Early Aero-Craft model K Racing Hull

[oldboat]

I picked up this odd little 11 foot boat last week not knowing just what it was.. just knowing it was a odd little boat that looked like a possible old racing boat.. later to find out it is a early aero-craft racing hull made from 1949-1952.. only 6 to be found on the aero-craft web site.. mine is missing the correct front dash and rear console steering dash but with the found photos of the other 6 I can now have patterns to replicate them..

 

[LDUBS]

70+ year old racing hull -- that is pretty cool. Do you have any info on what kind of outboard power it used?

 

[oldboat]

70+ year old racing hull -- that is pretty cool. Do you have any info on what kind of outboard power it used?

it was rated for 16hp on Aero-Craft brochures... I have a 1949 Mercury KE7 Lightning10hp for it..

 

[Ronbedard57]

Very cool
A candidate for a bright polish job if I ever saw one.

 

[oldboat]

Very cool
A candidate for a bright polish job if I ever saw one.

Thanks ! yes thats what I'm thinking as well.. I need to recreate the center dash that is missing... should be pretty easy to remake.. the side brackets are still in place and I can see how it was made from the very few that I have found on the Aero-Craft website..

 

[Tall Tiller]

That is a cool little racer!

 

[Pappy]

Scott-Atwater also made a 16hp in that era. Very nice hull, glad you are restoring it as it is a worthy piece of history. Wonder if there is an Aero Craft group on FB.

 

[Still Afloat]

Curious if anyone knows what kind of speed they were getting out of these old racers.

 

[Crazyboat]

Curious if anyone knows what kind of speed they were getting out of these old racers.

I can't imagine them being too much faster then a small light tinner of today. The only way to gain speed with the same power is, lighter weight, better hull, better prop. My guess is you'd go faster in a boat of today then of yesteryear. (Again we're talking HP-HP equivalent)

 

[airshot]

I can't imagine them being too much faster then a small light tinner of today. The only way to gain speed with the same power is, lighter weight, better hull, better prop. My guess is you'd go faster in a boat of today then of yesteryear. (Again we're talking HP-HP equivalent)

The way they calculate the hp today...these older motors actually made more hp.. In my youth, a 16' Lyman could easily pull up one skier with just a 25 hp johnson and with a 35 hp coukd easily pull up two skiers with a couple passengers in the boat !! In 1964, my 14' mirro with an 18 hp evinrude could easily pull up a skier....in much later years, I had a 14' starcraft with a 15 hp evinrude, no way would that pull up a skier, speed was there, but far less grunt to do the pullin....

 

[sonny.barile]

Airshot…..you are correct. Old two strokes produced much more torque.

In an old two stroke both strokes produce power. In the modern 4 stroke, two strokes produce power and two do not.

 

[oldboat]

Scott-Atwater also made a 16hp in that era. Very nice hull, glad you are restoring it as it is a worthy piece of history. Wonder if there is an Aero Craft group on FB.

Hello Pappy !! yes this defiantly needs to be restored back to the way it was.. luckily it hasn't been to badly molested and should be pretty easily restored .. and yes there is a Aero Craft FB group and they are quite happy to see it too !!

 

[oldboat]

Curious if anyone knows what kind of speed they were getting out of these old racers.

Hi, Still Afloat !! I guy on Aero Craft FB told me he is running a Mercury KF7 Super 10 with a q mid section and quickie lower unit.. he is 220 lbs. and it goes about 35 on his GPS but he still has to mess with props .. according to the old Aero Craft Brochures this hull weighs 80 lbs.

 

[Still Afloat]

Hi, Still Afloat !! I guy on Aero Craft FB told me he is running a Mercury KF7 Super 10 with a q mid section and quickie lower unit.. he is 220 lbs. and it goes about 35 on his GPS but he still has to mess with props .. according to the old Aero Craft Brochures this hull weighs 80 lbs.

Wow, that‘s better than I expected. Thanks.

 

[airshot]

Anxious to see one of these flying over the water !!

 

[Douglas Nephew]

Sooo Cooool!!