TOPIC: Mystery Boat......Need help with Identification!!!

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the vintage boat world and need help identifying this boat I recently purchased for $50. The previous owner told me it was a 1959 Kencraft, but I have been unable to find anything made by Ken craft in 1959. It is all fiberglass and has a "aqua bird" steering wheel and hardware. It also has a functional Johnson sea horse 35HP outboard. Any ideas would be a great help.

Photos?

In my notes, I have a listing for Ken-Craft boats by the Kenner Boat Co. of Knoxville, Arkansas. I don't have any further information about this brand.

In the Classic Boat Library, there are two Mercury boat house bulletin tests of Ken Craft houseboats built by the Ken Craft Boat Company of Knoxville, Arkansas:

www.fiberglassics.com/library/Bhb351-400


I went ahead and created a page in the library for this brand:

www.fiberglassics.com/library/Kenner

Nice work man. Hope this guy posts pics. I'm curious.

Kelly

Thanks!!!!! I think it is the hunter 9 from the pictures. It looks very similiar. I am going to trying to post some pics........I have no idea what to do next. My buddy next door is a fireman who does outboard repair and said I can get the engine working good as new for about $500-600.......I am lost as to what I need to do to refurbish the fiberglass. It floats without leaks but has been sitting for awhile. Sorry for my ignorance on this, I appreciate ya'lls help.

Here is another attempt

I willpost some more pics tomorrow now that I have figured out the resizing thing- sorry about the poor view.

Thanks for all ya'lls help.

Kenner Boat Company of Knoxville, Arkansas began in 1947 as a builder of wooden boats. Brothers Bill and Dick Kenner were the founders. They made some fiberglass runabouts in the late 1950s and early 1960s. In the early 1960s they started making fiberglass sailboats which quickly became their mainstay. Houseboats were added to the line.

In 1967 the Kenner's sold the firm to A.J. Industries, Inc. of Los Angeles, CA. In October 1971 A.J. announced they were closing the Kenner Boat operation at Knoxville due to poor earnings records since they took over in 1967. 35 people lost their job. In 1969 Kenner had 125 workers on the payroll.

Andreas

Thanks for the help......what do I do now? I'm not sure where to start with this.

Welcome aboard, Primetime1! This first thing I would do is inspect the transom and floor area to make sure they are solid and not rotting out. Walk around inside the boat and note any areas that feel "spongy" or give when you step down. If there is carpet on the floor, I would pull it up to inspect the condition of the floor underneath. The transom can be inspected by wrapping soundly with something solid, just don't dent the fiberglass. It should ring solid, not a dull thud. Do this all over, especially down low and around the drain and motor mounting holes. If you suspect rot, you can drill some small holes on the inside to see what the wood shavings look like. (These can be filled with resin later if it's okay.) If it's coming out black and/or wet, you've got some work ahead of you. Hope this helps some, gets you started. I'll let some of the people who really know chime in from here, I'm really still just a rookie!

Get those pics up ASAP, let us know if you need help with that.

Haha. I think I have the same steering wheel!