View Full Version : My $350 Rat Boat find.
It's a '57 Duracraft 14 foot aluminum job built in Arkansas. I got the whole thing for $350, trailer included, from my pal Chuck Longley's dad. It came with 2 vintage engines, an Evinrude and an Elgin, they're both around 7 hp. I want to get a bigger engine, it says it's got a max capacity for 18 hp, but I think I can go 25 fairly easily. I don't have any of the steering controls or the throttle and shift mechanism.
If anybody's got any tips on books or websites pertaining to these old things, I sure could use the help.
FKNPOZER
06-18-2004, 02:37 PM
DUDE! is that the tahj mahal in the back ground http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
That would be the abomination my folks are building, it ain't the Taj Mahal but it's the modern day MacMansion equivalent. God bless 'em for letting me keep that POS on their property.
Kevin Lee
06-18-2004, 02:44 PM
I think that's Crocket an Tubbs' pad. WTF? That boat is pretty cool.
spudshaft
06-18-2004, 02:52 PM
You shouldn't have too much trouble finding out how to make all the controls work. You could try someone like www.glen-l.com (http://www.glen-l.com) for the controls, or your local Boater's World store.
You end up paying several times over what you did for the boat to get a 25 hp outboard. That is a cool old boat though.
By the way, your folks' house looks nice. Being from Tennessee, I dig the columns.
slammed
06-18-2004, 02:59 PM
Cool Retro water craft. I agree w/other Hamb's.....South Beach estate's,it's quite a culture shock.
Antibilly
06-18-2004, 03:07 PM
When are they gonna finish my room?
Nice boat man....Im jelouse http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
spudshaft, thanks for the link man, awesome website, tons of info, great prices too.
That house is sooooo cheezy guys. It's almost embarrasing, but it's their money. I wouldn't spend money on something that huge even if I could. I guess they could sell it to Britney Spears and make a ton of cash.
Hey Mike, you in the mood for a couple cold pops after work bro'?
Kustom55
06-18-2004, 03:16 PM
I am no help, but here are some pix of Axle's boat. If he reads this he might be some help.
Kustom55
06-18-2004, 03:16 PM
2
Kustom55
06-18-2004, 03:17 PM
3
Axle's boat's way cool.
There's a guy lives down the street has a big fin fiberglass boat and I think it's for sale.
The guy who I got my boat from bought an original Cypress Gardens aluminum ski boat, you should see this thing, it's wicked cool. It has an aluminum body too, but it's got these huge slanted fins. He's putting a DuVall style windshield on it and it's gonna be powered by a 55 h.p Evinrude.
SwitchBlade327
06-18-2004, 03:25 PM
my buddy has an old boat sitting at his house, I haven't really tried to look at it, but now I'm going to have to. It's gotta huge wrap around windsheild sticking up, and that's all I've seen since it's behind a bunch of other vehicles. I'm climb back there and check it out this weekend....
Cool boat Nads ,Ive got to see this thing someday.
57wagon
06-18-2004, 03:47 PM
Looks like there is plenty of room in there for a Big Block chevy!!! Just take that third "seat" out and you are good to go!!!!!
Justin415
06-18-2004, 03:47 PM
Cool Boat NADS. Ya know I got a real neat Mercruiser dash bezel/gauge cluster with a flat head tach etc that is shaped like the 32 ford clusters that would look really sweat in that dash.
Spitfire1776
06-18-2004, 03:49 PM
That is a cool old style boat, dig it. Add some ballance weight to the front and buoyancy. Some more support to the back, you could go bigger than 25. But like it was said would probably pay a pretty penny for an era made jobby.
4t64rd
06-18-2004, 03:52 PM
Thats cool!
I think that thing needs all the paint stripped off and polished http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I have the open version and a newer (80's) 6hp Evinrude. Mine has been painted olive green with the WW2 mouth and teeth.
Big A
06-18-2004, 03:58 PM
Cool score. If you're going to slap a bigger motor on that thing, you might want to tie a bobber on it... makes it easier to recover when the transom rips off. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Here are some boat links (http://www.iserv.net/~shapton/links.html)
Axle's boat is friggin' awesome. I had a line on a guy who was buying and selling cool old boats cheap, but the bastard went and croaked on me. What a guy.
hammeredabone
06-18-2004, 04:19 PM
You scored dude! My neighbor had a boat exactly like that one that ran a Johnson 25 on it. That boat would plane very quickly and turn like crazy! My neighbor took me in that boat when I was about 8 or 9 and he would sit sideways in the seat so he could see my expression as he turned the boat on its side through the turns!!!That crazy old fucker scarred the shit outa me on more than one occasion. Got him back real good, he was standing out on the end of his dock and when I came in from water skiing I went by his dock and soaked that sonofabitch from head to toe.
Put a bigger motor on that thing, Nads! Manufacterers always underrate the HP.
Antibilly
06-18-2004, 04:20 PM
Nads Im not against it my friend...Ive got Zachary after work but he wont drink much...call me
I also got the other two caps for the GB on
Fast Elvis
06-18-2004, 04:59 PM
Sweet find Nads http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif........our should I call ya Capt. Nads or Skipper http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif.........love that back seat...whats the name of your boat Nads?
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God bless 'em for letting me keep that POS on their property.
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Nads, is that a member of the family passin by in the photo ,with his hand on his head saying, "what the hell's he got going now"? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
"Kustom55", what make and year is that boat?!!! Thats BADASSED! I don't even boat but id just love to drag that thing around behind my truck! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
old beet
06-18-2004, 09:15 PM
My wife's 1957 wood boat, she has had it for 15 years, ready to refinish now.............OLDBEET
old beet
06-18-2004, 09:15 PM
Interior
old beet
06-18-2004, 09:16 PM
LOGO?
SanDiegoJoe
06-18-2004, 09:29 PM
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I think that's Crocket an Tubbs' pad. WTF? That boat is pretty cool.
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you heap damn funny
41ChevyTrucker
06-18-2004, 09:33 PM
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one more
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forget the boat... do those columns on the house light up or what? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif And is the cigarette boat parked at the dock out back? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
williebill
06-18-2004, 11:27 PM
Hey Nads,your boat looks like it's sectioned....windshield is too high..as for the house,if my folks had a spread like that,I would have done the Billy Madison thing until they threw me out.Fill the garage up,and change the locks http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
old beet
06-18-2004, 11:47 PM
Hey Nads, always wanted to ask? Does that hair removal shit really work? Looks like you made bank on it.......OLDBEET
OLDBEET, your wife's boat's killer man. I dig the murals and the steering wheel.
How come it's left hand drive? I thought all boats were right hand drive.
That's me in the picture doing the "what the hell did I buy this thing for?"
I am going to strip it back to bare aluminum, except for the inside, I think it needs paint to help seal it and keep it from getting burning hot.
Someone brush painted the poor thing in those horrible earthtones.
The wife's got some material picked out to do the upholstery. Those barn door looking seats aren't original but I'm glad they kept the original hardware.
I know it's not a car but I dig all these old objects that will never be made again. Everything nowadays seems to lack style and craftsmanship.
old beet
06-19-2004, 12:21 AM
Nads, don't know why some boats are RHD or LHD? Should ask the wife, I guess. As her dad built wood boats for 30 years. She talks boats like we talk rods. She had a 383 Mopar "V" drive when she was 16, was a proto-type her dad built. Ya,we love old shit, can't even move in this house, cause we collect everything!!! Got any stuffed Frogs???.....OLDBEET
OLDBEET, I coulda sent you one if I woulda known. It was friggin' huge, recently dead too.
I swear I've never seen a wild frog this big in Florida ever.
What a great story behind your wife's boat, that's just too cool, I guess your father in law was really talented. That boat is really special, I'm glad it's still around.
4t64rd
06-19-2004, 12:41 AM
OOLDBEET,
I don't know about frogs, but we always have toads getting flattened by cars in the street and drying into toad frisbees.
If you want I'll slip one in an envelope and send you one.
I found a pair of rare "Siamese" toads that had gotten flattened that way once. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
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