Please Helo!! Ever heard of this boat??

J

JJRJR

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I'm in the process of buying a little 17 foot skiff. It's been completely restored and looks great, but the hull, according to the title and the owner, is a 1973 Lightning?? I have searched for hours and the only Lightning I come up with is a sailboat.

Anyone ever heard of these boats? Would like to know a little about the hull before I buy it. I'm not TOO concerned as I'm just buying it for camping and tooling around the canals in South Florida, but I'm baffled that I can't fine a word on this boat.

Any help?

Thanks,

John
 
I've not heard of it, but see it mentioned in this archived article:

http://www.fiberglassics.com/library/Scat_Craft

"According to a Sept. 20, 1973 article in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, North American Products Corp. of Sarasota, Florida dropped its entire line of boats to instead produce five models from Critchfield Marine molds under their Lightning Boats label. William P. Farmer, president of North American, had bought some of the Critchfield molds from Wellcraft Marine Corp., also of Sarasota. Wellcraft had bought Critchfield Marine's property, some tooling and plant equipment in July 1973."
 
Great info, thanks so much!! I'm thinking it was built by some small custom shop that didn't last long. I guess if she still doesn't leak after 40 years, I can't go wrong for a few thousand bucks. Thanks again.
 
There's a product called SeaCast that's for pouring a replacement transom. The boats they illustrate their process with are Wellcraft. I know our 1977 Wellcraft had soft transom issues. See how the boat you're looking at is constructed and if you can test its solidity. Some of the Wellcraft techniques or people might have been involved.
Low dollars low risk, I agree, but still, try and see if you can determine the transom, stringers, and floor aren't rotted.
 
I have a couple of them back when I was a kid. Well built basic boat.
 
Thanks everyone. Capt. Bill1, you had a Lightning Boat? This is a 17 foot, looks good. Going for sea trial Saturday. 70 hp Evinrude complete rebuild about 75 hours ago. if someone can tell me how to post pictures, i'll post some so you can check it out/?

Thanks,

john
 
I/we had 2 or 3 as I recall. I think we had a 10 or 12 footer, a 14 and perhaps a 17 like the one you are looking at. A tackle store just a couple blocks from our house sold them. It was not uncommon to see them around here (Sarasota FL) back in the day. In fact I seem to recall a local bait shop renting some out.
 
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