It has begun and there are a lot of questions. Sonny picked up the boat yesterday. I't's only appropriate that a rivethead be present for the final launch of the Rivetshuttle.
After the launch, Sonny went out to the Lone Star and give it the once over. Here is what we know so far. This is going to be a tough project ! The basic hull is in good shape. No major dents of corrosion. The Crosley engine is there with the drivetrain and it IS the right engine for this boat. It has the Crosley Aerojet engine. This is where it get's interesting. The boat is not 16 ft long. It is 15 ft long. So that is between a 55 Star Jet 14 ft and a 56 Star Fire 16 ft. He found the stamp on the port side. It is stamped 02-55-478. So what model did they build in 55 that was 15 ft long ?
I love this boat. Sure it is going to need some work but if there is anyone that is capable of tackling this project it is you! To be on the water and have a boat that know one has ever seen before is a great feeling. You get that boat done and bring it to a boat show and it is going to be a real attention getter. In my opinion it is an amazing find and an amazing boat. I can't wait to see this project unfold.
Thanks Mr Aceman. The sad think is , to some people when you get enthusiastic about something like this you are [no pun intended] showboating ! I always thought of it as sharing.....Anyhow, this time next week I'll be at Russ's picking her up. I'm sure I'm going to need a lot of help on this project. I'm depending on you guys. I know one thing for sure,,nobody is going to suggest OMC or Mercury !
I had a meeting with Bill Hossfield last month for about 4 hrs. What a wealth of information on the Crosley . At the end of the meetins as he was leaving,,I said, Bill , I'll never find a rudder for this boat. Oh sure you will, keep looking. The next moring as always I typed in Aerojet Craigslist. There it was in Illinois . A phone call later and the deal was sealed. Time to rock on this project !
