I Realize That this Is a TIN-BOAT Site BUT

[satx78247]

Friends,

A fellow here in San Antonio has an antique fiberglass 18 foot open fisherman with a 75 HP OB & is looking for information about the boat & the company that built it. = I would guess that the boat is at least 40 years old.

A search of https://www.fiberglassics.com, a google search & other forums/ the "usual suspects" about boating has revealed exactly NOTHING, except that the hulls MAY have once been built in Ft Worth, TX.

Do any of you have any information about this old Texas boat company OR about their products???

THANKS, satx

 

[Jim]

Moving this to the boat section, and hoping a TinBoats member pulls through with the info for you! :beer:

 

[Johnny]

Tex, are there any photos ?

 

[satx78247]

Barefoot_Johnny,

NOT to my knowledge. - It's NOT my boat, though I said that I'd try to help him find to find whatever information that may exist. - So far, that's exactly: ZILCH.

One reason that I'm somewhat interested is that there is a list of over 150 Texas boatbuilders & there's NO "GLAS-TEX company" listed as ever having been in business.
(Some of those boatbuilders built as few as ONE hull for sale. - I know of four "boatbuilding companies" who completed NO boats before closing their doors forever. Several other boatbuilding companies built only a single "prototype" but never built any boats that were offered for sale before going bankrupt.)

Fwiw, the number of boats built by some of the "small & independent boatbuilders" has LITTLE to do with the quality of their products. = For example, TORRES BOATBUILDING of Galveston County, TX probably never built more than about 10 boats per year from 1955 to 1990 BUT all of those boats are truly of BEAUTIFUL QUALITY & the design of each hull is truly a WORK OF ART. = Emilio F. Torres, over the years, built "on private commission" in wood, aluminum, fiberglass & combinations of those materials.
(He had a unique "business model" too: 100% down in advance & NO "easy monthly payments". = A prospective client got on Mr. Torres' "waiting list" & then waited, waited & waited until he "got around to you". = Some customers waited 3-5 years for him to start their boat. - I'd guess that if you really are an artist that people will put up with you're being "contrary".)

yours, satx

 

[Johnny]

I think Mr. Torres used to work for Rolls Royce . . .
where the waiting list can be up to 3 years or more for a "custom"
hand fabricated ride.
but, for a BOAT ?? lol the boaters I know have very little patience outside
of a week to wait on a boat - much less years.

is good of you to at least take a whack at trying to find the model.

 

[satx78247]

Barefoot_Johnny,

Personally, (even when I had $$$$$$, before Baylor Hospital got it all.), I did NOT have the time/patience to wait for Mr. Torres to build one of his "objects of art".
(And YES, they really were ART, with beautifully executed/handmade teak/holly/black walnut detailing.)

To me, a boat is to FISH out of, so I really don't NEED "fancy" and/or "artistic". - Just solid QUALITY construction is FINE with me.
(My current boat is called an "OPEN UTILITY" for good reason. = It looks quite "Plain Jane".)

yours, satx