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Post by pottiewp on Nov 5, 2021 1:08:03 GMT -5
Hi all,
After years of searching I eventually have found and bought a "fixer-upper" G3 in Cape Town. I remember clearly our old family one had a largish skeg about 1/3 from the back. The skeg on this one is missing, and it looks like it is on the wrong trailer as there is a roller in the back middle, which would hit the skeg if it were there.
A few questions for the group's kind attention:
- did all G3's have a skeg?
- if anyone has a photo of the position of the skeg, please share!
- if anyone is able to trace the size of their skeg and scan, that would really be a massive help!
- does anyone in South Africa (or abroad may work) have a buoyancy certificate they can share, as the manufacturers here are long out of business!
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Post by pottiewp on Nov 5, 2021 1:09:10 GMT -5
PS - tried to upload a before pic but the site won't let me , sorry!
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Post by pottiewp on Nov 5, 2021 7:04:29 GMT -5
And one more request, if anyone has a photo of their G3 trailer (without boat) please send - I will have to get a new trailer made as the one it is on has a centre roller, which clearly won't work when the skeg is replaced!
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Post by downunder on Nov 5, 2021 9:19:47 GMT -5
Hello Pottiewp, good to see a G3 owner in Cape Town – these little boats sure get around!
I have never seen a G3 with a skeg, but that doesn't mean there are none.
I would be confident none were factory fitted in the US and would think if any boat had one, it would be an aftermarket addition.
What would it achieve? Do you recall what effect a skeg had?
If they were they made in South Africa, do you have any other information? eg where the factory was, how many were made.
What were they called? European (licensed) versions were not called Glasspar.
I will follow this thread with interest. Perhaps they were fitted ex factory in S.A.
Good luck with your restoration.
Ken.
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Post by pottiewp on Nov 7, 2021 13:41:17 GMT -5
Hi Ken,
We had our G3 years ago in the '80's - it was a "Crestrider G3", pretty sure it would have been from the factory in PE (now long closed down) as my Dad worked in EL hospital for a while.
Ours had an aluminium skeg about twice the size of a slalom ski skeg. It was essential for turning - once we bent it flat by pushing the boat sideways off a sandbank, and the next corner the boat did we lost traction badly and skipped sideways. As soon as we straightened the skeg, the boat turned like on rails again. My recollection is that without the skeg it was downright dangerous! But I have not had a chance to see under my new one yet whether there are old skeg screwholes or not (it is busy getting retrailered).
I seem to recall our original trailer had two fixed runners on the sides like a jetski trailer, and nothing in the centre so the skeg had space.
Cheers,
Anton
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Post by glassparnut on Nov 30, 2021 4:09:05 GMT -5
Anton... I agree with Ken, the Glasspar G3 didnt come with a skeg on the bottom from the factory. Not sure what a "Crestrider" G3 is, but can only assume that it is a flatbottom boat, where the real Glasspar G3s have a shallow V at the transom and deeper V forward. Flatbottom boats DO require a turning skeg (or more) as you already found out they will slide sideways but continue going straight without one!! Some of the European versions of the G3 may have different bottom design than a real Glasspar, but I'm not sure. I AM sure that my 1960 G3 does not have a skeg on the bottom and still turns great!! Bill Tritt was a genius!  You MUST get a picture posted up of your "Crestrider" G3 .... especially the bottom!! BTW.... My Ski Craft is totally FLAT bottom, and yes, has 2 skegs on the bottom mounted through the hulls center stringer, and an aluminum plate on top..... NUT |
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Post by glassparnut on Dec 5, 2021 11:36:11 GMT -5
PS - tried to upload a before pic but the site won't let me , sorry! same here.... never had a problem before.... HELP, Dean! |
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Post by downunder on Dec 11, 2021 20:02:54 GMT -5
Anton, I am curious about a S.A. G3 and if or how they may have been modified. I just stumbled across this photo and notice the sponson starts a long way forward and appears a different shape (wider?, thicker?) compared to an original G3. Perhaps this is a South African version? I will try to post the pic now. Ken
No luck. My pic was 188kb only. Advice popup says "The FORUM has exceeded its attachment space limit" .
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Post by downunder on Dec 13, 2021 8:59:02 GMT -5
Thank you Dean, you got onto that quickly. Anton, here's that pic I snatched:
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BenD
Ensign
Posts: 9
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Post by BenD on Dec 26, 2021 7:26:59 GMT -5
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davez
Ensign
Bought a '59
Posts: 4 
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Post by davez on Jan 18, 2022 20:03:17 GMT -5
The picture that downunder posted above looks like a Healey Sprite. It is a close copy of the G-3; don't know if it was or had to be licensed. I would send a picture of an Austin Healey Sprite towing a Healey Sprite, but don't know how to insert it in this page. Google 'healey sprite boat' for some pics.
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Post by downunder on Jan 21, 2022 7:54:40 GMT -5
Thank you Davez, you were spot on and numerous photos showed the extended sponsons.
This settles my curiosity. I also found a promo page from the Healey factory which had pics of centredeck as well as open cockpit versions. All had the extended sponsons.
To my eye the balanced design of Tritt's original is the better looking boat.
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Post by downunder on Jan 21, 2022 8:25:51 GMT -5
Hey Pottie, it appears now that I hijacked your thread. OOPS! Sorry.
I had wondered if the factory had put on a skeg, maybe they changed the sponson as well.Nope, not in S.A.
So, back to your trailer, obviously a skeg will not be happy bumping over rollers, you probably have to style a trailer more like that for an inboard boat. Long bunks fully supporting the hull helps prevent hooks and distortion of the bottom – very important. Avoid those multi wobble-rollers which will distort your fiberglass bottom over time.
Ken
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Post by downunder on Mar 20, 2022 21:01:19 GMT -5
Anton, This is hardly a skeg that you were asking about, but a transom mounted flip-up fin.
Is it too small to be effective? Positioned there, what would it achieve?
Ken
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Sauce
Lieutenant
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Post by Sauce on Mar 21, 2022 20:54:56 GMT -5
Hi Ken,
The skeg (turn fin) in the photo is my boat. The restoration is documented in restorations under 1959 Glasspar G3 Restoration Modification by Sauce.
Normally you won't find a turn fin on a G3. In my case it has a specific purpose, to keep the rear of the boat from sliding out in a left hand turn. The fin is small, 8 inches tall to be exact with only 1 1/2 inches below the bottom of the hull. The turn fin is from Brown Tool & Machine. It's typically used on stock, modified, & pro hydroplanes and runabouts.
I run my boat in vintage race boat regattas as a part of the American Power Boat Association (APBA). I'm a member of the Southern Maryland Boat Club (SMBC). Basically the regattas are race boats from the 1950's, 60's, 70's, 80's and early 1990's. We run exhibition heats that look like real racing (circle racing).
When I first tested the boat without the fin it would not hold a turn at 40+ mph. It would slide sideways on its round bottom. Installing the fin allowed the bottom to grab resulting in a huge improvement in its ability hold the turn. If my boat did not run in vintage regattas, there would be no need for it.
Not sure who took the photo. It was taken this past weekend, March 18, 19, or 20th, 2022 in Tavares, Florida at a vintage race boat event.
Sauce (Tocky Lawrence)
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You MUST get a picture posted up of your "Crestrider" G3 .... especially the bottom!! BTW.... My Ski Craft is totally FLAT bottom, and yes, has 2 skegs on the bottom mounted through the hulls center stringer, and an aluminum plate on top.....