TOPIC: Just saying Hi

I suppose I'll be chastised as I just stopped by the 70's group to say hi and I now see that I was clearly in the wrong place as I am a G3 owner as of last weekend. Picked up a 59 in reasonably good shape for it's age. $400 for boat that floats, has all it's hard ware and not a bunch of stress cracks or other damage plus a motor that the prior owner says ran last season and with a trailer seemed like a reasonable deal. Grew up with boats in the family and I've owned everything from one man sail boats to twin turboed day cruiser and most things along the way. Since childhood I have always liked the look of the G3 and now I have one. Planning a restoration to include fairing the bottom, possibly raising the transom, new paint and upholstery and redoing the trailer. Would like to replace the Rude StarFlite V with a 85 - 115 hp Merc. Depends on what I can find. Interested in talking with folks who have done or are doing a G3 particularly those living in Central CA.

16Again:

Welcome to the website Sir and congratulations on getting your G-3!
They are truly great classic boats!

We have a "one-family" owned 1960 Glasspar G-3 that my Dad ordered new WAY back in 1959! He left it to me after he passed away and luckily we only had to do a minor "refurbish" although I did put
a newer engine on the boat for reliability reasons. I will post
a link for you to a thread I did on the refurbish which may help
you out some. Also, there is a photo below of our G-3.

Anyway,...good luck on your restoration and feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Also, another good website for our G-3's
is this one: www.g3owners.com .

16Again:

Here is a link for you of the thread I did on the "Refurbish Of Our
1960 Glasspar G-3." I thought it might help you with your
restoration Sir.

www.classicglasspars.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&view=topic&catid=2&id=23809&Itemid=535

Thanks so much. I'm looking forward to a project that I can easily move around the garage. Don't need a lift or big jack or any of the other things necessary when doing a car or big boat.

After cleaning the boat thoroughly today and banging around on the sup floor I'm convinced that my floor is solid. Sounds like a drum throughout. Did notice a bung in the front with 2 recesses for removal I assume. Is this an inspection port? I will bring home from our shop a tool to remove and take a look.

I have noticed that G3's are powered by everything form 35hp to 225hp motors. What has produced the most speed, I can't believe its the most hp.

Thanks again for the link.
Jack

16Again wrote:

Thanks so much. I'm looking forward to a project that I can easily move around the garage. Don't need a lift or big jack or any of the other things necessary when doing a car or big boat.

After cleaning the boat thoroughly today and banging around on the sup floor I'm convinced that my floor is solid. Sounds like a drum throughout. Did notice a bung in the front with 2 recesses for removal I assume. Is this an inspection port? I will bring home from our shop a tool to remove and take a look.

I have noticed that G3's are powered by everything form 35hp to 225hp motors. What has produced the most speed, I can't believe its the most hp.

Thanks again for the link.
Jack

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Jack:

You are very welcome Sir!

You are right that the G-3's are powered by alot of different outboard motors. As you noted, the largest I have seen is that
HUGE 200+ engine that the Beisels put on their G-3 a few years
ago. However, I don't think that is practical for a G-3 that
is going to be used regularly by an owner.

The older larger "Tower Of Power" Mercury Outboards ranging from
80 to 150 H.P. seem to work really well on our G-3's. Speeds with
them range from 55-60+ MPH. I can tell you that with the Merc
50 on our 1960 G-3 I see a top speed of about 44 MPH with just
me in the boat. But I also have a hydraulic jackplate and can
raise that engine up as I am underway.

Please keep us posted on your restoration Jack.

Thanks for the info. When you have a minute could you tell me about the Jack plate, maybe a picture or two. I don't have a real need for the fastest G3, I'm inclined to be more period correct. While a Mark 78AE would be great I don't think the dock buster shifter will work for me. Probably be looking for a 70 - 90 hp Merc, preferably a black and white model.

Thanks again
Jack

16Again wrote:

Thanks for the info. When you have a minute could you tell me about the Jack plate, maybe a picture or two. I don't have a real need for the fastest G3, I'm inclined to be more period correct. While a Mark 78AE would be great I don't think the dock buster shifter will work for me. Probably be looking for a 70 - 90 hp Merc, preferably a black and white model.

Thanks again
Jack

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Jack:

You are very welcome on the info Sir!

The hydraulic jackplate that I have on our boat is from "Bob's Machine" down in Florida. The model is the "Ultralight", Part#
100-10400. Here is a link to the exact model Jack:

www.bobsmachine.com/4-Setback-Standard-Series-LIGHTWEIGHT-Jack-Plate-115hp-100-104000.htm

This model has a very minimum setback of about 3 7/8" although the wesbite calls it 4". It is light and has worked flawlessly on our G-3 since 2009. Their customer service is excellent and the maintenance on the unit is very minimal.

Jack, I was initially told by other G-3 owners that you could NOT use a jackplate on our G-3's due the short transom, but that claim
is TOTALLY FALSE! As I have said before, I see no "downside" to having the hydraulic jackplate on our G-3 and feel it was a good choice by me to add it to the boat.

Here are some photos for you Sir:




Jack, my newer Mercury 50 has a 20" lower unit versus the 15" lower units that are on the older Mercury "Tower Of Power" Models.
That was why I went with the jackplate as I didn't want to build
my transom up to 20" as I don't like the way that looks. Also, on my G-3 you don't have to have the jackplate up very much to get the "skeg" of the motor "even" or close to even with the bottom of
of the boat as the "experts" claim. The way ours is set-up, the jackplate is about 1 1/2" to get that skeg even, although I was
told by some that it would have to go much higher than that.
But,.....it doesn't! With a Mercury "Tower Of Power" like you are interested in you wouldn't even have to worry about that.

Hope this has helped you some Sir.

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John

WOW thanks for the quick response. Pic's are great. If I'm understanding you correctly any motor with a 20" shaft could utilize the jack plate rather than perform the transom modification.
Thanks again
Jack not Sir please

16Again wrote:

WOW thanks for the quick response. Pic's are great. If I'm understanding you correctly any motor with a 20" shaft could utilize the jack plate rather than perform the transom modification.
Thanks again
Jack not Sir please

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Jack:

Again,...you are very welcome! I remember when I first inherited our G-3 from my Dad after he passed away and being on these classic boat websites trying to get information from other G-3 owners. I know how important it was to me to get back info quickly, so I am glad all of this has helped you Jack.

Yes, you understood me right, you can install a hydraulic or "fixed" jackplate on a G-3, then mount any newer 20" lower unit outboard to that jackplate. You can also bolt one of those older Mercury "Tower Of Power" Outboards on that jackplate too. And as you noted, by using the jackplate you avoid having to "build up"
the original 15" transom to 21-22". Or, you can just find and buy
one of the older outboard motors with a 15" lower unit and bolt that directly to the original transom.

Jack you can "Google Glasspar G-3 Skiboat" and you will find a ton
of pictures there of many G-3's with different outboard power both old and new. Also, try that other website I gave you
www.g3owners.com . The owner there (Dean Lofall) has
a great picture gallery and he has a beautiful 1959
Glasspar G-3 with one of those older white Mercs you
mentioned.

Jack:

Here is a link to some pictures of G-3's from Bing:

www.bing.com/search?q=glasspar+g3+ski+boats%2Bpictures&form=PRUSEN&mkt=en-us&refig=3105d722e32046cdbffaa6de12a94c0e&qs=PA&sk=OS1&pq=glasspar+g-3+skiboats&sc=5-21&sp=2&cvid=3105d722e32046cdbffaa6de12a94c0e

You will see our 1960 G-3 in the lower right hand corner of the top
group of pictures on that first page.

Must seem like I fell off the face of the earth as I have not responded to anything recently. But low and behold I got involved in a couple other projects. Barn find 62 Avalon with 35hp Jubliee that I polished, tuned and am running. Also picked up a 64 Seafair Sedan with a modern 90hp rude and soft floor which I am in the middle of replacing. Going back to G3 shortly. Since I've not been focusing on the G3 I spend my time on GSG site and of course other areas of this site. Thanks to everyone who responded earlier.
Jack