Aquadarts

Michael,
Sorry I don't have any info but your post sure brought back some old memories. I wish I remember what it's name/manufacturer was but it was a very early PWC that I had back in my teens. It came from England so maybe Roger can help. Absolutely no parts where available for the engine so I dropped a air cooled JLO snowmobile engine in it. It was not a jet but a prop. The higher HP of the JLO prompted me to have the pitch of the prop increased however I used the same centrifugal clutch. It couldn't handle the extra HP and burnt up in a hurry. (this was before I got really educated in mechanical engineering of power transmission products!!) I bought it used and knowing the people I got it from, I'd bet they bought it from the original Abercrombie and Fitch back in the days when they would sell high end toys!! The original engine was truly only something the English engineers could come up with. Each cylinder was on it's own crankcase so to go from a single to a twin, you simply bolted two together. The cranks were even separate and connected together with dowel pins. You could in theory add on more cylinders but I doubt the crank connection would hold up. Even the mag ignition was "piggy backed"!!

Roger, Remember anything like this? It was about the same size as todays single person PWC. I'd guess it was made late 50's to early 60's. I've done some searching on the net but am coming up with zero!

Adam,
You're the pro at finding things!!!    Yup, that's it. I wish I still had it. The last I saw it, it was laying out in the woods at my brothers and that had to be 40 years ago. It probably went to the dump one day.

Mine was slightly different. Maybe an earlier model with the cooling vents on the sides of the seat. The little time it did run, I do remember it got hot down there!!!

Fins,
I saw one of those a couple of weeks ago, the guy wanted a couple hundred bucks fo it(needed to be restored) I bet it would be fun with a 50 on it!!!

1973 Aqua Loop on Michigan CL

My Grandfather now 88yrs old sold the Aquadarts as a marine dealer back in the 60's... I was afraid Pete would have me banished for admitting that. I have yet to see one in person but have heard many stories of them. His 3 kids (my dad / aunt / uncle) put many many hrs on the (2) they kept on the old house boat. Hmmm ~ I think the Aquadart was OMC.

PS: Aquadart steering was by dragging a foot only. These were a lay down to ride and the Ski only covered you from the waist up. They look to be about 1/2 size of the other pictured above.   

I love the lack of pfd's in the video. Simpler time.

8122pbrainard wrote: Roger, Thanks for the link to the pictures. I'm sure this is the engine I pulled out of it. It was a twin and you'll notice the Jugs/cases were bolted together with the adapter in the middle. As a young person, my first thought was to bolt on another cylinder!! The video (obviously made for sales) had prices in British Lbs at the tail end. I suspect the higher cost was the twin cylinder compared to the single. Did you have a chance to watch it? What failed on mine was the ignition (mags and I'm sure from the lack of water protection). Back in those days, all communication was by mail (no one considered making a over seas phone call ) so it was painfully slow. I gave up on Vincent, pulled the engine, dropped the JLO snowmobile engine in it and had it on the water a month before I ever got a response back from them!!! GD, how did our countries ever win the war!! They made the phone calls and certainly never worried about the cost of the overseas call!!!

Pete, I watched it this morning got to be around the late 50's with that car in shot, looks like they speed the film up to give it more speed,you just don't get the same type riding the PWC these days no jacket and tie with a trilby, small bit I have read one of the designers was kill testing one,probably had a Vincent big V twin in it the bikes were good for over 130mph I think this was an attempt to save Vincent as a company but like most of our motorcycle industry to little to late and they went under so to speak