# What kind of boat is this??



## jcoody (Jul 1, 2010)

Over the weekend I got an old boat from a friend, it had been sitting in the woods for years. 

Can anyone tell me who made this thing??

i only have 1 picture right now, later today i will have more.


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Thats a sick a$$ lookin hull  looks like a challenger.. If possible get some measurements as well a more pics ;D


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## jcoody (Jul 1, 2010)

I was able to use get some measurements with the help of a flashlight after work today. 

The boat is 14' 7" from tip of the bow to the transom. I'm guessing it was sold as a 15 footer?

It is approximately 5' wide at the transom and it holds that width verrrry far up the boat.

The transom measured 17" from top to bottom.

It also has a livewell in the middle bench with two seperate openings. 

It looks a lot like the pictures of a challenger that I found on google, but it don't have any spray rails? And also towards the back of the boat, the sides of the boat begin to come inward, sort of like gheenoe sides. Do Challengers do that?


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Yea i believe they do


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## jcoody (Jul 1, 2010)

Well it must be a challenger! 

How stable are these boats on the water?


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

One problem, challengers are bigger. But it looks really close.. With the rounded sides the boat will be a little tippy.but i fell in love with that thing from just one picture. I would loooove to restore that thing and teak it out!!


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## jcoody (Jul 1, 2010)

I am hopeing that it will suprise me and be pretty stable, since I am disabled, stability is great! LOL. I am planing to re-do it as of now, uness I can find something else that I can trade someone! Lol


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## jcoody (Jul 1, 2010)

pic


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## jcoody (Jul 1, 2010)

pic


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## jcoody (Jul 1, 2010)

pic


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## jcoody (Jul 1, 2010)

pic


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## DHS (Sep 26, 2010)

I can not help with IDing but that is one cool boat.


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## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

It looks a lot like the challenger... Can you find a HIN anywhere? That will help us id the builder.

Take a look at this post, see if you can find similarities: http://www.microskiff.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1250508691/0


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## jcoody (Jul 1, 2010)

I found a good bit of simalaraties, but it don't look like my boat had the spray rails like these, you can see on mine that it has a small lip built into the hull from the transom up past the middle of the boat. I have looked every inch of this thing and I can't find anything! No writing, letters, or HIN. Maybe if I sand the back where the name and logo stickers were, maybe I can find the name under the coat of paint someone put on it.


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## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

I knew there was another manufacturer slipping my mind, Fibercraft! http://www.microskiff.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1243862277

It looks like your hull is one of the original runabouts! That's a great piece of history you've got there.


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## Snookdaddy (Jan 5, 2008)

It looks a hell of a lot like a Challenger, but according to the original specs the length should be 15'-10" with a beam of 68" and 52" wide at the transom.

I don't see the shear lines on the side of the hull like the old Fibercraft skiffs.

Whatever it is it looks a worthy resto candidate if you have the time and $$...


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## jcoody (Jul 1, 2010)

It is set up pretty much just like that Tarpon model shown. I really hope I can confirm this thing is in fact a challenger before I complete it, I'm wanting to put Challenger Tarpon on the back of it really bad!!!!


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## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

That Challenger brochure above happens to be MINE. Your boat is likely a Fibercraft or other. The cutwater (bow) is not a Challenger as they are more vertical and not slanted back. It is very similar in layout though. I've done Challenger builds a couple of times before. You can look under the "Blast From The Past" heading on this site. Let me know if you do find the hull ID, never know though.


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## ht (Oct 1, 2008)

That is a beautiful boat Jcoody!  There is definitely some history with that hull; now you just have to stumble in to the telltale sign that will pinpoint exactly what it is!  I love the flare of the bow up near the seam with the deck.  Like you said, it's easy to see why you fell in love with it!  (I had the same problem with my current project hull too!)

Please continue to post up photos to keep us up to date with your findings and your progress; it will help motivate the rest of us when we fall into a slump!


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## SilentHunter (Jun 14, 2010)

ive got an 18 ft wellcraft ill trade + cash. center console. very stable boat. drafts shallow for a center console. ide say floats in 9-10 inches


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