1962 Johnson and Kirby W/ Homelites

[Bigshrimpin]

A while back Cliff Root offered up a 1962 Seacraft Racing boat on the site - free for someone to restore. Besides being a cool piece of history, the boat was originally powered with twin 55hp homelites which were the first production four stroke outboards - only 227lbs each. It's amazing that 2 1962 55hp motors can move a 21 seacraft like the pics above. I emailed Cliff about the boat yesterday and he sent a great email on the boat.
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From Cliff:

Thank you very much for your inquiry about the SeaCraft.

This is one of the first SeaCrafts built. Later designs eliminated the high freeboard and flare at the bow and reduced the angle of the deep-V. Seacrafts, including this one, were originally built in Princeton, FL which is part of the Miami suburbs and is located about fifteen miles SW of downtown Miami on US-1. Their production warehouse is still there. The boat was purchased new by Johnson and Kirby who had one of the more popular marine store, boat maintenance and engine sales and maintenance operations in Miami by the same name located on US-1 in South Miami. They passed away, the store was closed, the property was sold and the lot bulldozed.

The early pictures show the boat (open console) as Johnson and Kirby set it up for racing to Bimini and Nassau. In the late 1950's the Bertram Glass Mopie by Ray Hunt was the first deep-V design and revolutized boat racing and boat design. It shattered the existing record by several hours in a race were many boats turned back and a few disinagrated and sank due to the very rought water. Everyone quickly started building deep-V hulls. This SeaCraft was built in 1962. I remember the Homelites and I am sure that the Homelites were 55 HP. Johnson and Kirby raced the boat for publicity to advertise their store and for fun. I know nothing about their racing success, if any.

At this time my father was working at Johnson and Kirby. He bought the boat from Johnson and Kirby. Soon after, he replaced the Homelites with two 100 HP Evinrudes and converted the boat back to the factory design by removing the center console, reinstalling the windshield, forward steering and bimini top as shown in the later pictures. When I gave the boat away, it still had the original Seminole trailer as shown in the pictures and the original boat production paint colors as shown in the small owner's manual - white hull, black stripe under the gunnel and sky-blue deck.

About 1970, my father bought a 50 ft houseboat and gave me the SeaCraft. I ran it until the motors reached the point that the Johnson and Kirby mechanics refused to work on the motors unless I had them completely rebuilt. I had two daughters in college at the time and could no longer afford two new motors so the boat sat in the backyard and the wood rotted out. Hurricane Andrew tore off and shattered the windshield.

I kept the boat because I though it was a great boat, great design, great ride, high freeboard for offhsore, etc. and I had hoped to someday eventually restore the boat. However the boat was becoming an eyesore in the backyard and my wife wanted me to get rid of it. She started calling the towing companies to have them haul the boat and trailer to the county trash dump. However the county dump will not take boats unless you first take a chainsaw and cut the boat into pieces. Which is probably why you see so many old boats abondoned along the roadside. I refused to destroy the boat and started looking on the Internet for alternatives. Fortunely I found the SeaCraft collectors' website. A fellow from Palm Beach picked up the boat and trailer, title, pictures, and small owner's manual.

If you have any additional information I would greatly appreciate knowing the current status and seeing some current pictures. You are welcome to post any of this information on the SeaCraft website.

Cliff Root

[PressureDrop]

hey guys, ive been out of the loop for a year or so but that boat is mine, i recently finished my 20' seafari project and have stripped the 21 entirely and i will be working on it as time permits, unfortunately college is the priority now. anyways it is going to become a balls out fishing machine ill keep you posted as i progress and will try to get some pics of my first balls out fishing maching up here...

[Wobbet60]

I remember the Johnson and Kirby marine store on US-1. If you drive by there now, the lot is right next to The Chinatown Restaurant in South Miami. I think it was only till a couple years ago that lot sat empty with an old boat crane in the back. I didn't know that place had so much history.