Leo Bentz, Ski Nautique and Boat #1 |
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ArtCozier
Platinum Member Joined: April-25-2012 Location: Orlando FL Status: Offline Points: 1023 |
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I also wondered whether or not the 409 is original in the boat. I don't recall encountering one in the old days, but nothing would have been impossible in those days. If a potential customer wanted a particular engine, the Meloons would have made it happen in order to sell a boat. They worked really hard to keep the company "afloat". (pun intended)
I'll take a stab at finding the factory records on the boat next time I'm in the Archives. As it is, I have a long list of long-overdue numbers to look up for other members! |
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"Art"
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TRBenj
Grand Poobah Joined: June-29-2005 Location: NWCT Status: Offline Points: 21132 |
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'64 19', Tournament Skier? Big boat, wouldn't be surprised to see a large engine in it. Never heard of a 409 in a CC but the timeline matches chevy's production window.
Let's see some pics! |
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peter1234
Grand Poobah Joined: February-03-2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2756 |
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I hope it is a 409
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former skylark owner now a formula but I cant let this place go
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Smithfamily
Platinum Member Joined: December-26-2007 Location: Orlando, Fl Status: Offline Points: 1602 |
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Welcome to the site Steve! Yes, lets see some pictures? A 409!??
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Js
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41040 |
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Steve,
Thanks for joining the group. Did you just find CCfan or just become a member? If you just found the site, spend some time with it and I know you will find the fantastic resources it has to offer. Do you have any pictures? When was the Crusader installed? Didn't it have a Y block originally? EDIT: Steve, I'm confused and from the response of others can tell they are as well. What model CC do you have? This thread is primarily about the first Ski Nautique and that's what I, at first, assumed you had but then looking back, you state your boat is 19'. |
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stevea
Newbie Joined: January-10-2016 Location: st.louis mo. Status: Offline Points: 12 |
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Hi everyone joined this site after reading this great story. I own a 1964 19 ft. correct craft hull number 1901. Have owned the boat since 1969 it has a 409c.i. chevy engine "crusader".There are 5 boys and 1girl in my family that have put countless hours of sking barefooting, pulling a ski kite, and who knows what else almost every warm weekend since. i cannot say enough good things about old c.c. boats. Dont know if anybody knows about the waters of Lake of the ozarks in mo. but there is where we run it so you no what kind of beating it has taken its whole life still going strong. Thanks for this great site
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ArtCozier
Platinum Member Joined: April-25-2012 Location: Orlando FL Status: Offline Points: 1023 |
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Haha, you guys make me feel good. I have to admit, I do miss a lot of the times I had over all those years. Of course, as with any job, there were times that I wouldn't want to live over. Fortunately, we almost always forget those first.
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"Art"
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Bakchose
Gold Member Joined: November-04-2004 Location: Boston, MA Status: Offline Points: 554 |
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Art, wow so jellous. I like what I do for a living but I wish I had your job.
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62 wood
Grand Poobah Joined: February-19-2005 Location: NW IL Status: Offline Points: 4527 |
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This is an actual job that you got paid for!?? . |
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ArtCozier
Platinum Member Joined: April-25-2012 Location: Orlando FL Status: Offline Points: 1023 |
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What we do still have is the hull that we cut, added to, hacked, bent, Bondo'd, tried different chines, slammed over wakes, and tried our best to make it turn over when we were developing the hull. Steve Meloon and I would come back from the lake with sore muscles from doing S-turns, spinouts, etc for hours on end. The hull is stored under shrink wrap in the rack at Southeast. It's still referred to as Ski Nautique 1234. No, it will never, ever be sold or given away! |
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"Art"
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81nautique
Grand Poobah Joined: September-03-2005 Location: Big Rock, Il Status: Offline Points: 5772 |
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Will do next weekend when I get back down to the boat but it doesn't look that much prettier. We just gave it a quick bath at a car wash and nearly froze in the process. Anyway, the plan as it stands right now is to bring it home when the clocks change so I can get some hours on it after work. I plan to just completely strip it of all hardware and mechanicals so I can pull up the floor and see what the stringers look like. I can't imagine the stringers are any good so that will be were I start. After that I'll get working on the Gel, I had a lofty idea that I could pay to have the Gelcoat done professionally but I've had a few estimates and the cost is way out of the budget. So looks like I'll be learning a new craft I've had some good leads on a motor, thanks for the emails guys, one of them will work out. I have several options right now just waiting for pricing from two engine builders for a complete rebuilt motor as opposed to picking up a used and doing the work myself. Some items I will need to source is that single piece windshield, That is what I'm going to put back on it so keep your eyes open. If nothing turns up in the next 12 months or so I am ready to make a mold and form one myself. I have access to an oven so the real task is to build a mold and try to not waste too many sheets of plexiglass in the leaning process. If we go that route and it works out maybe we'll make several as I'm sure there's a need for them. Other items I will need are a full compliment of period correct gauges. I'll list what I need once I determine if were'going mechanical or electrical and maybe some of you ebay wizards could work your magic. So that' s it for now, updates as they happen |
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phatsat67
Grand Poobah Joined: March-13-2006 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 6149 |
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Art, if a 2001 mold was still available I would probably have ideas ha.
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Nautique2001
Grand Poobah Joined: June-14-2004 Location: Massachusetts Status: Offline Points: 2832 |
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Congratulations, Alan, you're well deserving of such a historical boat, We'll all be stuck to this thread for the next few years. It will be one thing getting behind the wheel of the very first Ski Nautique, it will be another thing skiing behind it. I'm guessing there's a bit of a rooster tail at 15 off. Will that boat have enough speed and power to pull a footer?....assuming you'd use it as a ski boat. Next thing we know, you'll be posting a thread about finding the very first Correct Craft boat and adding that to your collection. Have fun! Ken
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Bakchose
Gold Member Joined: November-04-2004 Location: Boston, MA Status: Offline Points: 554 |
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Way to go Alan,
As like everyone else, I can't wait to read and watch this project unfold,. What great find and the right person to find it! |
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dwouncmd
Gold Member Joined: July-10-2009 Location: NC Status: Offline Points: 919 |
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Alan,
I have been away for a while. Wow. What an amazing story. I am looking forward to seeing this story unfold and seeing the boat restored. Wayne |
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89 SN
<a href="http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=6567&sort=&pagenum=1" rel="nofollow">7 |
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ArtCozier
Platinum Member Joined: April-25-2012 Location: Orlando FL Status: Offline Points: 1023 |
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The obsolete molds from CC are in the local landfill! Whenever a boat is no longer to be produced, the molds are disposed of. We used to truck them to the landfill and give the loader operator a few bucks to run over them and destroy them. When I say loader, I'm talking about a LOADER. The wheels are steel, about 8 ft. in diameter with huge metal spikes sticking out of the "tread" surface. They put a stop to that practice several years ago, so now we cut them up into small pieces and put them in the dumpster. I really was sad when I saw the last 2001 model (the 18' 6" boat) leave for the dump, because I had helped develop that hull.
It's a shame we can't keep one mold of each recent obsolete models, because when a boat is damaged in an accident, the great way to repair it is to grab a mold and lay up a very thin hull section from the area that was damaged, cut the damage out of the boat, and splice in the thin section, then build it up from the inside. Now you have to go find someone that will let you pull a mold from a section of their identical boat, make a thin mold, and follow the above procedure. Storage space is expensive, so we just can't keep them. |
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"Art"
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peter1234
Grand Poobah Joined: February-03-2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2756 |
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Probably a dumb question but where are the molds for say a barracuda, skylark american skier etc?
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former skylark owner now a formula but I cant let this place go
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phatsat67
Grand Poobah Joined: March-13-2006 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 6149 |
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Alan, please print out flyers for Lee's ski school and hand them out at reunions! I couldn't have picked anyone better to own such a piece of CC history. Congrats!
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ArtCozier
Platinum Member Joined: April-25-2012 Location: Orlando FL Status: Offline Points: 1023 |
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I saw a Glas Craft SN many years ago at the Miami Ski Club, where Leo was a member. It might have been one of his personal boats, I don't know because I had not yet met him at the time. The boat had wooden strips on the foredeck and some other step plate type trim in various places.
The '80s boats with the teak cap on the entire deck and windshield frame were called the "Paragon". I think we only ever built less than ten of them. It wasn't a great idea. When they got wet, the teak would swell and raise up in spots. Fortunately, when they dried, it would go back down. It was rumored that that a wealthy customer bought one and put it in his living room as a display. |
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"Art"
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aupatking
Senior Member Joined: October-03-2013 Location: Alabama Status: Offline Points: 139 |
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I'm happy to see this getting posted all over the inter Web. I just found it posted on ballofspray.com
I'm so happy this boat has gone to the right guy for the job. Looking forward to another 48 page thread to follow, seriously ballofspray.com |
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02 SN 196 TSC2 ZO
01 SN 196 TSC1 98 SN 196 TSC1 97 SN 196 TSC1 93 SN 196 NWZ |
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dochockey
Gold Member Joined: September-16-2009 Location: Colorado Status: Offline Points: 638 |
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This just gets better and better wow!
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1989 Teal Ski Nautique
1967 Mustang Harris Float Sunfish |
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Donald80SN
Grand Poobah Joined: January-12-2009 Location: Denver, NC Status: Offline Points: 3889 |
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Alan and Dana, I am soooooo glad you folks ended up with this one. I know it will turn out great. Just think, no steaming or bending any wood.
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1980 Ski Nautique SOLD Back to Cypress Gardens
2002 Sport Nautique, GT-40, FCT2, Cover Sports, Tower Bimini, Inc., Wet Sounds Audio System, Star Gazer Wake Edition S. 1968 Ski Nautique, Project. |
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the grinch
Senior Member Joined: November-25-2008 Location: Lexington, NC Status: Offline Points: 150 |
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Alan,
How about some pics of it since you gave it a bath. |
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It takes a big hole to bury an elephant.
Kirk Miller [URL=http://www.correctcraftfan.com/forum/register.asp?FID=7]KIRKS79/URL] |
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SeaSkiff
Newbie Joined: September-20-2010 Status: Offline Points: 25 |
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Hi there all. This is Paul Morris with the Higgins Classic Boat Assoc. This is certainly an interesting account of the very beginnings of a one of the giants of fiberglass specialized marine manufacturing - the Ski Boat & Ski Nautique.
A little history from the Higgins side of things that you might be able to draw parallels from. The one piece wraparound windshields on Higgins boats first appeared on their return to pleasure craft production after the end of the Korean war - 1956 mid year. They used what ever the bean counters would approve. Generally it was early Taylor Made, some Kainer and some General Plastics. The 17' Sport Speedsters from this period thru 1958 left the factory in NOLA with them shipped loose in the boat, all wrapped up, and dealer installed. In 1958 the Sports Speedster product was discontinued and the 18' Magnum was its replacement and had a huge cast brass and stainless 2 piece windshield. The first fiberglass item that Higgins made (or contracted ) was the engine box and that took place as far as we can tell sometime in 1957. The factory magazine ads and brochures first announced the Dearborn Interceptor as a factory option for the 1958 model year. On Sports Speedster hulls when new, all had wood spray rails at the chine line that ran from the stem to about 2/3 of the way aft until about 1958 when they ran all the way to the transom. I doubt that the early efforts in fiberglass hull molding would allow a spray rail to be molded on the hull and still be able to get it out of the mold. Later on with the advent of the split mold, yep on problem. Attached is a nice picture of a Sports speedster of that period. Cudo's Alan and Dana for again saving another important piece of marine history ! ! Cheers ! ! Paul |
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Cheers!! Keep the tools sharp!
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41040 |
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The Mahogany deck panel option is interesting. I'm sure it was thought of due to the market that still thought boats should be made of wood. I also wonder if the idea was one that inspired the Paragon?
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81nautique
Grand Poobah Joined: September-03-2005 Location: Big Rock, Il Status: Offline Points: 5772 |
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Great Add Steve, I don't have that one. I do have a more detailed price list I'll scan and post.
Interesting in your photo another left hand drive with the single piece windshield and the price list states "wraparound Windshield" |
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skutsch
Grand Poobah Joined: June-19-2008 Location: Racine, WI Status: Offline Points: 2874 |
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I also found what must be the original Ad Sheet on the Ski Nautique from Glass Craft, notice that it doesn't even have a picture just an artists rendition. Wouldn't surprise me if Leo drew the picture himself. I also have the Price/Specification sheets. Interesting that you could order with Mahogany Deck Trim, I wonder if that was and entire Mahogany deck cap or just strips of Mahogany like we saw in the 80's (only with teak) on some of the CC boats. Anyway here are the other two files
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skutsch
Grand Poobah Joined: June-19-2008 Location: Racine, WI Status: Offline Points: 2874 |
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Alan - I just ran across some files I had on my computer. I don't recall where I got them from, but thought they should be added to your collection here. Regarding the windshield mystery, below is a picture that I have not seen posted on the site yet. If you have records of the FL registration numbers, you might be able to match it to this boat
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skicat
Platinum Member Joined: May-18-2006 Location: Duluth, GA Status: Offline Points: 1128 |
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Damn Allen I wish I would have known. I was at our condo in Hilton Head and had extra bedrooms or could have met and helped out.
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nautique frk
Platinum Member Joined: February-16-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1784 |
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Alan, Congrats !! This is amazing ! cannot wait to follow your restoration
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