Round 2 Dec 2022

[Daddyfink]

11 hours ago, Plowboy said:

Besides decals and wheels, is the Aqua Rod any different from previous releases?

No, it is just two different kits boxed together. Lord knows I have plenty of those AMT Vans, and one boat. But it is just the variation that entices me. 

[Chris in Berwyn]

I of course already have way too many kits.  However, I’ll have to get the Ivo, and although I’ve not been interested in the ‘55 wagon, it looks like a might need it. The Thunderbird also looks interesting.  I’d like the Charger but still haven’t touched my Testors Charger from when it first came out. So Chad’s video might have worked to sell me 2-3 more kits than I’d have planned on.  

[espo]

Already have a standing order for the Charger at my local model shop, going to have to add the Aqua Van and Drag Boat. 

[stavanzer]

I just want the Boat & Trailer.

The Nomad Wagon is a Must Have, though!

[Rob Hall]

Is that the same boat & trailer that was packaged with the '70 Pontiac Bonneville convertible (Model King release) maybe 15 years ago?

[keyser]

Yup

[stavanzer]

Makes sense. AMT has tooled no more than two or three boats, total. Of course they will keep reusing the same tools over and over. But, re-creating the Aqua-Rod Version, that is Just too Cool!

[tim boyd]

AMT has created 2 1/2 boat tools...#1 - the original 1960 Trophy Series 3 in 1 with stock, custom, and race versions, which has been reissued a number of times, #2 - the 1963 Rayson Craft Trophy Series kit, which sadly has never been reissued, and #2 1/2 - the 1968 "Hull Raiser" which was a major modification/update of the Rayson Craft kit with an all-new Kindsvater boat hull and the engine converted from an FE to a SOHC V-8, with reduced build options vs. the Rayson Craft.  This later version included reissues with a 1968 Firebird custom-only tow vehicle in 1968, the original Aqua Rod with the Chevy Van around 1975, the Model King reissue with the MPC 1970 Bonneville convertible tow vehicle around 2005, and this updated Aqua Rod reissue in 2023.  If I m recalling correctly, all these AMT boat kits were illustrated and discussed in my boat kit article in Model Cars mag around 2005 or so....TB 

[tim boyd]

Just now, tim boyd said:

AMT has created 2 1/2 boat tools...#1 - the original 1960 Trophy Series 3 in 1 with stock, custom, and race versions, which has been reissued a number of times, #2 - the 1963 Rayson Craft Trophy Series kit, which sadly has never been reissued, and #2 1/2 - the 1968 "Hull Raiser" which was a major modification/update of the Rayson Craft kit with an all-new Kindsvater boat hull and the engine converted from an FE to a SOHC V-8, with reduced build options vs. the Rayson Craft.  This later version included reissues with a 1968 Firebird custom-only tow vehicle in 1968, the original Aqua Rod with the Chevy Van around 1975, the Model King reissue with the MPC 1970 Bonneville convertible tow vehicle around 2005, and this updated Aqua Rod reissue in 2023.  If I m recalling correctly, all these AMT boat kits except for the upcoming reissue were illustrated and discussed in my boat kit article in Model Cars mag around 2005 or so....TB 

 

[Daddyfink]

3 hours ago, stavanzer said:

I just want the Boat & Trailer.

The Nomad Wagon is a Must Have, though!

It would probably be cheaper to get the Aqua Rod Set than finding an original, unless you want all the parts that got deleted. 

[stavanzer]

I just want the boat.

I figure one of "Parting Out Kits" guys on the auction site will have it for about $20.00

[GMP440]

1 hour ago, Daddyfink said:

It would probably be cheaper to get the Aqua Rod Set than finding an original, unless you want all the parts that got deleted. 

 

   What are the chances of Round 2 cloning just the Ski Boat and trailer kit?  What would the interest level be on this one?  Maybe Steve G. or Tim Boyd could give a better idea on this.

[tim boyd]

4 hours ago, GMP440 said:

 

   What are the chances of Round 2 cloning just the Ski Boat and trailer kit?  What would the interest level be on this one?  Maybe Steve G. or Tim Boyd could give a better idea on this.

No insider info here, but I would bet there are many other potential kit cloning ideas that would rank higher than a reboot of the 1963 Rayson Craft kit. 

Apparently boat kits in 1/25th have never been particularly strong sales subjects, which is why there have been so few original tools built, and so few reissues over the ensuing decades.  Not that I wouldn't love to see the Rayson Craft kit come back some day, but sadly my guess is it would never happen....

Good news, if there is any on this one, is that you can piece toether a Rayson Craft model by buying a glue bomb and restoring it by using some of the parts that were shared with the Kindsvater kit that is being reissued now.

That's exactly how I built both of these IIRC....

TB

Edited December 2, 2022 by tim boyd

[Can-Con]

OK, I see it says the van includes a set of Cragar SS wheels. Is it really that or just the crappy "kinda torque thrusts" that usually come in those van kits?

[Chris in Berwyn]

4 hours ago, tim boyd said:

No insider info here, but I would bet there are many other potential kit cloning ideas that would rank higher than a reboot of the 1963 Rayson Craft kit. 

Apparently boat kits in 1/25th have never been particularly strong sales subjects, which is why there have been so few original tools built, and so few reissues over the ensuing decades.  Not that I wouldn't love to see the Rayson Craft kit come back some day, but sadly my guess is it would never happen....

Good news, if there is any on this one, is that you can piece toether a Rayson Craft model by buying a glue bomb and restoring it by using some of the parts that were shared with the Kindsvater kit that is being reissued now.

That's exactly how I built both of these IIRC....

TB

I have seen or been in a lot of real-life powerboats, and I have never seen one with the driver on the left.  The steering wheel is always on the right (or occasionally the center of the boat.)  Did AMT make them this way, or Tim, do you just prefer left-hand driver seats?

[Tabbysdaddy]

1 hour ago, Can-Con said:

OK, I see it says the van includes a set of Cragar SS wheels. Is it really that or just the crappy "kinda torque thrusts" that usually come in those van kits?

Interesting, I had to check mine. I like them, but Cragars would be better. 

[tim boyd]

5 hours ago, Chris in Berwyn said:

I have seen or been in a lot of real-life powerboats, and I have never seen one with the driver on the left.  The steering wheel is always on the right (or occasionally the center of the boat.)  Did AMT make them this way, or Tim, do you just prefer left-hand driver seats?

Hi Chris....that's the way the kit came.  Interesting observation, now I need to dig out all my old magazines with drag and ski boat articles and see what the norm was back in the 60's when this kit was first engineered.....thanks for asking.  TIM  

[eastown]

A  boat used for circle racing usually have  left hand steering as most race courses are left turn circuits.

 The thinking being that if the boat were to flip, the driver from the right hand driver position , would pass all the way from the right side to the left side exiting, through the hull on that side of the boat. Inboard  ski boats tend to chine with the rotation of the engine, being run from either the front or rear  of the motor.   Clear as mud?

 

  Bob

[Mr. Metallic]

8 hours ago, Chris in Berwyn said:

I have seen or been in a lot of real-life powerboats, and I have never seen one with the driver on the left.  The steering wheel is always on the right (or occasionally the center of the boat.)  Did AMT make them this way, or Tim, do you just prefer left-hand driver seats?

It's from down under 😋

[Mark]

It's strange that AMT would have created a new hull for that boat, rather than just reissue it in its original form over the years. 

Their earlier Customizing Boat doesn't appear to have been available too long in its first issue, and wasn't touched again until Ertl unearthed it for the Buyers' Choice reissue. 

The Rayson-Craft boat was only issued once in that form, again doesn't appear to have been available very long.  Unbuilt examples are few and far between. 

Revell's boat in its original form again doesn't seem to have been out very long, again first issue kits seldom turn up.  The second issue (with a few alterations from original) didn't appear until the early Seventies. 

So it was probably apparent to AMT that 1/25 scale boats probably weren't world beaters...so why a whole new hull for the next go-round?

[Plowboy]

9 hours ago, Chris in Berwyn said:

I have seen or been in a lot of real-life powerboats, and I have never seen one with the driver on the left.  The steering wheel is always on the right (or occasionally the center of the boat.)  Did AMT make them this way, or Tim, do you just prefer left-hand driver seats?

Never seen a boat with the driver on the left either. I've owned a boat of some sort since the '90s. The boxart on the Rawson Craft ski-drag boat shows the driver on the right side.

My older brother had a little jet boat with a Ford 460, tunnel ram, two fours and Nitrous. Crazy fast. But, it would beat you to death! It was like a rock skimming across the water. Except the faster you went, the faster it bounced. I asked him if it ever smoothed out. He said, "Yeah, about 70 it gets smoother. At 90, it gets real smooth!" Unfortunately, the lake was too busy to get it up to either speed. Probably a good thing.

I think that's why kits of drag boats don't do that well. The average boater like myself would rather have something similar to what they actually take to the lake. Drag boats are fun for a few minutes. But, they're not something you can spend the day on. 

 

[eastown]

Pics of ski/drag boats.

[Danno]

Question for Tim:  Not to be one of "those," but I'm seriously curious.

Regarding the beautiful blue boat, is that side pod attached to the hull as it appears to be?  If so, how does the boat unload (or load, for that matter) considering the interference with the wheels/fenders?  What am I missing?

Does the entire boat/trailer have to be so deeply submerged that the boat floats vertically enough to clear the fenders?

Inquiring mimes want to know.  😶

 

[Chris in Berwyn]

I decided to look more into where the drivers sit in powerboats.  It definitely looks like for your average, normal powerboat, the driver is on the right.  And that seems to go back to the '60s at least.  But for boats like the Rayson Craft and similar, it looks more common for the driver to be on the left.  I also looked at modern day cigarette boats, and their drivers are on the right.  So who knows how this came to be.  And as pointed out earlier, the AMT Rayson Craft box art shows the driver on the left.

But all that aside, I have to say that Tim, your Rayson Craft in that blue looks outstanding!!

 

Chris

[Rob Hall]

23 minutes ago, Danno said:

Question for Tim:  Not to be one of "those," but I'm seriously curious.

Regarding the beautiful blue boat, is that side pod attached to the hull as it appears to be?  If so, how does the boat unload (or load, for that matter) considering the interference with the wheels/fenders?  What am I missing?

Does the entire boat/trailer have to be so deeply submerged that the boat floats vertically enough to clear the fenders?

Inquiring mimes want to know.  😶

]

 

They are there on the original '60s kit box art, maybe how the boat gets on and off the trailer is left up to the builder's imagination (lifted with a crane? hidden jacks? lifted by a helicopter?, inflatable air bags? etc..)