TOPIC: Miami boat?? Help ID

Hi folks, and thanks for a great resource!

I inherited a project from my son. Its a 14 or 15
foot fiberglass/plastic open style fishing boat.

The only ID I can find on it is an emblem plaque on
each side at the stern area that says "Miami".

Any info would be great, especially HP rating.

I'll post some pictures of it next week as I'm out of
town now.

My plan is to rework the top gunwales, gel coat the exterior,
and apply spray in bedliner to all the interior.

It will become my Florida fishing boat (10,000 island area)

I recommend a splatter paint for the floor. The black bedliner stuff will get HOT in the sun. Lighter colors would be better. Check out this old post on floor painting:

www.fiberglassics.com/fiberglassics-forums/home/main-forum/speckled-paint

Sundance58301,

WELCOME ABOARD.

yours, satx

Thanks........

Pics will have to wait until next week..... I sure hope
to figure out some history on this one.

As to spraying bedliner on interior....... I used to do
it in my body shop. You can go with most any color as the
pigment. White is tough, but light gray, or other light
colors work well.

Finally some pictures...

Any info??

It's 15 feet long and beam is roughly 5 feet.

Any idea on HP rating?

I will be repairing gunnels, installing floor
and elevated front deck, and gelcoating the outside
surface. The interior will be light grey truck bed
liner with blue spatter.

Logo

Stern

Nobody??

A ballpark on what year??

Do you think a 1957 Evinrude 18hp would be Ok?

Sundance58301,

IF it was mine & as "the oldtimers" here know, my choice would be a Evinrude, Gale or Johnson BigTwin & of the same year as the hull.

While the 18HP Evinrude is an OUTSTANDING, long-lasting, tough, OVER-engineered OB, I think 25-35 HP would be better suited in every way for the hull.

yours, satx

Thanks!!

I was afraid of HP rating... but the transom looks
good.

So you're thinking the boat is from the late 50's?

I was originally looking at old Mercury Mark series.
But after research, the reliability (especially lower
unit) is highly suspect. So an OMC will go on it.

What years did they make 25hp to 35hp?

Sundance58301,

IF I was guessing, I'd guess a 1956 or 1957 build date.
(A large percentage of 1958-60 hulls had fins. - By 1961, every builder that I can think of had deleted the fins.)

yours,satx

Thanks satx...... I'm keeping my eyes out for a
late 50's Big Twin Evinrude. I'll be fishing in
style.

The hull was made by Good Year's Aviation Division. It is the same hull as used by Bowman. I believe that Miami was a division of Bowman, or licensee. The hulls were made much like the MFG boats with matched metal dies used under something like 700 tons of hydraulic pressure. This gives both the inside and outside smooth surfaces. The fiberglass is somewhat thin and had wood framework inside to stiffen it up. I've got some Bowman literature someplace.But I recognize the floor/stringer/reinforcement layout as identical to what I have in my Bowman. These first appeared in 1954 with later production models by Bowman in 1956, 1957, and 1958. I have seen some Miami advertising, but can't put my hands on it at the moment. Running on memory here, but this information should be correct. I hope that this will help.

Lee Wangstad

Thank you Lee. Exactly what I am needing. I am
excited to get started on the renovation.