Retro Crestliner Discussion Forum

1KIslander · Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 6:03 am Post subject: 1956 Crestliner

I have a 1956 Crestliner (I think) that was my Grandfathers. It is in very good condition having been rehab'd once already. I am trying to figure out the make / model. From the available catalogs, it appears to be a Buccaneer 15 (though it slightly longer than 15-ft but less than 16-ft). The exterior bottom is painted red with a green painted bottom interior. The motor capacilty is listed at 60hp. It originally came with a wrap aroung windshield and white vinyl seat backs for the driver and front passanger. The back seats were in a "U" configuration.

I am trying to give it another face lift having to replace the transom wood due to rot, up date the steering, shine up the aluminum exterior, paint, etc. I would also like to replace the windshield that was broken many years ago and the seat backs. Any ideas on these?

I will try to attach some pics, but may need assistance.

1KIslander · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 3:24 pm Post subject: 1956 Crestliner

How do I post pics?

OutBdNut · Joined: 27 Mar 2005 Posts: 593 Location: Minnesota

To post pics, first upload the pics to a free photo hosting site. The one most of us use is www.photobucket.com
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Then, at photobucket, when you put the pointer on the desired photo, a list of addresses appears below the photo. Copy/past the address that has img before and after it into your post here including the img thingies that are there in brackets; or you can type that address into the post here without the img thingies but then hilite the address you just put here and click on Img from the buttons above your post. That does it!
Note that sometimes it doesn't work for me if I click on "preview" after completeing the message, so I don't use that button. Preview doesn't show the photos anyway.
Dave
_________________
57 Commander 12 Custom Deluxe 550
58 Commodore 14 Speedster (modified)
58 Cadillac Riviera 14 split deck
Dozens of old outboards

1KIslander · Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 10:51 am Post subject: Pic

IMG]http://i1017.photobucket.com/albums/af298/cdw27/CrestlinerinWater.jpg[/IMG]

1KIslander · Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 11:04 am Post subject:

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vspeedster · Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 29 Location: Stevens Point, WI

It sure looks like a Bucaneer to me. Great boat!
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*1958 Crestliner 14' Viking Speedster
*1957 Crestliner 14' Viking Deluxe Runabout
*1956 Crestliner 15' Voyager Convertible - SOLD
*1954 Alumacraft M
*1954 Alumcraft R
*1955 Alumacraft FD with front and center deck
*1957 Alumacraft FDS

Chris · Joined: 15 May 2004 Posts: 270 Location: North West

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Chris
1956 Commander 520
1956 Viking
'55 Johnson 10,'57 Johnson 18,'55 Johnson 25
1958 Evinrude Lark 35

http://www.retrocrestliner.com/viewerphotospage53.htm

http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/7car7/Aluminum%20Runabouts/My%20Boats/

1KIslander · Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 11:59 am Post subject:

I have some other pics along with an old black and white showing the windshield and the original Johnson 33. They are scans (pdf) If any one knows how to upload them I will give it a try.

I agree with the Bucaneer identification. The split splash rail kind of through me off when looking at the catalogs.

I need to find an engine and am torn from trying to go retro or newer. I would love to have the older engine to go cruising but my kids want a newer one to ski/tube behind. What a delema!

OutBdNut · Joined: 27 Mar 2005 Posts: 593 Location: Minnesota

Why do you think you can't ski and tube behind old engines! Water-skiing came in big time in the 1950s, using outboards available at that time - and they worked great! As a teen, I did a lot of skiing behind 18, 20, 30, and 40 HP outboards (back then I used to pull 3 teenagers at once out of the water on skis with a 1960 40HP Johnson on Dad's 1958 Voyager14). These old motors from the 1950s -1960s have a lot more low end torque for pulling up skiers than the newer models so you don't need as much HP to get the job done; and the new 4-strokes are especially bad at the low end - very heavy too!. The only downside is the older motors take a bit more gas and need more oil (most use a 25 to 1 mix) which means cleaning the spark plugs every 10 tanks or so. I'd recommend an old 35 to 40 HP for skiing and tubing with your boat.
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Oh - and for skiing, by all means avoid the 60 and 70 HP Mercurys of the late 1950s that did not have a gearshift - They are now known as dockbusters and had a reversing powerhead instead to go from forward to reverse, you shut it off and restarted it by turning the key the opposite direction so the starter spun the motor backwards to get it going (yes - 2 cycle engines will start in either direction when designed to do so) - and you shut the motor off for neutral - htis setup was a real nuisance when pulling skiers.
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It was common in the 1950s to see boats with 25 to 35 HP pulling two skiers.
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My own opinion and experience is to stay with Johnson/Evinrude for 1950s/1960s motors for skiing. The Mercurys were set up for a bit more speed, but sacrificed a bit of low end torque doing it, and were much noisier. Avoid the 4 cyl 1959-1960 50 HP Johnson/Evinrudes - biggest gas hogs ever made and heavy! If I was to use an old Mercury from those years, I'd go with the 40 HP - it was arguable the best runner of Mercury's line back then. The V4 - 60 HP Johnson/Evinrudes would work great on your boat too - they were first offered around 1964. Whatever motor you get, be sure to put the right pitch propeller on it for the way you intend to load and use the boat. Try all settings of the trim pin too - the difference is like shifting gears on a car.
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Since your boat is a Buccaneer, how about seeking out a "Gale Buccaneer" motor from the 1950s? They were made by OMC (Johnson-Evinrude), nearly identical, and were actually more advanced in some ways, like having a single line gas tank and fuel pump in the 1950s instead of the dual line pressurized tank. Parts interchange with Johnson/Evinrude. I run a 1958 35 HP Buccaneer on one of my boats - it gets a lot of looks!
Dave
_________________
57 Commander 12 Custom Deluxe 550
58 Commodore 14 Speedster (modified)
58 Cadillac Riviera 14 split deck
Dozens of old outboards

Samster · Joined: 26 Aug 2009 Posts: 17

Great looking boat! I have a 57 Buccaneer and I agree with the identification.

I'm interested in seeing your boat with a windshield installed. I didn't know that the Buccaneers came with a windshield. I can't see any in the catalogues.

I'm currently using an 89 Yamaha 30hp on my boat because it came with the boat. I've been looking for something from the same era as the boat but I'm kind of having a dilemma too. I'm mainly concerned about safety as I'm boating on the ocean and it can blow up and get rough really quickly. So far the Yamaha has been bullet proof for me but I have been stuck out there a couple times using other older motors on other boats.

I don't mind having to occasionally hitch a ride from another boat if I'm by myself but when I have passengers on board and the motor quits it can get stressful very quickly.

Dave E · Joined: 01 Feb 2009 Posts: 6 Location: Des Moines,Iowa

That is a nice Buccaneer! Love those boats, I have a 55' which my uncle bought new, still has the original wood. They are great big water boats. have fun with it.
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56'Voyager,54'commadore ,55' bucaneer,59' Alumacraft,54'Duracraft,61'Naden,Dozens and Dozens of outboards.

1KIslander · Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 12:34 pm Post subject:

Wow - I did not think I would start a debate about the skiability (is that even a word?) of old vs new engines. It was more about use of the boat. I want to try and rehab it to original status with an older period engine and the kids want a newer modern engine (jump in, turn it on and go).

We had a 60's 40hp Evinrude (Sport Twin / Fast Twin / Something Twin) that ran great for 30 years. That thing had power and speed and I learned to ski behind it.

The old vs new is also an availability issue. I see tons of 80's and 90's engines for sale on the web and few if any 50's and 60's models (other than parts or questionable status). If anybody knows a good site for purchasing older / reliable engines let me know.

OutBdNut - I have never heard of the Gale Buccaneer engine and will look into it. Do you have any pictures?

Samster - I had a hard time with the widshield issue and the catalog cuts also. I don't know if my grandfather had it custom installed along with seat backs (also not shown in any catalog) Send me an e-mail and I will return copy a pic showing the windshield. I don't have any current pics of the seat backs but will continue to look.

I'll keep you posted on the progress. Heading up in Sept to pick it up for a winter rehab.

OutBdNut · Joined: 27 Mar 2005 Posts: 593 Location: Minnesota

I'll have to take a couple photos of the Gale Buccaneer. All the photos I have of the boat it's now on had a 35 Evinrude on it when I took them.
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Gale Buccaneer motors were sold mostly by non-marine dealers, like hardware stores, etc. The Gale division of OMC also put different lids on the motors for Montgomery Wards under the Sea King label through the 1950s up through 1963. When you take off the lids, they look just are Johnsons underneath, except for a very few minor things, like having a fuel pump. If you asked a Wards salesman "who made their motors?", they were supposed to say "Gale" so the uninformed would not realize it was a direct competition of nearly the same motor the marine dealer down the street was selling under the Johnson or Evinrude name.
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I should get to taking photos in a couple of days. Tomorrow I have 17 boy scouts (including my grandson) coming here to the lake to earn their boating merit badge. For the hands-on running part, I have a 1954 7-1/2 HP Evinrude and a 1966 6 HP Evinrude for them to use - both motors I revived back from the junkpile dead.
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For places to buy old motors, try Craigs List - especially the lists in the Minnesota and Wisconsin areas. Also try the "Webtervise" classified board at the antique outboard website: www.aomci.org You can also post a free "Wanted" ad on that board and you don't have to be a paid member of AOMCI - I think you just have to register at the site so they know you are not a scammer. You can also contact local AOMCI chapters if there is one in your area - someone may know someone who wants to part with a motor you'd like. You can post a free Wanted ad on Craigs List too.
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Dave
_________________
57 Commander 12 Custom Deluxe 550
58 Commodore 14 Speedster (modified)
58 Cadillac Riviera 14 split deck
Dozens of old outboards

OutBdNut · Joined: 27 Mar 2005 Posts: 593 Location: Minnesota

OK - I finally took some photos of my 1958 Gale Buccaneer 35 HP. It's on my '58 or '59 Cadillac boat. Seems like a natural to find one and put it on your Crestliner Buccaneer!

Note the exhaust housing and lower unit are two different shades of blue and don't match the Buccaneer. I took those off two different 1958 35HP Evinrudes because the Gale Buccaneer had a cracked exhaust housing and the lower unit leaked bad.

Dave
_________________
57 Commander 12 Custom Deluxe 550
58 Commodore 14 Speedster (modified)
58 Cadillac Riviera 14 split deck
Dozens of old outboards