Marlin, Sidewinder, Tahiti, Jolly Roger

[FISHIN SUCKS]

Barry Eller and I were talking about these old boats and thought we would see what else we could find out from anyone else on the board.

Back in 1972, my sperm-donor started working for Marlin Boats in their Harlan, IN, plant. They also had another plant in Medford, OR, which produced the same models. All models were named after signs such as the Gemini (pictured below), Taurus, Leo, Scorpion, and Libra. The majority of these boats were equipped with Berkley Jet Drives although you could order with an outboard and the occasional Mercruiser would slip in as well. Some of these hulls were splashed from the original Sidewinder hulls and modified slightly (common practice back then). And because metal flake was 'the' thing back then, this is what our family boat was as well. Another of other manufacturers got into the scene as well building these designs such as Tahiti, Jolly Roger, and even Thompson. When Barry posted pictures of his '75 Tahiti, we started talking history and thought we would see what else we could find out here and maybe fill in some gaps.

Pictured below was our 1973 Marlin 16' Gemini w/85 Mercury. A couple of years later the old man must have come into enough money to throw on a 115 Merc (rated for). Then I guess he was out to piss off my mom some more and put on a new Black Max 150 a couple years after that. Then came the Divorce and mom managed to win the boat among a few other things. The boat got sold and the last time I saw it was in 1992 on Crooked Lake in Northern Michigan.

There are still a few around, but not near as many as these things used to rule the waters back in the 70's. My uncle ended up owning Marlin Boats in the Oregon plant until its end in 1989. The Harlan plant closed in 1975.

Anyones input or interest is welcome here:yes: 27012

27013

27014

[Barry Eller]

Hi Tom, it was good to here from ya! They were great looking boats!
I bought my Tahiti in February 1975. I was 22 years old and I still have the boat! It has not been in the water since I sunk it in 1999. It has no power and is under a Magnolia tree in my backyard. It out lasted 3 engines, 3 wives, and several girlfriends. Yes, lots of sentimental value...
Original power was a 105 HP Chrysler. would run around 45 MPH. Next engine was a 1978 150 HP Black Max. Next re-power was a 1984 200 HP Black Max. I couldn't wear that engine out! Finally killed it after being swamped by a Cruiser wake over the stern. A Police buddy of mine clocked me with his radar gun at 84 MPH with the 200 with a 28" Chopper prop, 9" back set jack plate.
These boats have a hook in the hull just like the Donzi 16 C, to go fast you had to trim out and drive through the hook. The boat would free up around 60 MPH and you had a balancing act to drive it. Dual cable steering and foot throttle a must.
Here is a couple photos; The first photo is during my first month of ownership. It was cold that February in 1975. The next three are in 1987 at Ft. McRea at the entrance of Pensacola Harbor. This is with the 200. My tent is under the trees, I still remember this camping trip.....

[Barry Eller]

I got this information about the Sidewinder from http://fiberglassics.com/


Sidewinder - History A Brief History
By Dan Milford - April 6, 2004

The Sidewinder trademark (for boats) was filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on January 6, 1969, under the name of Los Altos Marine Incorporated, located at 4898 El Camino Real, Los Altos, California. In their 1969 model full colour brochure, Sidewinder Boats claimed to be the world's largest designer/producer of V-bottom ski boats, with manufacturing facilities in California and Canada. Built for speed, Sidewinders were designed for the ultimate in racing, skiing, and personal pleasure. World record holder, Ken Baker, had designed two high performance hulls - the famous V bottom and the new tunnel. These hulls were multi-laminated and assembled by hand. Variety and choice were the order of the day with standard and deluxe versions, thirty-two colour combinations, and power plants from outboard through inboard-outboard and jet available. Appointed with choices of metalflake trim, racing stripes, tuck and roll wrap around vinyl seating, and colour keyed all weather carpeting, these stylish, powerful, and manoeuvrable boats turned heads at many a beach. (In fact they still do!)

Models available in 1969 were the V- bottom, low profile (Lo Pro) designs in 16 and 18 ft. lengths. Both could be had in the Deluxe version (16 ft. at 750 lb. and 18 ft. at 900 lb.) or the "stripped down" (100 lb. lighter) Standard versions. They could be had in outboard (135 hp max for the16 and 150 hp max for the 18), inboard/outboard (140 hp max for the 16 and 225 hp max for the 18) or jet drive (350 hp max for the 16 and 500 hp max for the 18 - although text in the brochure claims up to 600 horsepower was available!) Engines up to 455 cu. in. could be had. The tunnel model version, used predominately for racing, was available in either a 15 ft. or 17 ft. length, and could be custom built for single, double and triple outboard engine classes.

The revolutionary Super Sidewinder 16/18 ft. design was filed for a patent (by Ken Baker and Ronald Plescia) in the US on October 17, 1969 and granted patent on November 3, 1970 (Patent Number 219,118). Subsequent patent designs were filed and granted for the 14 ft. Super, XL deep-vee, and XL Tri-hull.

In 1970, Sidewinder relocated from Los Altos, up the road to 3545 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. In 1970 and '71 boats were also manufactured in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Meanwhile Sidewinders were being manufactured under the Cobra name, by California Fiberglass Limited in British Columbia, Canada.

In 1971, Ken Baker, president of Sidewinder Marine, Inc. in Palo Alto, California was in litigation over a lawsuit filed by Sidewinder Marine against twenty manufacturers, who had copied the revolutionary Super Sidewinder design, first produced in 1970. Imitators included Marlin, Tahiti, Wriedt, and Taylor. In 1971/72 production moved from Palo Alto to Anderson, CA. and by July 1972, at least four manufacturers had admitted infringement on the Sidewinder design patents. About 1971 Canadian Sidewinder production moved to Ontario, where, by 1972, they were manufactured as Sidewinders - not Cobras, by California Glass Marine.

In 1974 the Thompson Boat Company purchased manufacturing rights for Sidewinder boats and continued to manufacture them under the Sidewinder banner at Peshtigo, Wisconsin. Later Sidewinders (by this time only the 16 and 18 ft. Super models) were built by Thompson in St. Charles, Michigan and finally in Swan Creek, Michigan.

In Canada the last Sidewinders were made in the late 1980's and California Glass Marine folded in the early '90's. The last US Sidewinder (the 18SS) appeared in the 1990 Thompson Boat Company brochure. Thompson met its demise in September 2002, when the assets were sold in a liquidation auction.

If you have any information to add to this area, please contact us by CLICKING HERE

[BUIZILLA]

Janice and I had a Samarai, I think a 1971ish, blue flake/white interior, with a 170 Volvo, that looks suspiciously like a Sidewinder....

[FISHIN SUCKS]

Janice and I had a Samarai, I think a 1971ish, blue flake/white interior, with a 170 Volvo, that looks suspiciously like a Sidewinder....
I am not familiar with Samarai, maybe that is one of the 20 that was being sued by Sidewinder.

[scott8370]

I own a 1973 Sidewinder XL19. 455 olds with berkely drive. Sat in a warehouse in TX. for 30yrs, before I bought it. Original everything. I'll post pictures if anyone wants to see it. Scott

[yeller]

Use to see a ton of the Cobra's around here in the 70's/80's. A lot of my friends used to have them. They were like the first performance car you could afford. Not very solid, usually overpowered for the skill level.....but nothing but FUN!
I used love being young and dumb. :)
Now I'm not young. :(

[Barry Eller]

I own a 1973 Sidewinder XL19. 455 olds with berkely drive. Sat in a warehouse in TX. for 30yrs, before I bought it. Original everything. I'll post pictures if anyone wants to see it. Scott


Welcome to the Donzi Registry! Post your photos, I want to see it. Is it running now?

Barry

[scott8370]

Welcome to the Donzi Registry! Post your photos, I want to see it. Is it running now?
Barry

Barry, Thanks for the welcome. I just recently, started looking at Donzi's. Wow...I really like their looks. And I really dig those 18 footers. Big bucks for the length! I'll post pictures of the Sidewinder. I'll need my wife to do that for me:confused: . It does run. After I bought it,I had the engine taken apart, and new gaskets and seals.....installed. The sad thing is, I've had the boat for more than a year now, and never had it in the water yet.
By the way,.. I didn't know till now that Fl. was the UFO capitol of the world. Do you think it's because the aleins like warm weather and alot of sunshine. No wonder why we don't see them very often in Ohio.

[FISHIN SUCKS]

Welcome to the registry, Scott:wavey: Get your wife to post those pix, we'd like to see them:yes: There are a few Sidewinders running around up here still, some nicer than others. Now, let's get that thing in the water or trade it in on a Donzi and put that in the water:) Hey, I got an idea, the Awakening Of The Horses is coming up the weekend before Memorial Day weekend, you should come on down and hang with us....how about that for a motivator?!?! Then you don't have to worry about posting any pix....and with the water level low in Lake Cumberland, your Berkley will come in real handy.

tom

[scott8370]

Welcome to the registry, Scott:wavey: Get your wife to post those pix, we'd like to see them:yes: There are a few Sidewinders running around up here still, some nicer than others. Now, let's get that thing in the water or trade it in on a Donzi and put that in the water:) Hey, I got an idea, the Awakening Of The Horses is coming up the weekend before Memorial Day weekend, you should come on down and hang with us....how about that for a motivator?!?! Then you don't have to worry about posting any pix....and with the water level low in Lake Cumberland, your Berkley will come in real handy.
tom

Tom, We have a place down on Cumberland, but haven't been down since they lowered the level. What is the Awakening of the horses?
I'll try to get those pics posted tonight. Thanks for the "welcome"

[scott8370]

Here are a few pictures of my 73 XL19 Sidewinder. Looks a little different then most that are lower profile.
Scott
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/scott8370/sidewinder7-1.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/scott8370/sidewinder6.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/scott8370/sidewinder9.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/scott8370/sidewinder11.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/scott8370/sidewindercabin1.jpg

[Barry Eller]

By the way,.. I didn't know till now that Fl. was the UFO capitol of the world. Do you think it's because the aleins like warm weather and alot of sunshine. No wonder why we don't see them very often in Ohio.

Actually, Gulf Breeze, my home town, is their Vacation on the Gulf of Mexico destination! There have been books written about the sightings here.

I have not seen one but, my Donzi may have been reported as a UFO a few times!

Your boat is fantastic! Get it wet and enjoy it!

[p729lws]

I didn't know till now that Fl. was the UFO capitol of the world. Do you think it's because the aleins like warm weather and alot of sunshine.

I had an alien craft burn a hole through my deck a while back. My wife thinks I got careless with the charcoal but I'm sure it was a landing. :bonk:

Dan

[FISHIN SUCKS]

Here are a few pictures of my 73 XL19 Sidewinder. Looks a little different then most that are lower profile.
Scott

Wow! Now that is unlike any Sidewinder that I have ever seen. Pretty cool and clean.

CAUTION: I am pirating this thread for a paragraph.
The Awakening Of The Horses (AOTH, listed in the Events and Gatherings section of this site) is an annual event Held at the Jamestown Resort and Marina the weekend before Memorial Day weekend (Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun), check out the thread for details. Anyone is invited who appreciates the Donzi heritage. Last year we celebrated all of Don Aronow's creations. It is not uncommon to find a wicked Eliminator tunnel hull, Powerplay, Baja, Checkmate, Crownline, Malibu, or even a hot rod pontoon running with us 30+ Donzi's to Lee's Ford for lunch, Conelley Bottom for Breakfast or doing a poker run to 76 Falls (okay, 76 won't happen this year, but we'll go somewhere else). Evening time we just hang out and then Saturday night we have an auction as well. Lots of fun and we'd love to have you join us. We have quite a few members from Ohio that will be coming down as well. And if you can make it, and this being your maiden voyage, if something happens, there will be plenty of us there to help you. If she breaks, don't worry, we have plenty of room to take you along...and in case I get a full boat, I heard there is a 38'ZX coming, a 33'ZX, and we can usually count on Willy to be there with his 42' Formula (Triple 1000+HP:yes: ), plus plenty of 16', 18', 22' Classics and a few Cigarettes to boot. Let me know if I need to get a bottle of bubbly to Christen this baby!
END OF CAUTION: Hijacking of thread is over, sorry for any inconvenience.

[Barry Eller]

I had an alien craft burn a hole through my deck a while back. My wife thinks I got careless with the charcoal but I'm sure it was a landing. :bonk:
Dan

Save that charred wood...we can make barrels to age whiskey in...the Aliens love whiskey aged in charred, pressure treated lumber!:beer:

[scott8370]

Wow! Now that is unlike any Sidewinder that I have ever seen. Pretty cool and clean.
CAUTION: I am pirating this thread for a paragraph.
The Awakening Of The Horses (AOTH, listed in the Events and Gatherings section of this site) is an annual event Held at the Jamestown Resort and Marina the weekend before Memorial Day weekend (Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun), check out the thread for details. Anyone is invited who appreciates the Donzi heritage. Last year we celebrated all of Don Aronow's creations. It is not uncommon to find a wicked Eliminator tunnel hull, Powerplay, Baja, Checkmate, Crownline, Malibu, or even a hot rod pontoon running with us 30+ Donzi's to Lee's Ford for lunch, Conelley Bottom for Breakfast or doing a poker run to 76 Falls (okay, 76 won't happen this year, but we'll go somewhere else). Evening time we just hang out and then Saturday night we have an auction as well. Lots of fun and we'd love to have you join us. We have quite a few members from Ohio that will be coming down as well. And if you can make it, and this being your maiden voyage, if something happens, there will be plenty of us there to help you. If she breaks, don't worry, we have plenty of room to take you along...and in case I get a full boat, I heard there is a 38'ZX coming, a 33'ZX, and we can usually count on Willy to be there with his 42' Formula (Triple 1000+HP:yes: ), plus plenty of 16', 18', 22' Classics and a few Cigarettes to boot. Let me know if I need to get a bottle of bubbly to Christen this baby!
END OF CAUTION: Hijacking of thread is over, sorry for any inconvenience.

Sounds like a great time. We would love to meet up with you guys around lunch time at Lees Ford, then go from there. I have a buddy that would probably want to go too. He is always buying and selling boats, so I don't know what he'll have at that point. But what ever it is, I'm sure it will be fast!

[vrod02]

Heres a friends tahiti, just got the 150 motor mounted sat. Deck and interior still not done.
http://webpages.charter.net/vrod02/outboard%20install%202.jpg

[Barry Eller]

Heres a friends tahiti, just got the 150 motor mounted sat. Deck and interior still not done.
http://webpages.charter.net/vrod02/outboard%20install%202.jpg
Matching Beer Cans!:beer: I love it! I still have my 16' Tahiti. I'm thinking about converting it to Jet drive sometime in the future. A nice BBC with a Berkley or Jacuzzi, dry headers, tunnel ram w/2 fours...(Havana Daydreaming....)
The 22 is consuming all my effort and $$$$.$$ now...:bonk:

[FISHIN SUCKS]

Love the picture, VROD. I'm with Barry, the beer cans are a nice touch, you even cared enough to stick with Busch in its hometown:propeller: . Brings me back to my days of visiting Muddy Waters downtown (don't even know if that's still there). Got any idea what year the Tahiti is?

[vrod02]

Love the picture, VROD. I'm with Barry, the beer cans are a nice touch, you even cared enough to stick with Busch in its hometown:propeller: . Brings me back to my days of visiting Muddy Waters downtown (don't even know if that's still there). Got any idea what year the Tahiti is?

I'm guessin mid 70ish. My buddy had to get a Assigned vin tag for it.Ah Muddy waters! been gone for a while.:mad: I'll post more progress pics as it comes along. What will this boat do with tower of power 150? 23 p cupped? I guessed 75 smooth water with the wind at your back. Full of Hops?:hyper:

[smoothie]

Heres a cool video of a dual nozzle jet drive...hell of a roostertail.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUX347RsFGg

[Barry Eller]

I'm guessin mid 70ish. My buddy had to get a Assigned vin tag for it.Ah Muddy waters! been gone for a while.:mad: I'll post more progress pics as it comes along. What will this boat do with tower of power 150? 23 p cupped? I guessed 75 smooth water with the wind at your back. Full of Hops?:hyper:

My Tahiti with 200 Black Max, 28" Chopper prop, 9" setback jackplate was radared at 84 MPH. A real handfull to drive.

With the inline 6 cyl 150 Merc and the right prop mid to upper 60's. These boats have a hook, much like the Donzi 16. The inline Mercs like that were crankshaft rated Horsepower, not at the prop. The 150's were around 135 HP at the prop. I had a 150 Black Max (V6) and the Tahiti ran 67 MPH. The 200 had a few mods, fiberglass reed valves, expansion chamber exhaust with external exhaust ports(LOUD).

[Budmann]

Bringin back memories!!! I worked 3 summers in a row mowin yards to buy my first boat... A Sidewinder!!

My Dad and I spent 4 weeks preping the hull and deck for paint! We painted it red metalflake when metalflake wasn't that cool!!!:confused: :confused:

I had more fun with that boat than any boat I have had to date!!!

Thanks for bring up the past!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bud

[FISHIN SUCKS]

Bringin back memories!!! I worked 3 summers in a row mowin yards to buy my first boat... A Sidewinder!!
My Dad and I spent 4 weeks preping the hull and deck for paint! We painted it red metalflake when metalflake wasn't that cool!!!:confused: :confused:
I had more fun with that boat than any boat I have had to date!!!
Thanks for bring up the past!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bud
Hey Bud,

Got any pictures you can scan and post? What year was it or when did you own it? Jet, outboard, I/O? When my wife's father-in-law built ours in '73, he did it in red/silver metalflake even though cherrywood & sand metalflake was the hottest color combo Marlin produced, second hottest was blue/silver metalflake.

[BUIZILLA]

Janice and I had a blue/silver metalflake Samarai

[FISHIN SUCKS]

Janice and I had a blue/silver metalflake Samarai
How about some pix, Buiz? If you have any and they are in the same shape mine are in, they are pretty well cracked from age (old, well new back then, Polaroid SX70) but still managed to scan them. Pardon the anxiety, I am kind of enjoying reliving these boats.

[vrod02]

Heres a great pic! This is where and how it was found. What a dork! LOL He should be by shortly:crossfing:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e139/vrod02/vent_0517.jpg

[scott8370]

Great pictures! Speaking of metalflake colors. I am doing stripes on my Sidewinder in Gold and Orange! Sounds strange, but it looks good against the orange gelcoat.:propeller: