My father in law was the owner of aristocraft boats, Claude Turner . He Started the company after returning from the war. At one point was turning out the wood boats every 15 minutes on a production line. Seven days a week 24 hours a day. Transitioned to fiberglass in early 60's. Closed the doors in 1979 because he said with all the government regulations took the fun out of producing boats. He kept all the original patterns for the wood boats and one of his sons still builds the wood boat models in Dawsonville, Georgia. Has a museum with one model of boat that he produced
OMFG rhat is one of the most gorgeous things that I have ever laid eyes on. Big new boats with 6 motors and 3000hp do not hold a candle to your ol girl. My hat is off to you sir. Best wishes from Brisbane Queensland Australia 🇦🇺. I have a 1968 aussie built swiftcraft 1500 with a 1978 johnson stinger 75hp, but she isn't as pretty.❤
Do you have a video of replacing the slide coupling or a place to get a new slide coupling once you cut it off. I have a 57 sportsman that needs the same procedure but don't want to get after it with a grinder until I have the replacement parts. thanks
Brings back memories. I was in Class 79-03 in "C" flight (the Tweety Birds). Came back later as a T-37 IP and Class Commander. Did it, and saw it - probably hundreds of times. My class size was only 20, but when I was a Class Commander I think I had 74 or 76 students!
I too enjoyed the memories this brought back. I graduated with 73-04 at Moody AFB and spent the last eight years of my AF career flying T-38s at Williams and Randolph AFB.
Good job. I was with the 86FTS in the T-38 10 years after your solo. Laughlin has changed quite a bit, the old 85th & 86th flight line buildings, the two-story 47th STURON buildings are all gone. Visited the base after 35 years in March 2023.
Cool boat. Classic. I like that tumblehome hull shape at the stern. Get's up quick, what maybe 28-30 MPH flat out with just you aboard? Thanks for showing the video.
Looks like a great trailer for the Bravo! Thanks for thinking to add the special added segment of video...the tilt feature is excellent for boat launch.
Very nice! I'm an avid youtuber myself...closing in on 50,000 subscribers...I love those gopros. I'm looking at a Torpedo 14 for sale up here. Beautiful playthings! Please put more Typhoon videos on! Thanks dandlinc.
Yes, you are exactly right. Although this engine has very low hours on it, it certainly did not want to idle enough to be able to move it into gear without stalling. Played with the idle mixture... got the timing perfect, carbs clean, fuel pump rebuilt, new plugs, and rebuilt magneto. The compression check was like new and consistent on all cylinders. I think I need to put a few hours on it before we adjusting and getting it to behave perfectly!
I had a 57 Yellow Jacket that had the same Motor and I restored the Mark 55 in the same color scheme if I didnt know better that was my motor . Spent three months restoring the motor I found the very last contact set and condenser NOS in the original package . I never restored a mag before spent over three weeks restoring the Mag on it. I put it all together and it would not start I I kept checking everything on it went through all new wires plugs carbs rebuilt and it would not start I talked to an old timer that raced these engines back in the 60s he said there has to be a timing mark on the pulley on the mag to line it up. I got a Magnifying glass and there was the mark it was so faint on the pulley re aligned it again on the faded mark and Bam she took off ! The boat went on the back burner and the engine got stored too many projects I knew if I didnt do somelthing with the Yellow Jacket it would end fire wood I donated it to a organization in Texas and it got restored and I sold them the restored Mark 55 I am so glad I donated it . I kept it covered but Nevada sun and weather is hard on wood even covered . They sent me a video o my engine on the back of the Yellow Jacket and it hauled ass they were really happy with it,. Never done one before made me feel really good and he got top place with my engine at the a boat show they really made me feel good
I had a Torpedo.14 with a 45 Merc on the back when I was around 17. I weighed nothing and the boat was close to nothing. Had a lot of fun with it. It would just plain JUMP out of the water when you hit it. The non-trip chin was good for sliding through corners, but the semi flat bottom would pound the daylights out of you in a chop.
Thanks for that comment. The torpedo 14 is probably better suited to my motor. I've got it overpowered, but it handles it well. I'm always surprised what 3/8 and 1/4 inch plywood can do when warped around in a geometric structure.
50s era Mercs are fun to mess with. And, the mid-century art deco look will never be equaled. Someone said that the new motors are more like appliances! The smell of 2 cycle oil is a plus too. I have a small collection of them including the original motor that came on the Aristocraft...the '56 two cylinder Mk25. Then a '52 super10 hurricane, 4 banger '54 Mk50, and mynewest motor a '59 Mk35a..
Just sold mine after 23 years, great boat ,mine also had the banjo steering wheel, only 6 that year had that. Mine was named after my daughter and the hydroplane race in Madison Ind. " Miss Madison " stiil got my Lauterbach, Mahogany Rush A5
The Rush is quite a departure! No wearing a captain's hat with a cigar! Amazing re the steering wheel. The history on mine was purchased through the Mariner's Museum, (Archival Collection) and they didn't reveal that bit of info. I had a miserable time removing the steering gear... if you haven't seen it. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-W_c9YVZzPPE.html
Good guess! The old props are harder and harder to find I need a 14 or 15 pitch currently I'm running a 13 and the motor is wound all the way up. It's about 38mph. Should be able to get a little north of 45 with the right propeller setup. Thanks
Believe it or not after all these years The descendants of the original manufacturer Atlanta Boat Works, building them from scratch. You can buy them assembled and not finished or completely finished. If you Google Aristocraft it'll come up.
Thank you sir, I am going to be posting a lot of videos that detail all the rehabilitation. I took so many it's hard to wade through and put them in a logical order!
I wouldn't build that storage area on top. It would cost more than the trailer, also be very time consuming to construct. And then you would have to pull the boat up, by sliding it on the carpet, instead of rollers. Rollers would be easier to pull it up on, also your going to be scraping the bottoms of the pontoons, and wearing out the carpet.
Not much changed 10 years later at Laughlin. But Medina did change, not many know about that. Thank you so much for posting these videos. You reminded me of so much.
