TOPIC: 1960 Aerocraft

Hi everyone - new to this forum stuff, and new to THIS forum! I bought a 1960 16' AeroCraft fiberglass boat a couple years ago. I notice there's not much info available for this year. What's unique is that the steering wheel is on the left side. It's in all original condition, with a 1960 40hp Johnson that runs like new. The guy I bought it from was the son of the original owner who bought it right in St. Charles. Said he thought it was one of the 1st fiberglass boats they made. Could this be worth something? I don't readily have a good picture of it - here's one next to my Bayliner. Thanks.

Welcome aboard,

I would not consider a 1960 AeroCraft as one of their early fiberglass boats. About 1957 they purchased Water Wonderland Fiber Glass Boat Co. so, they had a fiberglass line starting about 1957. By 1958 they had their own 'glass line.

Left hand steering is no big deal. Someone wanted it so that's how it was rigged either at the factory or at the dealership.

Various brochures are posted in the Glassic Library section here.

Andreas

Ah, OK. Thanks for the info.

heres my 60 aerocraft lummie. had it from new. dad bought it. had a 18 rude on it and it flew. a lot of good times with that boat at our summer cabin on the delaware river in north jersey.

I hope this picture works this time....

Nice looking Boat! Looks a bit like the "Lark" in the 1962 catalog (which says that the model was new in 1962). Can you find any indication of model or serial number?

I've been collecting AeroCraft info and photos at
http://www.ultimate.com/aerocraft-boats/

I've seen reports of boats labeled AeroCraft, but with "Water Wonderland" serial number tags(*), so I've wondered (sorry, no pun intended) what the takeover process was: did they buy Water Wunderland and relocate it to St Charles?

In the late 50's they played with alternate names like "Aero-Line" for less expensive boats, so I figured the appearance and quick disappearance of the "Aero-Glas" name might not indicate anything more than someone deciding to sell all boats under one name (today they would call it "avoiding dilution of the brand name").

(*) Like this one, a glass canoe being sold as a "1962 AeroCraft"
http://www.ultimate.com/aerocraft-boats/0271/index.html

The tag reads "WATER W???ERLAND FIBER GLASS BOAT CO. INC."
and "HARWILL, INC. ST. CHARLES, MICH."

I'll admit, the ad doesn't show any logo on the boat, and the year in an ad (or on a boat title), plus $5 will buy you a latte at StarBucks.

silver-bay wrote:

I've been collecting AeroCraft info and photos at
http://www.ultimate.com/aerocraft-boats/

I've moved the site to:
http://www.aerocraft-boats.org

rakk203,

WELCOME ABOARD.

yours, satx