ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

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mparks

Cadet
Joined
Mar 10, 2002
Messages
21
Re: ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

CaptBlacksMarine: Found many newer model Sleekcraft, but nothing from the time period I think this boat is from.<br /><br /><br />12Footer: I'd found that outfit during my search. I got the impression they probably had not manufactured this boat... which has a style that speaks of the 60's or early 70's. It couldn't hurt to drop them an email, I suppose. I'll do that.<br /><br />Walter: A cursory google search didn't net any models of Raysoncraft that looked similiar. Most were inboards. I'm thinking you are probably right (I hope!) about the insurance company. "Pink slip" is "title" out here ;) And it shows "0000" under the year field, and "PREMIUM" under the builder field. That's all that's on it. I have no idea how the DMV would allow a craft to be registered w/o knowing the year it was made. I suppose on boats they could be lax. <br /><br />The trailer is listed as being manufactured by "American"... I haven't begun to figure out who made it. Is American a common trailer manufacturer?! That part doesn't appear to be a big deal.. maybe the insurance lady recognized the brand.<br /><br />I'm one day closer to the weekend, when I'll pull the tarp off and go in search of any ID at all. I'm hoping I'll find something. Heheh... either way I should be able to insure it and with any luck have it fixed up nice for the summer. :cool:
 
G

Gold Bear

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 26, 2001
Messages
224
Re: ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

Guys,<br /><br />I believe that many boat manufacturers did not inscribe their serial numbers / manufacturers ID until 1979 when some sort of legislation was enacted.<br /><br />Many boats made before then had the info on the same metal tag with the horsepower rating etc.<br /><br />So, many older boats, that have had the tag waste away can no longer be identified.<br /><br />If your boat does not have the serial number inscribed at the starboard side of the transom, just under the cap / deck edge, about all you can be sure of, is it was built before 1979.<br /><br />Feed back from others???<br /><br />Best Regards, Gold Bear ;)
 
M

mparks

Cadet
Joined
Mar 10, 2002
Messages
21
Re: ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

Thanks Gold Bear, I'm more anxious than ever to pull the tarp off and scour it from tip to toe! I'd really like to ID this boat!! <br /><br />I get off work at 6:00pm, so by the time I drive home, it's nearly dark... so this is definitely a Saturday thing. Storm coming in Saturday night, but morning/afternoon is going to be fine, they say. I'll be sure to post back after I am done searching.
 
M

mparks

Cadet
Joined
Mar 10, 2002
Messages
21
Re: ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

Welp, I looked from tip to toe... under everything... and there was no ID, no tag, no hint of any ever existing. :/ I looked for spots on the hull where a logo may have been affixed and the holes filled in, I looked for any sort of adhesive remnant under the bow, everywhere. Nothing.<br /><br />The only thing on the boat for ID is the CF numbers and a sticker labeled "PREMIUM" on the right front part of the bow, right after the ID letters. The sticker looks old, is black letters on a white background. The white is more yellow now than anything. I don't know what to make of it. That is the name of the builder on the title, but I wonder if it wasn't used as a substite because the real builder ID wasn't available.<br /><br />If anyone can find anything on a boat builder back in the 60's - 70's by the name of "Premium", I'd be grateful.<br /><br />The trailer has an ID tag on it, though. It's an American, probably from their earlier days. I just sent an email asking how long they've been making trailers.<br /><br />I noticed a couple of the screws that hold in the trim are missing, and light can be seen coming in through them. The floor appears to have two plywood sections covered by some kind of ?fiberglass/poxy? type covering. So I assume I could screw short mounting screws into it when putting on new seats. Plus I'll probably use whatever marine type poxy/glue stuff that is normally used. <br /><br />I found the two little plugs used to plug up the rear drain holds... they were sitting in a pile of old leaves and sludge in the rearmost part of the boat. I was scooping and throwing the stuff and happened to feel them. :rolleyes: Glad I spotted 'em before tossing!<br /><br />As I go along, I'll pick up the terms used for the boat, boating, and such. Right now I have no clue what a transom is, for example. I know fore is the front, aft is the back, but starboard and port? Nuh uh. And stern is... the rear, too? And I have a feeling I'll be talking with the local marine shop quite a bit, too. <br /><br />Ah well.. in time, in time.
 
W

Walter

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 3, 2001
Messages
787
Re: ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

LEFT = PORT and RIGHT = STARBOARD. This is easy to remember because left has fewer letters than right, and port has fewer letters than starboard. Also, your night time running lights are RED for the PORT side, and GREEN for STARBOARD. Again, fewer letters for red (port) and more letters for green (starboard). The boats transom is where your outboard is mounted. <br /><br />I'm sure you'll eventually get to understand all the boating lingo...especially once you complete some basic boating classes. <br /><br />Later...<br /><br />Walt
 
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captsara

Seaman
Joined
Jan 28, 2002
Messages
65
Re: ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

here is what i so when I need to register a hull. If your brother hasen't paid taxes for a whille, you don't care what kind of boat it is. Call it a homebuilt custom, in Hawaii we register boats with the state harbors and trailers with dmv. If they (boat and trailer)don't have cuttent tags I call'em home built. Harbors gives me a hull ID # to inscribe in the hull, and registration docs. I weigh my trailer and DMV gives me a new veihicle id, title, and registration. I have scored a couple vintage 70's fiberglass boats that required weird hoop jumps.
 
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Ted S.

Seaman
Joined
Jan 19, 2002
Messages
62
Re: ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

I dont know what it is either but she looks sweeeeeet! Better install lots of grab handles so people can hang on! She looks like she'll rip! Watch out though, speed is deceptive. Safe boating!
 
S

speed skier

Recruit
Joined
Mar 27, 2002
Messages
4
Re: ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

My father owned a 16 ft Rayson Craft in the mid sixties and this looks that boat
 
H

Hooty

Rear Admiral
Joined
Oct 2, 2001
Messages
4,496
Re: ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

Hey MikeInSac,<br />I think Speed Skier has a bingo. Never saw a RaySon Craft O/B, all I ever saw were suck & blows (jet) but I think it's a RaySon Craft O/B or a knock-off. Whatever, you're gonna have a LOT of fun. Keep us posted with your progress.<br /><br />c/6<br /><br />Hooty
 
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Walter

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 3, 2001
Messages
787
Re: ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

Hey, no fair! I already mentioned RaysonCraft in an earlier post. That "BINGO" belongs to me!! ha, ha....<br /><br />It's difficult to say just what make it is...there were soooo many small company's building, as Hooty describes, "knock-off" models. My BeachCraft is nothing more than a SeaRay wanna be...<br /><br />Keep us up to date Mike...<br /><br />Walt
 
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Hooty

Rear Admiral
Joined
Oct 2, 2001
Messages
4,496
Re: ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

Dang Walt,I must have missed your Rayson Craft posting. Here's a coupla "atta boys" an' a gold star for your diligence and shart eye.<br /><br />c/6<br /><br />Hooty
 
M

mparks

Cadet
Joined
Mar 10, 2002
Messages
21
Re: ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

Heheheh.. well I'm stuck rebuilding a 20' fence and gate this weekend :/ The boat sits as I left it, no interior whatsoever... I need to find a good place to buy boatseats!<br /><br />My insurance company just made stuff up.. labeled it a 1960's fiberglass 15', insured it for $2700, and $300 on the trailer. Insurance runs like $60 annually. Not too bad. :) <br /><br />The wife and I have discussed getting it painted.. nothing overly fancy, but something to make it look more modern.. maybe match my truck's paint. I hitched it up for the first time a few days ago and practiced backing up, etc.. definitely need practice but it was workable. I'm tempted to mount a sign atop my truck the first time I goto take it out: "BOAT NEWBIE". :D <br /><br />I'm going to look closer into the Rayson line, and see what, if anything I can uncover. I'm still really curious as to what kind of boat it is. Thanks again for the input everyone.<br /><br /> :cool:
 
M

mparks

Cadet
Joined
Mar 10, 2002
Messages
21
Re: ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

Never did find out what kind of boat it was... but I hooked up the hose to it and got it started for the first time... it was a bit reluctant, but then caught and cleared its throat quite fine. :) <br /><br />I was impressed! Mind you I'm not a boater.. I'm definitely new to owning a boat, and fairly new to operating them... but to hear that engine rumble was really, really neat. :cool: I cranked it up a couple times to hear how it ran - and it purred.. I was very relieved/happy.<br /><br />So I'm building my own bench seats... the price of nice seats would run around $450, and I just dont have the budget for that. I'm building two bench seats, one facing foward, the other aft. It'll run me about $150 or so for everything.<br /><br />Then a battery ($$??), and an adapter for my truck to the lights on the trailer (of course Chevy picked 2001 to goto a non-standard electrical adapter to trailers). A little work on the trim, maybe repaint the gas tank, and I should be ready to float the boat. I want to give it a go before this summer is out... <br /><br />Any advice on building these seats? I can post my work plans tonight in case someone can add something to them. <br /><br />BTW, I lost my bookmark for these forums and had a tough time finding em again ;)
 
B

blifsey

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jan 17, 2002
Messages
769
Re: ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

Is the trailer light plug not a standard 4-pin flat plug - most are? If not, you can pickup a wiring harness fairly cheap and just rewire the trailer lights. Shouldn't be hard as all I see are tail lights and 2 side lights. Be sure you have good solid ground, don't depend on ball/coupler to get ground through to trailer. I would do that before messing with truck lights.<br /><br />BL...
 
M

mparks

Cadet
Joined
Mar 10, 2002
Messages
21
Re: ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

The trailer's plug is standard 4 wire plug.. but the derned Chevy s10's plug is a 5 wire plug, with skinny little male ends recessed into a flat harness. I'll have to snap a digipic of it and show it here. I looked through all the neighborhood parts stores and they didn't have anything like it.<br /><br />Likely it will be a new part to buy from the local dealer :/<br /><br />I'll check to be sure of good grounding, too, thank you. I'm not a wiring type guy either. (Hey, but ask me anything at all about computers!! :D )
 
K

KCLOST

Commander
Joined
Jun 22, 2002
Messages
2,095
Re: ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

MikeinSac,<br /><br />Here is a link to a site that you may find some guys that may know a little more about the boat especially the motor....<br />You might ask there (message board..)<br /><br /> http://www.pfs-ware.com/kwast/mercboard/index.htm <br /><br />I posted a link to your photo already, maybe you can post the actual photo and give some more info on it...
 
T

TorontoGuy

Recruit
Joined
Aug 6, 2002
Messages
4
Re: ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

It certainly looks like a boat that was made locally here in Ontario Canada by J-Craft. The company is still around under new ownership. The shape of the transom and the trim appears identical. The paint scheme matches too. How long is she and does it have an aluminum fin under the center of the keel? The J-Craft emblem was mounted about midship just below the gunwale. Any holes there? I'll check with a friend of mine who owns one. Can't explain how it could have ended up in Cali tho........
 
M

mparks

Cadet
Joined
Mar 10, 2002
Messages
21
Re: ID this boat? (52kb pic inside)

Hm! There is an aluminum fin underneath, about midway down the hull. I checked out J-Craft in Ontario and from what few pics there they had of their modern watercraft, I see the very strong resemblance!<br /><br />I just sent off an email to them containing a link to the pic above and this thread. Maybe the mystery will be solved after all! :cool:
 
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