TOPIC: Custom Craft Manta Ray Hull

One of my favorite photos, this is the bottom of the 61 Manta Ray I restored years ago. Photo is on my MILs computer, but long lost on mine. You can understand the get up and go between the sponsons, step, and tunnel. I just wish they had been built better over all.

Nice work!

Nice... Custom Craft certainly had some interesting hull designs- I'm looking forward to seeing how my Tiger Ray does on the water (though it is going to be a LONG time before she gets wet!)

It does seem that they were a bit lacking in the quality of construction, though. Such complex hull shapes and just not enough 'glass to make it strong. But, I suppose in a way that's a good thing- Fewer boats around today

-Andrew

crosbyboat wrote:

One of my favorite photos, this is the bottom of the 61 Manta Ray I restored years ago. Photo is on my MILs computer, but long lost on mine. You can understand the get up and go between the sponsons, step, and tunnel. I just wish they had been built better over all.

The fastest boats in the world today use that same step design in the hull.

Way way way ahead of their time.

Construction techniques on alot of these boats were not the best.

The challenges of mass producing a handmade boat.

the tunnel part of the hull is extremely strong, hand laid fiberglas on mine. what is weak are the sides. they could of made the front of the sponsons thicker also.

Perhaps it wasn't so much poor workmanship as it was a weight and cost concern? Make the sides and front sponsons thicker and the boat is heavier = slower. Additional materials = additional cost.

Maybe the builders of these boats followed the "Rule of the Blouse":

A good hull should be like a woman's shirt: thin enough to arouse interest but thick enough to cover the essentials.

(Ok, so I modified that slightly! LoL)

i don't think an additional 100lbs. would of made much difference. i'm sure if they knew of the consequences down the road, they would of added some more mat and resin in those areas.

they must have went thicker on the 64 sunray ,i dont see any problems with it,the hull seems pretty thick and the transom is strong and dry.

The hull on my Manta Ray seems to be strong enough. I had it shipped here on ramp trailer. The pro boat transporters did not bring a 1 7/8" ball mount for the trailer tounge. They tied the end of the tounge to the slot for the forgotten mount. The Mamta Ray & trailer bounced off the semi's ramp trailer during transport. The accident did bend the trailer. The bow was busted up but the bow eye did not fully pull out, wood backer board was rotten dust.

5 holes were punched in the hull from fist size to quarter size. This is the largest on the front sponson.

Dang it, Cat! What did they do to make it right with ya? That's just wrong, think they should change their name.

I didn't even get a phone call returned. I posted the whole story & more pics at CGOA last Feb. www.classicglastron.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2208&p=12028&hilit=nightmare#p12028

About 6 years ago, I bought an 18 ft catamaran (sailboat) in Ft Lauderdale, FL. I talked to a couple of "professional" boat transporters about having them bring it north, including one I knew personally. I found them all to be financially and emotionally unstable and didn't trust them. I ended up driving from CT to FL to pick up the boat (4 days down and back).

There are numerous stories around that, but I'll include one. This person said he could bring the boat north in a reasonable time frame. However, he doesn't take checks or credit cards. He would only accept a wire transfer into his account and would not provide me with a receipt. I told him I would think about it and let him know if I was interested. He then started calling me every 15 minutes asking me if I had transferred the money yet. After a couple of those, I told him to forget it. The next morning, the boatyard that recommended him called me up and yelled at me for not giving him the job.

It was worth the drive.