My 1971 Craig craft

[craigcraftguy]

Hello,
I am posting some pictures of my 71 Craig craft.
It was built in 1970 in Edmonds Wa by Craig and Mark Demaray,
Mark raced this boat for his 71 season in region 10 and it was sold right after to pay for his school. My dad and I picked it up from a guy who was giving it away about 20 years ago, it has been sitting in the shop ever since. Last year I decided to restore it and now it is all ready to go! Sadly I do not have a motor. Mark used to run a kg4h on it that he purchased off of a man by the name of bob smiley (I know this because I ran into bob while searching for kg7 parts). I am currently trying to convert a fishing ke7 over to a kg7 with a fishing lower and a race prob but if anyone has motor advice that would be great!

[craigcraftguy]

Picture

[craigcraftguy]

[ZUL8TR]

Craig Craft

How about some measurements just to compare to today

Weight =

Bottom width at transom planing surface =

Afterplane distance from rear planing surface to back of sponson =

Overall length from rear transom planing surfact to the point at the front =

Transom angle off vertical =

Picture shows air traps will you be putting those on?

I notice the bottom has a reverse curve just forward of the sponson rear. An interesting detail.

Nice restoration

Thanks

[mdaspit]

I am currently trying to convert a fishing ke7 over to a kg7 with a fishing lower and a race prob but if anyone has motor advice that would be great!

Give John Snell a call in Texas. PM me if you'd like his number.

[craigcraftguy]

Hi,
I will try and measure the boat as soon as I get some time but I am pretty sure the overall length is 9'6.
I am pretty exited to get it on the water this year! I hope I can get a motor togeather!

[hydroracer25]

Airtraps?

Just an observation, but I didn't notice any airtraps in the restoration pictures you posted. I'm pretty sure all the Craigcrafts and Hedlunds of this era had airtraps that were screwed on to the chine. Without them you may find this boat very difficult to drive and possibly dangerous.

Mark

[craigcraftguy]

Air traps

What exactly do you mean by air trap... Sorry
It is vented with holes in the sponsons. I think it is set up just like it was built as it was the first Craig craft hydro to use real wood as the sister ship to it was made of door skins it is one of their early boats according to mark. I plug the vent holes or it sinks pretty fast if u stop. But I think the boat is very close to stock... I can ask mark if he put air traps on when he built it

[B Walker]

Airtraps on a Craig Craft of this vintage are a piece of wood about 1/4" thick extending from the back of the boat at a depth of about 1" to the rear of the sponson flush with the bottom of the sponson as far outboard as possible.

The idea is to force air through the entire length of the boat and not spill out the sides to the right and left behind the sponsons.

You can see the airtrap extending the length of the boat from the transom to the sponson in your oldest picture.

Without airtraps the boat will oscillate from side to side at relatively low speed known as "chinewalking". The oscillations will become gradually larger and larger until the speed is reduced or the boat flips.

All hydroplanes built after WW2 had airtraps of some type.

I can take some pics of a late 70's Craig Craft airtraps if it would help you to visualize it

BW

[craigcraftguy]

Air traps

Hmm you guys are right good call on the air traps. I will be putting them on lol that explains why when I hit about 30 I lose control an almost flip lol I am new to hydros and it's alot to learn. I will talk to mark and he has the plans for my boat and look to see what they used when it was new

[dholt]

Those "vented" holes in the back of the sponsons are meant only to get the water out of the front of the boat.

Otherwise known as "cork holes."

Don't leave the shore without corks/plugs in them.

And don't leave without the air traps either.

[sponsonhead]

Setting it up

CC Guy,

Since I'm guessing you're in the greater Puget Sound area, there's a number of us here actively involved in boat racing, and we we would be glad to take a look at your project and offer any suggestions/pointers/ideas for making your play ride a fun and safe ride...starting with me.

Feel free to PM me or shoot me an email (you should be able to get it off the HR Profile). I remember when Mark first came out with this boat (1971 was my first year attending races, and I started racing in 72). And it was FAST!

Good luck and stay in touch,

Patrick Gleason R-19

PS--Mark Demaray is an occasional visitor to this website and I know he would be very interested in your project if you haven't contacted him already.

[craigcraftguy]

Vent holes

On my boat the transom was vented also and mark said they put all the holes in to try and bleed off any pressure build up but it most likely did not do much and just made a good drain.

[craigcraftguy]

Thanks! I do live on the west side and I talk to mark on email he has helped me a lot!
I would enjoy getting to know people and getting into racing. I would like any help I can get! Mark told me this boat was very fast in it's day.
Dave

[Bill Huson]

The hook . . .

I notice the bottom has a reverse curve just forward of the sponson rear. An interesting detail.

Thanks

I've heard folks refer to the reverse curve (concave) as a "Hedlund Hook". Whatever it is I used a similar curve on most all the hydros I built. The boat would seem to pop faster out of a corner.