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  1. #1
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    1977 Colorado Custom Design Tunnel Hull

    First off, can anyone tell me anything about this boat? I can find nothing about this thing except the physical hull in the shop.

    Here is the Coast Guard Info plate. Hull is registered as CEH25257M771.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #2
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    Didn't expect anyone to know about my boat as I can't find out anything about its roots.

    Some guys asked about the hull when I was talking about the bridgeport so that is what this thread is about. It is going through a restoration right now.

    Here is what got it all started: an ad in the October 1992 copy of "Denver Boat & RV" flyer -

    Click image for larger version. 

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  3. #3
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    Looks cool enough. Keep the pics coming. Maybe someone might recognize the hull design if they could see it better.

    83 V-King, 96 Mariner, 200 hp ff block 2.5 w/a 28p choppa
    We gotta clean this liberal mess up, VOTE TRUMP TO MAGA!
    Rebuild thread:
    http://www.screamandfly.com/showthre...-it&highlight=
    http://www.screamandfly.com/showthre...cs.&highlight=
    Videos

  4. #4
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    If you are a picture type of person just skip these posts that don't have any but I do want to tell the whole story.

    We loved waterskiing and I had a 1973 Schuester Tahiti 18' ski boat with a 150 merc on it. Loved that boat, we took it to Powell so many times I almost wore out the trailer. So I was hooked on that type of boat.

    Worked for HP in the day (Ft Collins CO) and along in about 1990 a business slowdown caused them to offer the technical staff what we called "The Golden Parachute", a years worth of pay and help finding your next gig. I took it. Goofed around for a couple years and decided to build my dream shop on 8 acres I bought in Palisade, CO on the western slope.

    I owned my house in FTC and sold it. Seemed like a big wad of cash combined with HP's check, more than enough to build a house, right? (ANS: NO) so I looked for another boat and bought this one. As the ad says it had a 175 on it. Beautiful new paint, custom trailer and boat cover. Really nice stuff. But not nice enough for a young kid with "boatloads" of money, right?

    How to upgrade? Stay tuned...

  5. #5
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    Are you sure about that hull ID number? I tried a lookup and it showed no results and the CEH prefix shows it as registered to Seahawk Inflatables. Also from that old pic it kind of looks like a Starbuck.
    1971 Sidewinder 14 SS w Johnson 90 v-4
    1959 Texas Maid Falcon w Mercury Mark 35A
    1981 Sylvan Sportster w Johnson 85 v-4
    2006 Harris pontoon with a Yamaha 90
    1969 Sunfish sailboat

  6. #6
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    One more thing about this ad: specious marketing. The seller says "Great Ski Boat" which is a complete crock! No transom hooks or pylon, you can't even pull a skier unless you just lasso the OB!

    Guess he figured that was the best way to sell the boat.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Turtleherder View Post
    Are you sure about that hull ID number? I tried a lookup and it showed no results and the CEH prefix shows it as registered to Seahawk Inflatables. Also from that old pic it kind of looks like a Starbuck.
    More pics will be coming, but thanks for this lead, I'll look for that make.

    I suspect there is some funny business with the whole registration and the actual hull has no SN

  8. #8
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    We have an answer! Mine is in fact a 17' Starbuck, later actually called Colorado Custom. The mfg was in Arvada, Jim Starbuck. Later Lake Havasu City.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  9. #9
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    So I bought this '77 Colorado Custom for $5,000 in 1992 with the Mercury 175 HP on it. I could not get the engine started. I was in the middle of a 300 mile move and didn't troubleshoot the boat very thoroughly. I took it to a guy in Golden Colorado (Bill Wiles) who shot fuel/oil into the carbs and it started. After we got it running he mentioned that he had a 225 HP that he could put on it. Hum, 50 more HP? SURE! And put a jack plate on it too. (Cook mfg CMC). Traded engines, paid the bill and I was off with a boat rated for 145 HP that had 225 on it. Didn't have time to put it on the water for some time after that (had to build a house first) but the fundamentals were in place. It was years later before we put it on the water.

  10. #10
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    It might have had an HIN but this might have been painted over in 1990. Starbuck boats had NLG as a manufacturer code but nothing for Colorado Custom Design.

  11. #11
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    Well here is the boat as she floated July 31 2021 at Flaming Gorge Buckhorn "Marina" (really just a boat launch & bar now). I love that the "sheer" (whatever the widest part of the hull is called) is below the water as she sits empty. This suggests "fast boat" to me, probably "Nearer my God to Thee" to others ( - : She was taking on water at a fair clip so you didn't let it sit too long without both bilge pumps on.
    Click image for larger version. 

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  13. #12
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    After that boat outing the transom was showing its age. Transoms are in a constant battle with the OB to see who will prevail (will the engine tear out the transom?) and since the transom is a 1977 and the engine is a 1982 we have a clear winner. Hence the restoration

    Click image for larger version. 

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  14. #13
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    Before the July trip I installed a GPS speedometer (the only way to go I might add). We were spinning a 22P stainless prop which isn't enough for this boat but here is what we got with my wife driving (turns out it is her boat).

    Keep in mind that Flaming Gorge is at 6,023' MSL and you lose 3% for every 1,000 feet above sea level

    Click image for larger version. 

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  16. #14
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    Question about Merc intake manifolds: Mine looks like this (which I like very much) but I haven't seen another one with the tubes like this.

    Any insights for me?

    Click image for larger version. 

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  17. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by MaMikee View Post
    Question about Merc intake manifolds: Mine looks like this (which I like very much) but I haven't seen another one with the tubes like this.
    Correction: Airbox. I suppose the intake manifold for this 2 stroke doubles as a reed cage

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