Early Marinette questions

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Sandhog
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Joined: Thu Jan 20, 2022 12:00 pm

Early Marinette questions

Post by Sandhog »

Hello All,
New to the Marinette cruisers line but not new to boating in general. We boat the upper Miss pool 13 area and have for some 40+ years. Looking for some insight on the below attachments.
Picked this up from our marina, been sitting in storage for 20ish years. Prior to that best I can tell from previous owners paperwork might have been in use somewhere around mid 90's. I know at one time it had a hard top over the deck area. It has a single gray marine fireball V8 188( which is missing some intake parts). Unsure if it even turns over yet. Intentions are to fully restore, and most probably repower with a modern gm motor.
Guessing its a 1961 model based on the tag??
Measured out at 96" wide at transom, 30'6" length transom to nose.
Are the length measurements taken at the waterline or overall?
Thanks in advance.
Mike




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TinLizzy
Royal Aluminum Star
Posts: 264
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2015 11:07 pm
Location: Lake Superior-Michigan's U.P.

Re: Early Marinette questions

Post by TinLizzy »

Just going off the looks of the boat, i would think that you are correct in it being a 1961. As for the length, I believe they used the overall length, not the waterline. Good luck on the resto! It is nice to see these boats saved from the scrap pile.
Rodney
1975 28 Express-Twin 350 Chevy's, SOLD
1990 32 Express--Twin Mercruiser 454 with Bravo I outdrives
Portage Canal Waterway-Upper Peninsula,Lake Superior
Sandhog
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Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jan 20, 2022 12:00 pm

Re: Early Marinette questions

Post by Sandhog »

10-4 on the "saved" part.
Newer boats today just don't have good lines, just different colors and names.
Take care.
MetalHead
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Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2014 6:03 pm

Re: Early Marinette questions

Post by MetalHead »

This is a 61 model convertible. Or has had the top removed. What is the width of this boat at the front of the cabin? You may come out better dropping a later model Mercruiser GM block V8 in to replace that 188 Gray Marine.
1959 Family Cruiser - Sold - Gary Dick - 12/05/14
1963 Express 31x10 - Sold - Joe & Ginger Tabor - 01/21/2017
1963 Express 31x8.5 - In Dry Dock - Restore Underway
1987 Sportsman - Lay Lake (Coosa River) Alabama
Big BigM 's Rule !!!
Columbiana, AL
Rockit
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Joined: Sat Jul 12, 2014 8:26 pm
Location: Phoenix, AZ

Re: Early Marinette questions

Post by Rockit »

You might also consider a V-6. I've seen them used for sterndrives (Mercury advertises a 4.5 liter) so there would be good parts availability. It would have more horsepower than that old gray marine and have two less cylinders to feed.

There are some 28s with twin GM 4.3L engines. I've never seen one, but I bet it's a lot easier to reach the water pump on the port engine!

Anyway, good luck with your project and keep us posted.
Joe Napoli
1977 28' Express
Twin raw water cooled 318s
Beaver River--near mile 25 on the Ohio
Sandhog
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Joined: Thu Jan 20, 2022 12:00 pm

Re: Early Marinette questions

Post by Sandhog »

Sorry for the delay.
Metalhead, yes it had a hard top many many years ago. What I remember was a full top covering the deck, could be wrong though.
Would really like to convert to twins with either crusader or mercruiser. GM regardless. Not sure there's even enough room for twins, I suppose you could offset them. Boats only 96" wide at transom.
Beam dimension at forward cabin is 104" ish.
Rockit, I like the 4.3 V6 idea. Somewhere on yt a guy put one in an old wood runabout. Straight exhaust didn't sound bad either, not sure what twins would sound like.
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