alumanaut
Seaman Apprentice
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2009
- Messages
- 31
A year ago some one named Charles posted an image of a large old Alumacraft for sale for $1,800 on Craigslist in Kalamazoo, MI asking what year and model it was. It was an exceedingly rare Alumacraft 19 Cruiseabout made only 2-3 years (1958-1959) and designed by Erich Swenson, the boat designer hired by Hupp Company, owner of Alumacraft. Swenson was responsible for among other things the early post WWII 14' Alumacraft fishing boats with the curved sterns and the buoyant sealed cell bench seats, which he patented as an entire boat. Swenson later patented the aquaduct transom. Swenson also designed the still much desired Alumacraft Ducker duck hunter's boat. Swenson finally designed (and I believe patented) the Alumacraft 19' Cruiseabout in late late 1950s. It featured an extremely short bow deck and helm forward layout creating a large interior, with high sides and side storage. The hull featured round bilges. After building both the 19' Cruiseabout and the more conventionally proportioned 18' Queen Merrie a couple years, Alumacraft dropped the Cruiseabout. If any one has anything to share about Swenson's Cruiseabout, I would be fascinated to read more about it.
