TOPIC: Can anyone id this aluminum tunnel hull boat?

Hi, I recently came across this boat. It appears to be a vintage aluminum tunnel hull? Can anyone identify the name, year model or manufacturer? - Thanks

Really like to see somemore pictures of it....inside,front,back etc...Is it a 2 seater? Should be one fast ride!

wow,cool,it almost looks homemade to me,but its cool though.

Best I can do from across the fence. It appears to be a 4 seater and must be a factory built boat.

wow,if you look at the mounting bracket of that motor,it isnt even close to being centered,ill bet it steered kinda funny,lol.

From the back, it looks more pontoon-ish than tunnel hull. Maybe a homebuilt made by a very creative person?

Well, Now I'm really confused! Zooming in on photo and regarding Mr. Gibsons comments about being off-center motor mount.....This boat appears to have a piece of V-cut arched aluminum metal plate extending across the bottom and between the two catamaran hulls or pontoons. I am not familiar with this feature on a cat or pontoon...doesn't fit the profile. Seems to be more suited for a solid hull boat (Kind of like a pocket drive).

The boating industry missclassifies the term "tunnel hull" on most boats. A tunnel hull will have a tunnel all the way through the boat. Whereas a pocket drive has an indentation in the hull about 2 to 3 feet in front of the motor's leading edge which causes a inverted low velocity zone (pressure drop).....allows water to sweep upward and keep more motor & prop in the water. Pocket drive allows for shallower draft.

Furthermore, the front of the boat has some sort of a splash guards connected to and extending above the front catamaran hulls or pontoons.

Also, zooming in on photos reveals some real nice rivet features for the aluminim seating. Either the guy that built this was a master aircraft maker or this is a factory boat. The lines are just to clean to be scratch built. You think you would see more mistakes.

I think its a home built

If scratch-built, may have been too heavy as a true tunnel, added the V section to "pack" air in the tunnel and provide more lift. Kinda like the late 80's tunnel hulls used in Mod VP racing.

i did some work as an asbstos remover and insulator in power plants,you should see the metal work the tin knockers did,it was unbeleaveable work,they could make anything out of metal sheets.

I think you are right Mad Prop, someone had a lot of time and a sheet metal break...Tom

Well, I hope someone can identify it. Has anybody ever seen another similar boat? It looks like a tamed version (4 seater)of a modified tunnel racer from say...a popular Popular Mechanics book?

Hi,
Is this boat located in Texas? A very good friend of mine, Norman, has one of those in his collection. Same engine. It is a very interesting boat. The boat could be piloted from either port or starboard by swinging the steering over to the other side, it pivoted in the center. You could also steer from a standing position in the center of the front cockpit. Norman always thought that it might have been a home-built until I came up with this photo from 1958. I looked for a long time until I finally found this piece. Hope that this might help. It's definitely one of the wilder themes out there. I've got some photos of his boat somewhere, I'll try to find them.

Lee Wangstad

See.....I knew one of you "Treckies" would be able to do this! That boat is totally cool! Yes, more photos and information please!

So.....what exactly is a "Treckie"? Not to hijack this thread, because that's not what I'm about, but I'm just curious.

Lee

It's not intended as a bad or insulting remark! More like a compliment. The term really would be more geared toward someone who follows something (a topic) closely ... lots of reasearch. I'm a treckie of several things. - Ensteinlivesintexas

Lee....Did you find your photos and information? I would sure like to see them.

-Einsteinlivesintexas

I haven't found them yet. The Bob Speltz/Land-O-Lakes Chapter of the ACBS had their show today and it's been busy around here. I'll find them and post.

Lee

I found the photos. I spent the last week fishing with my brothers up north, just got back. These were taken in 1996 (can't believe that it was 14 years ago) by Norman. I believe that your photos are the same boat, only 14 years later. Norman had this boat at one of the early Fiberglassics meets, maybe the first in Rockton, IL. There is one photo here that shows the cockpit better so you can see how the triple steering positions work. Kind of utilitarian, but workable nonetheless. He was located in Wichita Falls, TX, where is the boat now?

Lee

Paint it red and it would look perfect with Santa Claus sitting in the driver's seat.

Very funny! Ha!Ha! It does look a lot like a sleigh. I had not thought of painting it red and finding some reindeer....bet the designer would be insulted thou!

OMG!! I'm sorry, hope it doesn't hurt any feelings, but I think that thing is cool in an ugly & pitifull puppy kinda way! Like one of those painfull, but hilarious, funniest home videos accidents.LOL! I was convinced it was homemade, can't believe that was made back in the days when smoothe & curvatious beauty was the main intent of most designs.

No feelings hurt here! I think the boat is very "retro". Yes, it does look like santa's sleigh; however, Look at the fins...man!

There are many ugly old boats out there and many ugly modern boats too. Look at peddle boats, paddle wheeler boats, bass tenders, etc. This "Aquacar" boat is definitely different. If they were currently manufactured, do you think people "nowdays" would buy them? Would mom, pop & family take an evening cruise across a smoothe lake in something like this?

Wiki...defines "retro" as "Retro is a culturally outdated or aged style, trend, mode, or fashion, from the overall postmodern past, but have since that time become functionally or superficially the norm once again."

- Einsteinlivesintexas

Man, forget the family riding in it, I don't think I could ride in it myself! LOL!! I dunno though, you're right .... it does have it's classic charm point's .... but it's appearance just sorta strike me wrong.

Hi Lee, the man you are talking about in Texas is my father. I have been looking for information on this boat myslef. Has anyone come up with anything else?

Do you still have this boat? If so where did you get it?