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Trying again to post a couple photos of serial number example on my 1957 Commander 12 Crestliner; and a photo of my Model 730. If it’s been painted a couple times, the numbers may be filled in. Note the original white pin stripe at the bottom of the dash.
Dave
Here’s the 1958 Model 730 Crestliner Dad bought new with a 1965 V4 60 HP. Photo taken in 1968. Note that boat came with a long transom that the dealer cut down in the center because Dad already had a short shaft Mark 25, 20 HP. The convertible top (rolled up next to the windshield) had been replaced once so not original color. The canvas hanging on the fence is the snap/zip-on rear piece that went from the rear of the convertible top to the aft deck. There were zip/snap side panels too that had plastic you could see through.
Also shown in the photo is my friend’s 1955 25HP Gale Buccaneer, and the just swamped hydroplane has a model 4LHD “Hydro-Drive” Champion 8.4 HP that has hydrostatic drive.
Dave
The OMCs back then had an added housing extension for long shaft, which , of course, yours doesn’t have. The trailer is likely a Tee Nee. They were known for their coil springs. If you haven’t already found it, the model-serial number for the boat is stamped into the starboard side an inch or two under the gunnel just forward of where the front deck ends (see photo below). It will be 730-XXXX, where the X’s are the serial number. Your 1957 boat is the same boat as the 1958 Voyager14 convertible. From 1957 to 1958, the name changed and 1958 the logo on the side changed to the Crestliner Flying Crest logo, but the 1958 catalogs show the old logo because pictures were shot in late 1957. That boat came in both short and long transom versions. I currently have one like yours, but it has a short windshield and never had a convertible top (no snaps) – my model is a 730 but the non-convertible version does not show in catalogs. I grew up driving Dad’s 1958 convertible version that he bought new, so I’m familiar with both years. When I bought my 1957 four years ago, it came with the same 35 HP Golden Jubilee motor you have and Tee Nee trailer. The Tee Nees that are sought after are the ones with teardrop fenders that mine doesn’t have. Your Crestliner logo on the side has faded from red to white. It’s a light boat, so, of course, you will want a high pitch prop.
Dad’s boat started out with a 20 HP Mark 25 ( a super lemon), then he got a used 1956 30 HP Johnson, then a 1960 40 Johnson, and in the mid 1960s, a V4 – 60 HP Johnson. The 60 was awesomely fast for it and I barefoot skied behind it, but the extra weight of the 60 screwed up handing some. I think 35-40 HP is ideal for this boat, even though it’s rated for 60 HP max.
There are Tee-Nee trailer catalogs in the “Glassic Library” section at http://fiberglassics.com/
If you haven’t already found it, there are boat catalogs and a good message board like this one at http://retrocrestliner.com/
Below is my rig, as purchased, but now I have a 40 HP 1961 Lark III on it. Also below is an example of the Crestliner serial number stamping from my 1957 12 foot Commander.
Congratulations on a great find – there aren’t a lot of that boat model out there.
Dave
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