My current project. 1954 Aerokits Sea Commander
I have gone off on a bit of a tangent this week and fancied 'messing about on the river again'. I have dug my fleet out and have started to refit and restore them. After a bit of a chat with LAMMAC I have ended up with this. His daughter (pipestrelle) had this stashed. I' am my beloved Bear Hawk lighter now but you cannot have your cake and eat it ! Based on a passing, limited glance a year or two ago I thought it was a Huntsman but when it arrived it clearly wasn't. Its a 50's / 60's offshore cabin cruiser of some sort but its not a Fairey or a Higgins so if you have a clue let me know. Its getting an electrical re-fit and a general tidy up on the smaller details but its in lovely nick and I really like its lines.
UPDATE ! I have started a full restoration. It started out as a tidy up to run project but I got carried away. Its turns out to be a modified Aerokits Sea Commander produced between 1954 and 1960. This same model was use in offshore channel and solent crossing in the early 60's as a sport. I have stripped the varnish off the deck and re done it with yacht varnish. The inside has been stripped and fast glassed then repainted with white gloss. The superstructure will be white again but the hull scheme will remain the same but due to Jimmy's lobbying of his favorite colour it will be red instead of blue. For the electrics I have bought an MFA 850 Torpedo, rubber anti vibration mounts, Graupner coupling, 50amp waterproof ESC, two 12v 7 amp hr lead acid cells (which will also ballast it spot on) and will be fitting a period Futaba M series system. Although the M series is late 70's it will be nicer than chucking a cruddy modern 2 channel in, plus it will allow me to fit extra functions later on.
Cheers to Roger for additional info and great help with my other boaty project too.
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If you liked those pictures, you should see these...
An Amazing Gift ! 1958 Aerokits Sea Rover
Comments
slimmy
The boat is way cool. I just love boats. There a blast to drive.
rizzo rat
I see a Falcon! lol
rizzo rat
Thats a good size will look nice on the water.
tuff bug
nice old wood boat loads of character, I have a 70s Stiletto boat not shoe in my showroom.
sgt.barnes
@ tuff bug. I have ad my eye on your stilleto for a while
sgt.barnes
Rizzo, But of course
keven64
'ere Barnes - get yer ands off - I have first dab on that 70's Lesro Stilletto...
...I've a 70's OS Marine engine waiting to go into it !
keven64
Rizzo, I see a Bear Hawk as well
bugjammer
Very cool - looks like very similar to an old Fire Tender I used to have
thelegos
Hi Mark, that's got elements of Aerokits Sea Queen about it, including the size! The general layout and shape of the main cabin window. Are there any signs of modification?
thelegos
Not sure now, the hull shape looks different although there are many similarities between this and the superstructure on both Sea Commander and Sea Queen. I'll have to look through some old boating mags now .... any excuse
sgt.barnes
well Roger its funny you say that I have just been studying the hull on you sea queen with the same idea !
lammac
Pipestrelle says that you can have your cake and eat it , she's more than happy with the Bear Hawk. I spent over a year just trying to get you to part with the shockers of that, and along she came and snippers the whole kit 'n' cabudle. Nevermind she's well happy, especialy when she got her new radio in it as well, the Grasshopper don't get much of a look in now the Bear's screaming down the road chasing my Madcap (or should that be the other way round - depends which motor I've got in at the time ), but watch out at the next bash she turns up at she's got a custum job on a new shell for the Grasshopper and I'm already wmsl when we see the faces as it screaches through all the crowd
Making a good job of the resto though Mark, it used to run all day on a 6v 4amp Lead Acid and plan very nicely too. Enjoy it mate Steph did for a long while but as she grew older then the cars took prefrance.
I think it be came a fair swap considering the offer to her what ever ever you see in the workshop you can take, should of seen her face when she got home it was a picture, abit like yours only with a bigger beammer
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