# ashcraft boats



## travischilders

anyone know anything about ashcraft boats? quality and how shallow it will fish?


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## Brett

I see quite a few flatbottom Ashcrafts here in NE Florida.
Most being used as fishing or crabbing skiffs in the St. Johns river
and the creeks of the ICW. Many are obviously oldies and still being used regularly.


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## tom_in_orl

They made some good looking skiffs. I have seen a few around the St. Johns too. For the right price I would snatch one up.


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## JaredFacemyer

That looks like a sweet little skiff, do they have a website?


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## Brett

last known location:

Ashcraft Boat Co
904-292-9634
11056 Orange Cart Way
Jacksonville, FL, 32223.

Nothing else since 1999


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## FSUfisher

I didn't see this first and just copied a CL ad of one for $2000. It's in Bell, FL.


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## travischilders

dang FSUfisher don't spill the beans, i have been looking at this boat and talking with the owner for few days now. Hope your post doesn't foul up my plans :-[


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## fpflats

Ashcraft is long gone, but the 14 was their best 'skiff' design. Also made by Mitchcraft & Osborn, both also gone. All of them made with decks/floor/stringers with plywood so any of them would be suspect and I'd expect to rebuild regardless of price. Also don't expect a quiet poling skiff with the chines hard and turned down complete length of boat. Fished one alot a long time ago (1983), not a bad little boat design.

See www.boggycreekboats.com (I think) John has a copy of the 14 vee as he calls it but its the Ashcraft 14. I'm in the market for a boat about this size and right now I'm looking more at the Lagoon Sprint boat and Ankona's Native SUV. I think they are more quiet in the shallows....looked at the Lagoon already and will see the SUV this weekend. 

BTW, if anyone has more ideas in this skiff category, help me out!


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## travischilders

chuck thanks for the input, the ashcraft is a 1976 so you are changing my thoughts. I too have been a little torn looking at skiffs. I have a gheenoe classic now but my 3year old son thinks its to tippy. the saga continues...... :-?


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## B.Lee

My dad worked for Bill Ashmead (sp) in the 70's when these boats were the orginal Ashcraft-built boats. This 14'er was a good hull, but most of their hulls were good NE FL designs.

Ashcraft was reborne in the late 80's I believe, apparently done in 1999 from Brett's info.

All the boats were wood cored, like nearly every other boat of their time and type. Not a bad thing if it was well cared for, but it could have some water intrusion to look out for if you aren't into repairs.


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## tom_in_orl

> dang FSUfisher don't spill the beans, i have been looking at this boat and talking with the owner for few days now. Hope your post doesn't foul up my plans :-[



Most regulars here are watching the classified ads too. Last week it was someone talking about a Peenoe. This week its an Ashcraft. Next week it will be some other boat thats for sale.

You have all been warned


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## FSUfisher

> dang FSUfisher don't spill the beans, i have been looking at this boat and talking with the owner for few days now. Hope your post doesn't foul up my plans  :-[
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Most regulars here are watching the classified ads too. Last week it was someone talking about a Peenoe. This week its an Ashcraft. Next week it will be some other boat thats for sale.
> 
> You have all been warned
Click to expand...

Sorry hb! From the looks of it the hull is in pretty good shape. Hope I didn't spoil your plans, I know how it feels to have someone beat you on a good deal, it ain't fun... :-/


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## bigmudman

Hi everybody,

I'm trying to find out when the first 15-1/2 foot ashcraft was made? Bill Ashmead's name crops up as the one that started the company in JAX... but did he design this great boat? My father bought one in the late 50's early 60's.. it was an open fiberglass boat with plywood inner bottom and glass encased transom. It was a modified semi-vee hull that looked like a tri-hull and probably/maybe preceded that later design. Any info would be appreciated. I'm having one built as we speak, from a mold pulled off a 50 year old (?) boat. We wore out three of them years ago shrimping here in sunny SC. Lancy


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## pole_position

They used to make a true flatbottom also , there are a few floating around but more rare that a S K and the cool thing about it was the side are a little higher than say st. knocker or lu craft.

My buddie flounders out of one and he says less than 1' no prob. but if youre talking about the semi vee , my bro had one years ago dont think it would be as skinny.


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## ghamptonp

heres a new one i found on CL

http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/boa/2199891307.html


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## rick reeves

ghamptonp said:


> heres a new one i found on CL
> 
> http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/boa/2199891307.html


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## rick reeves

I bought a project that has Ash Craft listed as the make of boat. 1970 hull. I purchased this last summer and have nearly completed my restore. I've searched long and hard for anything resembling this particular boat. I was able to contact two owners back, a gentleman who told me he purchased it from an older man in Savannah 15 or more years ago. He kind of made it sound like the older man had maybe modified it. The hull is very similar to many of the tunnel hulls back in the day with simple rolled gunnels but the center console or somewhat right of center with left hand control box was done in teak and rigged tight with nice Yamaha components, including an '88 90hp Yamaha motor. The gentleman I purchased it from had become handicapped and it had been sitting for over a year in his backyard. Console was covered but water had set in hull and the lower part of wood was decaying on CC and the upper console wood epoxy distressed. I bought for 700.00 after i was able to ensure motor would start and run and even compression. It fired right up and idled well. I ran some sf and stabilizer through it after changing water pump before I began working on the hull and CC. To date I have added a casting deck and pretty much rebuilt the CC, doing most with wood I culled from here and there but with as much care as possible. Including new epoxy over all. I have a bit more work to do on exterior hull, sanding before laying down my topcoats. But to date, after continual search for a similar craft I have yet to identify any that look like this. Any help in that quest appreciated.


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## Valerie Cook

We just bought a row boat. Thinking it may be Ash Craft. It's a 10 footer. I started another thread asking for info...then found this one. Pics below.


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## Bryerhill

I just bought a 1987 14.4 ft boat. It's in excellent condition. I really wanted a pontoon but couldn't find one on my price range so I settled for this. I know nothing about these boats. The outside name tag says ChrisCraft. ? But the registration says Ashcraft. I wish I could trade with someone for a pontoon. I live in northeast Georgia. Boat is in excellent condition.


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## CaptDanS

Anyone know where the mold is ?


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## fishnpreacher

@Bryerhill Where in NE Ga? I'm in Elbert County, always looking for fellow skiffers.


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## Bodidles

rick reeves said:


> View attachment 116516
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> I bought a project that has Ash Craft listed as the make of boat. 1970 hull. I purchased this last summer and have nearly completed my restore. I've searched long and hard for anything resembling this particular boat. I was able to contact two owners back, a gentleman who told me he purchased it from an older man in Savannah 15 or more years ago. He kind of made it sound like the older man had maybe modified it. The hull is very similar to many of the tunnel hulls back in the day with simple rolled gunnels but the center console or somewhat right of center with left hand control box was done in teak and rigged tight with nice Yamaha components, including an '88 90hp Yamaha motor. The gentleman I purchased it from had become handicapped and it had been sitting for over a year in his backyard. Console was covered but water had set in hull and the lower part of wood was decaying on CC and the upper console wood epoxy distressed. I bought for 700.00 after i was able to ensure motor would start and run and even compression. It fired right up and idled well. I ran some sf and stabilizer through it after changing water pump before I began working on the hull and CC. To date I have added a casting deck and pretty much rebuilt the CC, doing most with wood I culled from here and there but with as much care as possible. Including new epoxy over all. I have a bit more work to do on exterior hull, sanding before laying down my topcoats. But to date, after continual search for a similar craft I have yet to identify any that look like this. Any help in that quest appreciated.


I bought one a few months back.
mine is I think a 1998 ashcraft
14’4” I am not sure I want to do the work to rebuild it. I’ve taken it out several times and runs and plains out nice. Does anyone know about where the waterline should be?


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## Bodidles

Bodidles said:


> I bought one a few months back.
> mine is I think a 1998 ashcraft
> 14’4” I am not sure I want to do the work to rebuild it. I’ve taken it out several times and runs and plains out nice. Does anyone know about where the waterline should be?


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