TOPIC: Saving a '72 GW Invader Drag and Ski

I found this last year on CL, the guy was asking $400 for it with pictures of the damage where a tree hit it. I realized right off the bat that it was a classic that I couldnt let die so I emailed the guy that was selling it and told him if he decided to junk it, I would come get it. 2 months later I got an email saying come get it. I drove up to Fox Lake and drug it home (still not sure how that trailer made it to Romeoville (50miles) and then to the farm (another 120miles). This weekend I winched it up on the flatbed and brought it home. The tree damage is all above the waterline and relativly minor so I should be able to get it repaired fairly quickly.

What I have found out about the boat from the web (various sources so i hope its accurate):
The boat is a '72 G.W. Invader "Drag and Ski" which was built starting in 69. In 71 the coast guard made any boat which they deemed to be overrated to be illegal and production was ordered to ceese. Well, they had the molds sitting there so in '72 they pulled about 12 hulls and "gave" them to people. Well the coast guard got wind and came in and stood there while they destroyed the molds. At about the same time, they hung a 100hp motor off the back of 1 of these boats and set a world record of 74mph (1/2mile out, turn 1/2mile back average).


LOA 14'
Beam 60"
motor rating 95hp






over the past couple days Ive been doing some glassing. I started by putting a piece of roving behind the holes from the inside, I overlapped the holes by about 6" in every direction. Then I started building it up with mat and roving alternating between the 2. Its looking like I will get around using any bondo which should eliminate the chances of cracking. While I was at it, I started redoing the tach hole, it had been filled prior and it was done poorly.

Looks like a decent project! Go for it!

What will you hang on the transom when its done?

Im looking for something in the 70hp range

That is a cool boat!! Keep us updated on how its going!

jetboat wrote:

Im looking for something in the 70hp range

3 cyl. 75hp OMC looper would rock. Available in 15" and 20" lengths, excellent prop selection, made for many years, easy parts availability, etc. The 15" 75 in the late 70's pushed a 350lb race tunnel over 70mph. Stock production motor.

big. Looks pretty cool.

Ive been doing some looking at "mini-boat" manufactures... Seems that a boat similar size and design to this is typically rated between 55-65hp. All I could find though were 15' boats or 13' no 14'ers. I guess the coast guard doesnt like anyone to run fast...lol

Im trying to settle on a seating config. Originally I was going to throw a couple Corbeau Lowback baja seats in and call it done. Now Im thinking a couple of rci lowbacks with padded covers and then build a bench across the back. I found another mini done that way and it seemed to work out good as long as the rear passengers are small (kids). The other nice advantage of a rear bench would be covering the bilge/battery area.

Dang another boat I want now ...L.O.L...I check Craigs in that area and never saw it .Im in Northern WI ..Good Luck to you and throw some pics on when shes in the water with a Big Roust behind you .

well I picked up a motor... went to look at a mercury 650 and ended up getting a '77 Johnson 85hp. The lower is still apart because he just put a new water pump in it and didnt have a heated garage. Has power tilt and trim which is nice and its a light weight motor.

Might want to put some knee braces on that transom with all that HP.

85 hp V4 tilt and trim,72 Invader,hold on! Pics please!

The transom on that boat is actually reenforced with steel from the factory. It basically has a cage that connects farther up in the hull. Keep in mind, they rated it for a 95 from the factory and the weight of a '68-'70 95hp is considerably more than this '77 85hp. Im more worried about my need for speed.

replaced the main stringer, talk about a job. I poured down some resin and then put the stringer in and weighted it so it would adhere down well. After an hr I went back, removed the weights and glassed it in. I used fiberglass mat and resin and it took way more than I thought, I was hoping for maybe 10 ounces of resin and it ended up taking 25ounces.



after taking a measurement every 6" and then trimming to fit, the main floor is ready to go in. Im using 4ply 1/2" instead of the 3/8 balsa that was originally used. Ill glass the bottom side before putting it in place.



Heres a shot of the ugly motor

Nice find on the Invader, I live 30 mi south of Sharpsvill IN where the plant is...er was, I also have been trying to save an Invader Torpedo,its a tunnel hull though. the 85hp will be nice on that hull too, I run a merc 1oo and a 115 on my cobra witch is about the same hull as yours

I would love to have a torpedo! Always been a tunnel fan.

Ive had the tunnel out twice, what a weird ride......no bump from the other boats waves, I also have a 1966 8' single seat i run an old 18hp evinrude on, Its a real gas @ 28mph Oh and the torpedo could be bought.......

just a note you can see the 8' invader on you tube, search jmevinrude

I got the floor glassed last night and glassed in a stringer for the seat deck. Im designing the seat base a little different from factory. What the boat had in it had the seat base completly enclosed, that meant if water got in there it just sat. I am building it as a pass thru so that water and debris can just slide right on thru. I ended up laying 60 ounces of resin and I lost track of how much cloth yesterday. Im glad its a small boat.

Ive been doing allot of work on the seats. It doesnt look like it but there are several hours getting them to fit and be comfortable. Ive used wayyyy more fiberglass than I would have imagined, using kevlar mat for the rear seats prolly didnt help the glass consumption I am sure. The front seat has a steel reinforcement that I welded together and screwed/glassed in place.


The foam simulates the foam padding so I could get ride height right.

I skinned the rear of the front seat with 1/4" so the vinyl would lay better when I upholster it.


There is allot of work left to go. I still have to sand the entire boat, some of it down to glass. The last owner had painted it with a brush and the paint ran everywhere, where it didnt run have deep brush marks.

Lookin Good! What color are you going to paint it?

I was thinking I would go dark blue with a white vintage race number (black number in white circle) on the front.

Sounds sweet, maybe a 74? vintage strangler paint job on the 85hp would realy kik it off!

plan is for #72

Awesome boat! I've wanted one of those since I was a kid (40+ years ago). I've read those are the lightest and fastest V-hulls they made. They are even a little lighter than the 13 ft Banshee.

So have ya got much done ?

I just came in from putting the second coat of primer on. The first coat I tried the roll and tip method and hated it. So, after 2 days drying, I sanded it this morning so I could spray it. I used a cheap HF HVLP gun with a 15% mineral spirit mix and Rustoleum marine primer.

I really should have done some more prep work but honestly I would rather have a boat that looked good from 20' away that I could use than one that was a show piece I couldnt use.

As you can see in the pic, Im not exactly setup for painting but, oh well it worked.

I'm thinking I'll go with a red top, silver stripe and original blue bottom.

this is my cobra,in red with a white stripe, I hug a 115 on it today to see if I like it.......I LIKE IT!!! we should get these 2 boats together this summer.

spent some time on the paint and it was finally dry enough to pull outside for pics.



coat 1


coat 3 or 4 cant remember






can you see the patch?


I still need to put a stripe of "aluminum" around the side to divide the blue and the red and tie it all together. Ill start working on that in a week or so. It just sucks that Im out of primer so Ill have to by another can.

So I spray the silver on the sides and push the boat out so it can cure in the sun... wouldnt you know, something scratched right down the side of the fresh silver paint! 2' long scratch right down the side that I get to fix now.

In other news... Ordered the rubrail, luckily I think I can use the cheapest one west Marine had ($107). That important when the free part of the boat broke the budget. I called around about getting the trailer sandblasted... quotes ranged from $500 to $1000. They all quoted $2 a min, I just cant see how it would take that long.

Im crossing my fingers, I might hang the motor Sunday!

looking good! Invaders are cool mini speed boats

have you run this boat before?

I have a 10fter I just restored and rebuilt the motor &b broke it in, but I may sell it. a new project has my interest and my mini can finance it if I sell it

hopen to get it in the water in a few weeks for my first time with it.

I would love to find a 10'er... all of them I have seen locally have went for way crazy prices though.

My dad stopped by and I didnt want to just sit in the house "visiting" so, I convinced him to help me hang the outboard. I had to modify the mount on the outboard a little, the hanger bracket was hanging up on the jackplate. Im running the motor a little high, the transom is 20" to the very top of the boat and I have it set up an inch up from that.

1" is a safe starting height, your probly good up to about 4" depending on your prop. Its gettin there....yup startin to look like a boat again!! post a pic of the engine at the transum if ya can.

once I get the lower back on the boat Ill post up a pic. To me it looks like the prop will be way in the water but what I have heard is that these boats ride a little different. Supposedly they like to get the transom out of the water and ride on a section closer to the bow. If thats the case then the prop needs to start a little deeper.

UMM....never heard of the transum out of the water riding up front? before but.....Anyway I just had a friend stop by yesterday and he was telling me he just bought a 14' invader out of Mich. ebay strikes again!! I was watching it but no funds for more boats. He may be giving me his old one though, And he used to work at the plant in Sharpsville, he stated he also had lots of Lit. from the old days. Ill keep ya posted on this.

I want pics!!! I would kill for some lit on my model, there isnt much info out there about it and what I do find is most time suspect.

Im a little iffy on what I was told about the ride... Doesnt ring true to what I am used to but, Im not used to a boat with a transom smaller than the bow. The guy that told me was the PO so I would think he would know, or he had it setup weird.

Well this is gettin interesting.....Mark let me in his shop last night, he has 4 of these boats, 1 is sporting a 1500xs, 1 is sporting a 1000 BP, and one is for sale and Im going to go pick up the last one in sharpsville.

Fired the motor yesterday... started up and idled down good.

Steering needs work for sure. It only steers 1 direction right now and the cable is ungodly stiff. If I can get the steering wheel bolts out Ill try soaking it in kerosene to loosen it.