Aquadarts
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: General Correct Craft Discussion
Forum Name: Off Topic
Forum Discription: Anything non-Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=22328
Printed Date: December-24-2024 at 12:26pm
Topic: Aquadarts
Posted By: Whitfield
Subject: Aquadarts
Date Posted: June-28-2011 at 6:30pm
|
Looking for anyone with information or pictures on these 60's model PWC's.
Would love to find one ~ and am thinking some of the older wiser ski crowd may have been hastled by them in there younger years. http://www.riverdavesplace.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=6158 - aquadart ------------- Michael .... I'm the black sheep ~ 1984 Dixie 299 Super Skier (350 Chev PCM / counter rotation / Velvet drive) Open Bow. |
Replies:
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: June-28-2011 at 7:25pm
|
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! ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: adamt
Date Posted: June-29-2011 at 3:55am
|
Pete, was it an Amanda Water Scooter...  ------------- -Adam 1973 Skier |
Posted By: adamt
Date Posted: June-29-2011 at 4:03am
|
------------- -Adam 1973 Skier |
Posted By: Nautiquehunter
Date Posted: June-29-2011 at 10:54am
If they only knew then how their invention would evolve. 
|
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: June-29-2011 at 12:56pm
|
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!!!  ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: FINS
Date Posted: June-29-2011 at 1:02pm
Not an Aquadart but here is the little toy we are just finishing for my son to play with. We are not sure exactly what it is. Looks like cross between an Aqualooper from Canada and a Hydrocycle but does not match either exactly.
 ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=2262&sort=&pagenum=3&yrstart=1925&yrend=1960" rel="nofollow - 59 ATOM Lake Tapps, Wa. |
Posted By: Waterdog
Date Posted: June-29-2011 at 1:07pm
|
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!!! ------------- - waterdog - http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=3896&sort=&pagenum=2&yrstart=1978&yrend=1978" rel="nofollow - 78 Ski Tique |
Posted By: drtybrdy9
Date Posted: June-29-2011 at 1:18pm
|
It sends chills through my spine when they are putting it in the water and just let it grind on that concrete edge. Great for the hulls finish. ------------- http://correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=5402&sort=&pagenum=1 - 05 SAN Limited 210 |
Posted By: tullfooter
Date Posted: June-29-2011 at 3:17pm
|
http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/boa/2444796974.html - 1973 Aqua Loop on Michigan CL ------------- Play hard, life's not a trial run. '85 BFN '90 BFN White Lake, Michigan |
Posted By: Keeganino
Date Posted: June-29-2011 at 4:46pm
|
There was a guy on Ebay trying to sell one of the original kiddy boats from Disney World that reminds me of these crafts. Neat history. ------------- "working on these old boats may not be cost effective but as it shows its what it brings into your life that matters" -Roger http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=4897" rel="nofollow - 1973 Skier |
Posted By: Whitfield
Date Posted: June-29-2011 at 5:19pm
|
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. ------------- Michael .... I'm the black sheep ~ 1984 Dixie 299 Super Skier (350 Chev PCM / counter rotation / Velvet drive) Open Bow. |
Posted By: uk1979
Date Posted: June-30-2011 at 7:24pm
Thanks for the nudge on this, I didn't know about these and made by the Vincent motorcycle company, so did a quick search and found this that shows the engine http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/38000579IVJsPQ?start=24 - Vincent Amanda it came out around 1955 the first PWC sorry guys for what they ended up as  ------------- Lets have a go 56 Starflite 77 SN 78 SN 80 BFN |
8122pbrainard wrote:Posted By: OverMyHead
Date Posted: June-30-2011 at 8:31pm
|
I love the lack of pfd's in the video. Simpler time. ------------- For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats. 1987 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: June-30-2011 at 8:49pm
|
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!!! ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: uk1979
Date Posted: July-01-2011 at 7:04am
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 ------------- Lets have a go 56 Starflite 77 SN 78 SN 80 BFN |
Posted By: Rich
Date Posted: February-03-2017 at 12:06am
|
I drove an Aquadart around mid to late 60's on Lake Wallenpaupack PA for a neighbor who sold this PWC. It was the size of a stand up jet ski, had a 20 HP Mercury outboard with short shaft mounted in the middle. There were two handles one stationary the other throttle. There is a hinged plate mounted on the rear for safety, so your legs would not hit the prop. I have a picture. Rich |