Hull Numbers Before 1987

[NYRaider]

I found my hull number today. Its on the second rib from the front, left side top.

Can anybody read this??????
It looks like .... CM6500L
The Boat is registrated as a 1956 Trojan sea queen.

[vincan]

http://www.trojanboats.net/Trojan%20Num ... 070_87.pdf

[NYRaider]

Thanks, but thats system don't work for older boats. I'm either looking for the older system or someone that can read it.

[61SkiBee]

NY Raider,

That number looks something like the hull i.d. on my registration. I have never actually found it on the boat! Mine has two letters followed by 5 numbers: ZF39700

Yours looks like something similar, but it's really hard to make out all of the stampings. The only thing that I can read for sure is M 6500.

Your best bet might be to try getting in touch with George on the Runabout Owners list. I think he has the most information on early runabout data.

Good luck. Let me know how you do!

Guy

[Lewis9781]

Where the hull numbers stamped into wooden ribs found in any one particular place? I have crawled all over my '59 SkiBee and haven't found anything yet.

[61SkiBee]

Lewis,

That boat of yours looks awfully familiar! The 1961 seems to be almost identical, and no I have yet to find any hull ID. Etching or stamping them in wood, which appears to be the method used, could make them disappear quick through abrasion or a few layers of paint--or a piece of replacement wood.

Nice to see the pic of your boat.

[Lewis9781]

Thanks! It looks better up close. By that I mean that the wood is solid all over. As for hull numbers, I have crawled all over it, and there is none to be found.

What engine/transmission is in yours? Can you e-mail a few photos? Mine had a 292 with a bunch of plumbing for the raw water cooling that appears homemade. I have an ancient looking Capitol reverse gear that may not be useable, and a missing rudder. I am not sure if I can use the 292 or look for a later Ford or Chevy inboard setup from another boat to use for power after the woodwork is all done.

Can't wait to get it running!

[61SkiBee]

Lewis,

The cosmetics will come around quickly if the wood is good. It looks like the water line is established. The bear is getting the hull underneath painted. You may have to remove and re-bed the keel and those two little stabilizer strips (don't know exactly what they are called). The reason for this is that the "bad wood" may be hiding under them, and also the need to be well-sealed or leaks can start around the fasteners. Someone had used steel screws to fasten mine!

Having all that off makes sanding the bottom easier. If you leave it on the trailer you naturally have to jack it up to get to all of the wood, but whether you do that or take it off it's much better to have the engine out. Those 292's weigh over 900 lbs. Yes, that's not a typo.

I don't know how going to another engine will affect ballast and handling, since the boat is set up for all that weight, but remember that your 292, if it's a real stock marine version, runs BACKWARDS. Yes, if the prop is stamped "RH" the motor turns opposite of what a car engine does. I think the reason for this is to make the starboard side tend to torque up during acceleration and lift the pilot out of the water further for better visibility. The prop diameter, direction and pitch are stamped on the side of the bushing on mine like this: 12 RH 13. That's a 12" diameter Right Hand prop with a "Pitch" of 13" meaning if the prop were a "screw" like the English call them it would move 13" forward for every revolution.

If you work on the engine, the valves and cam will make you scratch your head if you don't know about the reverse running setup.

As for transmission, on my boat this is just a basic fluid coupling that can be reversed (at speed) to stop the boat or back up. Mine has a Morse combination shifter and throttle. The middle position is idling out of gear. Push forward to shift into "D" and start accelerating, pull back to shift through neutral and into reverse, while at the same time idling down. Pull further back and run the engine up to stop quickly or back up.

You can stop these babies so fast that the water will wash up over the transom and get the backseat passengers wet!

There's a chrome nob that disconnects the trans cable for starting and giving it gas. Push knob in, it's in gear, pull out and it's out.

If you've got one lever control with two cables running from it, that's the same thing I have. If not, I believe the transmission works the same, you just have two levers to mess with.

There's a name for these like "hydro-couple" or something, but I don't remember it. Maybe someone else does. The care and feeding are bone simple. There's a dipstick threaded into the case. Unscrew it and pull out. There are two markings on it and I assume one is low and one is high. Put in enough transmission fluid to be somewhere between the two. You definitely don't want to overfill it as it will leak. I'm not sure what transmission fluid to use, but I think I've got Dexron in it. Again, maybe someone else knows the best to use.

Sorry I made this post long, but I wanted to cover all the bases. Man, I envy you the first time you hit the throttle on that in the water with that big 3-blade prop set up for towing skiers. Talk about torque! Everybody smiles when they feel that.

[img]/Users/guy/Documents/Scanner%20Output/Trojan%20Engine%202%20views.pdf/[/img]

[img]Users/guy/Documents/Scanner%20Output/Trojan%20Engine%20Bare.jpg[/img]

[61SkiBee]

Rats, I really wanted to post pics of that engine. It was so clean. I re-painted it to match the original aqua bluegreen, which turned out to be just what I had in an old GM hi-temp engine paint can. It brushed on and evened out just like spray.

But I guess you have to find a public server to place photos before they'll appear here.