TOPIC: First post, mystery Ouachita boat! HELP!

Hello everyone!
My name is Derek. Im from the Madison WI area.
I recently received a Ouachita boat for free.
Ive wanted a boat forever, but this one is in need of some help. And I know nothing about fixing boats. I have a background in cars, and I wanted to move to boats. Problem is I cant find any info about this boat. I need your help! Any help...pictures, manuals, wiring diagrams, suggestions, answers to the tons of questions I will have over the next few months.
Ive included a picture of the boat, I can get many more if it helps. Be specific if need be.
It says "Ouchita Medalist" on the plaque near the console.
It currently has a 55hp Chrysler engine, dont know if that is what it came with or not.

Can you help me! I will need it.
Thanks! Looking forward to getting into my first boat refurb!

Welcome aboard Derek,

I wasn't aware that Ouachita Marine & Industrial Corp. made fiberglass boats. Aluminum yes. They were located at Arkadelphia, Arkansas. By the way it is pronouced "wash - a - ta". At one time they were owned by Stanadrd Industries of NYC. They had a firm called "Standard Marine" which oversaw their boat related businesses which included Ouachita, RichLine, Tom Sawyer and others.

The US Coast Guard indicates they went out of business in 1980. If the boat was built after November 1972 there should be a 12 charachter hull ID on the outside of the transom, starboard side. The first three letters should be "XMR", a code for Ouachita. The last part will give the month and year she was built.

www.uscgboating.org/recalls/mic_detail.aspx?id=XMR

There probably never were any owner's manauals or wiring diagrams.

I googled Ouachita and bunches of photos popped up.

I have seen some literature for sale on eBay in the past.

There is a classic boat show at Christy's Landing on Lake Waubesa in Madison 03-04 August. Classic fiberglass is welcome.

Sorry I cannot be of greater assistance.

Andreas

lochnesstroller,

fyi, i went to college for 5 years in Arkadelphia, just about that time & knew (THEN) people, who worked at Ouachita Boats.
(both of my degrees are from Ouachita Baptist University, there.= small world, huh?)

whether any of them are still alive or not, i couldn't say BUT if you wish i'll see if any of the people, whom i still know in town, know if anyone is still around who worked on the fiberglass boats.)

yours, satx

Thompson boat, actually all that info was very helpful.

I looked on the transom, and there was no identifying plaques or numbers. The only things I found where these two on the entire boat.

The first one was on the port side of the transom in the corner.

The second one is right near the steering wheel.

Ive attached a few other pics just because..um everyone likes pics.

Satx, I would like that, im really just looking for ways to find out where all the wiring goes more than anything.

One quick question, could you tell me what kind of steering this has?
Manual or hydraulic? The Steering seems to be frozen (the motor and steering wheel do not move)
Finally how would I lower and raise the engine in and out of the water?

Like I said, this is my first boat refurb so im trying to be super cautious and make sure I get all the information I can before I start stabbing away at this.

Thanks!

Ouachita made many glass boats. The one that they were best known for around here was a bass boat. Long and narrow with stick steering. Made for 2 however 3 could sit (not fish) in it. It was great for the small rivers and streams (bayous).

Hi Derek,
This the Medalist page from around 1972-73. The catalog isn't dated. Hope you have a great time with your boat, both in the repairing and the using. Getting a boat in this condition and doing the repair work yourself will set you up for troubleshooting and tuning up in the future.

Lee Wangstad

Ouachita bought the Razorback Boat molds and equipment back around '68 or so. The boat you have is actually a Razorback design. Ouachita built their boats for a few years using the Razorback molds without making any real changes other then emblems, decals, etc. Your boat appears to be the same mold as the "Medalist" model that Razorback introduced around '66 or '67. I think there is some info on the Razorback version if you check that section in the library.

Lee, thank you so much for posting that ad!
It answered several questions I had about the boat! This makes my plans/and things so much easier.

Classicfins, looking in the library section what you said seems to be absolutely true.
This boat sure looks alot like the "Ski Rambler" just with an exposed bow. Then there is that picture of a Green boat that looks exactly like it as well! Very cool.

Thanks so much for providing this information guys.
If there is ANYTHING else you know about these boats please share

Im going to be doing some work on it this weekend (engine, carpet, fuel system) and plan on posting progress pics as well!

Thanks again.

One more thing I just noticed, the Medalist in that ad has the same Chrysler engine that is on my boat.
On the flywheel someone wrote "Chrysler, 55hp OB. 1974"
Perhaps I can assume that the boat is from around that time period...I dont know, just thinking outloud.

lochnesstroller,

SADLY, i must tell you that i cannot find anyone that i knew in Arkadelphia (who worked for Ouachita Boats), who is still alive.- gave it "the old college try", anyhow.

yours, satx

No problem, I appreciate the effort! Thanks!