://images5.theimagehosting.com/boat3.jpeg (http://www.theimagehosting.com)
with "wing"
http://images5.theimagehosting.com/boat4.1.jpg (http://www.theimagehosting.com)

[wildbillg]

It looks like it might be a tahiti?
if you can get the hull id# that would help....

[superdave013]

that's an outboard hull that looks to have been converted to a jet.
My guess is Avenger and that's just a wild guess.

[wildbillg]

that's an outboard hull that looks to have been converted to a jet.
HUH???
why do you think that??

[YeLLowBoaT]

I have been all over it and can't find a hull ID I can however find to small holes were one could have been on the transom. Hin # were not required till 72 it could have been made b4 that or after for all I know. the 73 is going by the 1st year the trailer was reg... the cf # on the boat is a 40 ft sail boat that was reg in AZ at the adress inCA where I bought it atleast according to DMV( it actually was not that bad of a head ache at dmv as you would have thought) so no real help there.
its possable its a tahiti but I have never seen another jet boat with a "wing" like this 1.

[YeLLowBoaT]

one more important bit of info... the deck and the floor are made of a hi density foam not wood. the only wood is the transom and the stringers every thing elis is a closed cell foam.

[cain129]

HUH???
why do you think that??
He thinks the transem has been moded.

[Keithb87]

I think the Avenger has a valley in the Bow. Atleast my 1973 does. The HIN on the 73 Avenger is on the back right side of the outside of the transom.
I do not see it there on your pics.
And what is that hole at the top of the transom?
Looks like it goes to the engine compartment but why?

[old rigger]

HUH???
why do you think that??
Because it has a well on it for an outboard. See picture below.
http://images5.theimagehosting.com/boat3.jpeg
My guess would be an old Tahiti. Avengers had a crease down the side, this one doesn't. Although maybe when this boat was made, in the late 60s would be my guess, Avenger didn't have that yet. I dunno.
Just when you think you've seen it all, something like this pops up. A jet made form an outboard. lol.

[Oldsquirt]

HUH???
why do you think that??
I agree with Superdave013. It's because of theis "well" ahead of the transom and the odd hole cut into it. Not the way a jet deck would have been laid up. Interesting that the "wing", as Yellowboat calls it, covers up that area. It is possible that was the manufacturer's solution to building a jet boat from an outboard boat.
http://images5.theimagehosting.com/boat3.jpeg

[Oldsquirt]

I guess Old Rigger and I were thinkg the same thing at the same time. :)

[old rigger]

oldsquirt,
I think this was an 'owner done' deal after the boat was sent down the road. No builder in his right mind would do such a thing. It had to be an outboard originally then someone on mushrooms made the change.

[Oldsquirt]

Your probably right about that, but you never know what someone might do to save building a jet specific deck.

[old rigger]

lol. you're right.
That had to be a HARD sell though.

[YeLLowBoaT]

its completly possible that this was a out borad hull. I really don;t think its a avenger. I have seen alot of old averngers but I have never seen 1 that had a a transom like this 1 b4.
that funny cut out was so some 1 could put a battery back there. it was convered from logs with risers 2 ots about 18 years ago. I have pics of b4 with the thruhulls still hooked up but I lack a scaner ....

[superdave013]

lol. you're right.
That had to be a HARD sell though.
Not if it was offered as a "trunk" at an extra cost! :eek:

[Rockdog]

Out of curiosity, how much did you get it for?

[old rigger]

its completly possible that this was a out borad hull. I really don;t think its a avenger. I have seen alot of old averngers but I have never seen 1 that had a a transom like this 1 b4.
It is absolutely a outboard hull. That much is clear. The million dollar question is who built it.

[old rigger]

Not if it was offered as a "trunk" at an extra cost! :eek:
At NO extra cost would clinch the deal.

[BoatPI]

First off the trailer is a Road Runner trailer. Look on the side of the frame near the front for the VIN. It will begin with the letters RR and should have about 6 numbers after that. They came with a sticker to but that may be long gone.
I too believe that his is a Tahiti. Tahiti also used RR trailers as their exclusive supplier for many years. Tahiti was in Cerritos for many years and owned by Bell Industries. If it is an early model, prior to 73/72, it will not have a HIN on the transom. Look for a metal plate screwed into the dash area. If the HIN is missing a new assigned number will be issued by the DMV. As far as the trailer, if the VIN is gone it will need a CHP inspection before the DMV will assign a VIN. If the trailer does not have a VIN PM me for info that may assist you. Most Tahitis used a partial stringer that stopped at bout the point where the hull began to curve upward, or about where your feet would sit.

[old rigger]

Tahiti used A&M trailers which were built in the old Tahiti building in Bellflower (they were in one of the 3 old buildings. Competetive has been in one of the others for decades) when we moved the shop to Cerritos, '71 or so. They were the main supplier of trailers, but they couldn't keep up with the need. Trailrite, Wallstrong and later Road Runner trailers were also used.
The trailer under this boat looks pure A&M to me though.
Another thing, Tahiti, on jets and I/Os almost always used short stringers, ending just in front of the engine. The few race hulls they built (stop laughing, we did a few of them) had full length stringers as described by boiatpi above. But they're extremely rare.

[WYRD]

I had a 74 Hondo that looked simalr to that but with out the added "trunk" if you will. It also came with a RoadRunner Trailer. Just a thought

[YeLLowBoaT]

The trailer under this boat looks pure A&M to me though.
According to DMV the trailers vin # is AMXXXX I had the old plates and took them in.... they were the ones that gave me all the info ie vin# of the trailer, I have looked all over for the vin number on the trailer and like the boat I can;t find it. The suposed HIN#( once again dmv gave it too me off the cf #) the boat which turned out to be a 40 ft sail boat so you have to ask yourself did dmv skrew up AGAIN... did I mention that the boat was reg in az at the adress where I bought it in CA not the trailer just the boat. gladly I got a really nice lady at dmv and said you know what every thing about the boat is worng lets just call it a "unkown make and model" and say it was built before 1972.....

[YeLLowBoaT]

Out of curiosity, how much did you get it for?
$150... then anohter 150 in dmv bs so 300.

[YeLLowBoaT]

I wish I had picks b4 I stirped every thing off so that I could paint it but they are in a box some where(I moved) I know they are in the garage or a closet some where. I just have about 200 things to do other then look for them.

[YeLLowBoaT]

This might help the bow tank was made by skyline industrys I called them up awhile back to see if they had any records of the manufactor codes...It had some account # that might have been helpful. I was told that they sold all of thier fuel tanks records/plans/work off to some 1 else that I could never get ahold of. the date of manufactor of the tank is may 28 1972.
lets see every thing else I have on the boat is pretty much stanard boat parts. I think tahiti may be in the right direction I know they made ob boats before they made jet boats. so its possable that this was one fo thier 1st atemps and make a jet boat. Some of thier earily small boat seat designs look very familer to what was left of the seats that were in it. would not be the 1st time I have seen r and d boats for sale.

[old rigger]

yellowboat,
Tahiti started to build boats in late '64, well before yours was made. The early ones were the old 16 footer. They measured shorter that 16 feet. Same bottom, same transom, a little different deck than yours. Just shorter. For a few years all they built was the 16, nothing else. When my dad started there in 66, they were branching out to include the 18 footer similar yours. I know your's isn't an 18, but that's what they were called. That bottom was used on several models of tahitis. Stretched, widened, made taller, they did it all to that little thing. The bottom started life as a Glastron. Schuster put a SK style deck on a cut-down glastron hull and the rest is history. Everyone splashed the Tahiti 16. The most copied boat of all time.
Your bow tank should have a profile of a boat and the words 'built by schuster' painted on it if it's a tahiti. If not, it's a copy or someone switched tanks.

[YeLLowBoaT]

I recently just got done repainting the tank as well as a por15 seal kit. there was about 8 coats of paint on it at least 3 colors white a light green and a dark gray.there is also some light green over spary on the transom so its been painted atleast 2 times.

[EXTREMEBOATS]

:idea: The transom looks like a "SIDE WINDER" to me. A outboard hot rod, I seen one like it years back that was around 17'. I used a 14' Side winder for a plug to make a bass boat in the early 90s. I know they had built a hull like that one but I have no idea what happened to the company. JMO
Mike

[SK48]

I had a couple 16' Tahiti's a Rodgers, a Bahner, Advantage etc. This is
just a educated guess but I think Glencoe had a stretched Tahiti 16, and
this deck looks a lot like later Glencoe's

[TCHB]

It looks like a KONA

[Bling Bling]

I had a couple 16' Tahiti's a Rodgers, a Bahner, Advantage etc. This is
just a educated guess but I think Glencoe had a stretched Tahiti 16, and
this deck looks a lot like later Glencoe's
I was guessing Rodgers too. But the back is throwing me a bit.

[Sanger Pete]

I think I used to own that boat. I can't remember the make, but it was some off-brand, and yes, it was originally an outboard. The original owner was from Lancaster, who moved to Fresno around 1974/75. It had a 427 in it and 4 forward facing bucket seats mounted to built in pedistals. I only rode in it once--it was scary fast and chine walked. He sold it to a friend of mine in about 1978, and I bought it from him in 1984. When I got it it was black metal flake, and I painted a yellow trim around the gunnels, re-cleared it, and had the seats redone in yellow and white. I sold it, minus motor, to a guy in Ontario in about 1985, and heard he put a small block in it. When I owned it and sold it, there was a different single axle trailer--looked like an old outboard trailer.
I'll try to remember the make, but darn, the old hard drive just isn't what it used to be.
Sanger Pete

[YeLLowBoaT]

I think I used to own that boat. I can't remember the make, but it was some off-brand, and yes, it was originally an outboard. The original owner was from Lancaster, who moved to Fresno around 1974/75. It had a 427 in it and 4 forward facing bucket seats mounted to built in pedistals. I only rode in it once--it was scary fast and chine walked. He sold it to a friend of mine in about 1978, and I bought it from him in 1984. When I got it it was black metal flake, and I painted a yellow trim around the gunnels, re-cleared it, and had the seats redone in yellow and white. I sold it, minus motor, to a guy in Ontario in about 1985, and heard he put a small block in it. When I owned it and sold it, there was a different single axle trailer--looked like an old outboard trailer.
I'll try to remember the make, but darn, the old hard drive just isn't what it used to be.
Sanger Pete
I really wish it was you. Sadly it can not be...I have a copy of the bill of sale between the ppl i bought off and the guy they bought it from( it says nothing about what make or model of the boat just list cf # and the lic # on the trailer.)..... date was aug 84. the only thing they did was go from logs and risers to logs with ots in ~ 85 the boat sat from 87 till I bougth it the ring gear on the fly wheel was messed up thanks to a locked up starter so they could never get it started so it sat... and sat and sat.

[Sanger Pete]

Then I guess it's a twin to the one I had--even the same cut out under the wing, same wing/cover with the same mount system. Was the original gel a black metalflake? Was there any interior when you got the boat? Were there 4 separate pedastals for the seats? In any case, it should be one fast hull--seems to me the original owner ran 79 mph at Ming with the 427 and logs in 1975.

[YeLLowBoaT]

no it had 1 big double back to back seat. 4 buckets basicly all attached. 2 facing forward and 2 facing aft with a box in between the back to seats. also has playboy bunny stiched in every where. its solid yellow. it does have a sliver and black metalic gel coat. it also has green paint under the yellow and white. ( I did some sanding to day) I have been doing alot of work on the floor and i have yet to find any holes for seats other then the some 1 glassed in some up right peices of 3/4 ply on each side that supported a grid for the seats that I have since removed.
The guy you sold it too was it david camble?

[BoatPI]

I will go with the AW trailer ID but the bottom line is that without any visible numbers the boat and trailer will receive assigned numbers.

[Sanger Pete]

I guess it's a different boat. I'm pretty sure it's the same make, but the name hasn't come to me yet. Good luck with your project.