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Is a Marinette houseboat still built, and full aluminum house boats?

by Kyle
(Atlanta, GA)

Are Marinette houseboats built fully out of aluminum?

Are Marinette houseboats built fully out of aluminum?

We want to buy a Marinette houseboat, and wondering if the Marinettes are a full aluminum house boats, including the superstructure?

I can't seem to find out if they are still being built somewhere?

I know there are many of these older aluminum hulled boats that have a fiberglass upper cabin, roof, and decks.

Now just to find one at a good price, that doesn't need too much work.

Many thanks, Kyle



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Reply - Answer
Well Kyle, welcome to the houseboat forums, and congratulations on your decision to buy a Marinette.

There was a point, where my wife and I were also going to buy a Marinette, and like you, found it difficult to find one at a reasonable price without needing too much work.

If you get one, you should be very pleased, as they are a lightweight, well built, fast planing, full sized houseboat.

They remind me of the Holiday Mansion, Chris Craft, Hilburn, Harbor Master, and the many Gibson houseboat models out there, except with an excellent full aluminum hull and superstructure.



Lastly, hopefully some of our readers will share and post comments about their aluminum Marinette houseboat stories and experiences. Feel free to use the "Click here to post comments." link found near the bottom of this page.


Thanks again for sharing, IAN from all-about-houseboats


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Comments for Is a Marinette houseboat still built, and full aluminum house boats?

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Marinette houseboat
by: Mike Coburn

Aluminum Cruisers, who made Marinettes, went out of business in 1991 or 1992. I hired in there when I was in college as a welder in 1980 and stayed till closing. I loved that job and ended up as a production supervisor and safety manager.
Our boats were all aluminum. The houseboat line was dropped some time prior to my joining the organization. If the boats were properly maintained, there is still no finer vessel afloat. Buyer beware, though. I think the 28' houseboats were built by Pluckebaum and not Aluminum Cruisers.
Current Marinettes are not made by Aluminum Cruisers but by some guy in Michigan.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Sean Re-Power Yanmar 110's
by: Anonymous

Hi Sean, I saw your 1967 Marinate 37' !

Wow! You did an awesome job on the engines and genset.

I was thinking about buying it to do the great loop.

Can you tell me anything else about the Boat?

Anything that you would add to do the loop?

Also perhaps some price guidance

Thank-you for any help you can give me.

Chip 850982-2967
chr013058@gmail.com
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Dates
by: Marty

They were built from 1954 to 1991, at Louisville Standiford field in a hanger called Louisville Flying Service, they would give flying lessons in the summer and build the Marinette boats in the winter, then eventually built only boats, it later became Aluminum Cruisers. I used to live right down the street from there. Hope this helps.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Falls City Flying Service, what years for Marinette?
by: Anonymous

Anyone know what years Marinette Family Cruisers were built in Louisville. I found a pot metal name plate in the side hull of mine that list that location. I like the link to airplanes. But did Marinette Aluminum Cruisers INC once build airplanes?
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		All Aluminum Marinette
by: Anonymous

Pleased to say I just purchased a 1969 Marinette 30’ with a 318. You can eat off the Engine compartment floor. This guy really took care of this gem. Now to redo all interior in Black Walnut and Leather. Gonna be a sweet ride.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		SACRILEGE?
by: Jacques

I live in the tropic, the weather is always hot and humid. You canot be inside the boat as it is an oven... It is perfect to be out in the breeze and under a shade. Because of insecurity you canot sleep overnight inside a Marinette in the wild... To spend the day with 8 to 10 persons in the boat trolling in the river or goin to snorkel in the reefs 23 miles away is perfectly safe. I will like to use just the hull and motors, remove flybridge, and the cabin to make a day cruiser. Elevate the floor, place in the front a very large cushion,then 2 large benches, then a small center console, then a food bar + probabably a changin / toilet. Has anyone done this? Should I seach for a 28' or a 32' ?
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		River cruiser
by: John

I understand that the river cruiser was introduced in 54 by an old employee, it was built in Louisville KY at the airport called Louisville flying service. The badges on my 57 say Falls city flying service right under the Marinette logo.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Vintage Marinette
by: Marty

I bought a 1957 family cruiser 2 years ago from a guy in Maryland, I am finally getting started on the restoration, I am really excited about this project!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		"River Cruiser" 1st year Built with this name
by: Anonymous

Anybody know the first year model the "River Cruiser" was introduced and built and sold as this name, and any of the specs.

I see a 1967 posted but was wondering if this was the first year that the model River Cruiser was actually introduced to the market.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Marinettes
by: Anonymous

There were, indeed, 1985 Marinette cruisers. They were built by Aluminum Cruisers, Inc. in Louisville, KY. from about 1951 to 1990 or 1991.

If there is a 1996 Marinette, it was not built by Aluminum Cruisers. In the 80's there were 28' sportsman, express, fisherman and sedans. The sedan was modified about 1987 to a 29'.

There were, also, 32, 37' (which became a 39') an upgraded 37' and 41'. The 37's and up were available as double cabins. There was a very limited production of 34' of just a couple of boats before the factory closed forever.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Marinette all Aluminum Houseboats
by: MarieI i

I would like to say I understand what you mean from what I understand there are not many Marinette houseboat all aluminum or being made anymore. They built mostly cruisers.

Mine is a 1996 34 foot. Yes it is for sale and it has a boat trailer with it. Does not have a bridge. 225 engine. It is in the state of TN, and does not need a lot of work. Good luck.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Selling our Marinette
by: Anonymous

We have a 1968 Marinette houseboat with twin Chevy engines that do need carburetor work. She has been totally redone on the inside but needs shower hooked up.

Has been well loved and taken care of with new kitchen and appliances. Imron paint as well.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Is it a Marinette for real?
by: Anonymous

Could there exist a 1985 Marinette sedan cruiser? I'm a new fan of houseboats and Marinettes (inspected a good one on Harrods Creek yesterday for sale at $16,900, needs a little TLC but lots of updates already.

I have been lusting after a M houseboat at Cumberland Lake in KY in pristine shape, but sadly its NFS. I'd appreciate any insights here.

I have my suspicions, but the one I'm looking at that's listed as a 1985 has Marinette on the control panel and that matches the script and location of the one I inspected recently. I'm confused and wondering.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		1968 Marinette houseboat
by: Anonymous

I have Marinette Houseboat 1968 model. It is powered by twin Chevy 350/365 h.p. Engines. The boat is V Drive with the smooth shifting velvet transmissions.

It is 34 feet long. It does need the hull refinished. I have repainted the top and sides with quality paint, deck needs second coat. Due to my health I need to sell.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Marinette SeaCrest houseboats
by: Tony Garcia

To all Marinetters, I have enjoyed reading all your postings. They are a fine tribute to the business my dad started in the early '50's.

Pluckebaum (Arthur) Boat Works built the SeaCrest under contract from us for one model-year only. After that we resumed in-house production for several more years until closing the line.

The first Marinette was built in '52-'53. It was an all-aluminum Spartan house-trailer that built by the old Spartan Aircraft Co. It was a monocoque design and was modified and installed on twin steel catamaran-style hulls with twin AMC in-line 6's.

Regards to all, G.A. "Tony" Garcia
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		1972 Sea-Crest 41' Widebody
by: Mike Moore

My parents bought her in 1975... Sea-Crest 1972 41' Widebody from Madison Marina on the Ohio River I was 11 years old then and now I am 50 , and still have the same boat .

She still has the original factory paint and in pretty good shape for she has been moored in a covered slip since 1975.

In 1972 was the last year these boats were built and this one was toward the end of the line for this one has all top amenities including the Chrysler 340 engines @ 250 hp each. Last summer she ran a top speed of 38 mph by GPS @ 4100 RPM .

Mike
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Looking for a 1971 Seacrest houseboat 41 ft
by: Leigh

Hello everyone, my parents owned a Seacrest houseboat built in 1971, what a wonderful boat she was. They had it docked on the Chesapeake Bay and would take her down to the Outer Banks along the intercoastal water ways.

This boat was sold from a gentleman in Virginia and I was told that it was being shipped to Kentucky to be refurbished to its original state.

Someone had stripped it down getting rid of the galley, dinette, captain's bench and other ammenties that made it so special. If anyone knows of this particular boat please let me know.

Thank you so much for your assistance. Leigh
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		How do you determine the value of a Marinette
by: Anonymous

Is there a NADA book or some 3rd party estimate of what a 72, 41' Marinette Sea Crest Executive Wide Body with Fly Bridge. It is listed as refurbished and looks like it is in great shape.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		1972 Marinette SeaCrest 41'
by: CRClass

Bought our 1972 SeaCrest in 2005. Interior is very nice original condition. At 13.5 beam this boat has amazing room in it. The only wood on the exterior is in process of getting replaced.

Yes the engine hatches are nautolex covered wood. I am using a HDL plywood with some Nautlex that is very close to the original. I have a brochure from when they were building these showing the framework and all aluminum structure.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		1959 Marinette Family Cruiser
by: Anonymous

Hit Youtube and search 1959 Marinette to see my restoration project. All original power (Inline 6 Graymarine) runs like a champ. Repainting above the line with Rustoleum Marine paint and polishing the top.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Houseboat line sold
by: Mike

The Seacrest houseboat line was actually sold in the 70's to a Venezuela company. The Louisville plant manager went down and taught a bunch of barefoot Indians how to weld. Don't know if they're still building them.

I don't think Aluminum Cruisers ever produced military boats. The government wanted us to make patrol boats for Vietnam but Mr. Garcia refused. He said he would have to hire a whole staff to handle the red tape.

There were some notable boats made there, though. The very first hydrafoil was made there under contract with Reynolds or Alcoa. It had two Lycoming aircraft engines. One for forward thrust and one for the air cushion. It needed a tail rotor to counter the torque.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		The History of Louisville Houseboats
by: Mike

I worked at Aluminum Cruisers as a welder in 1980 and was a fabrication supervisor when the plant closed forever in 1991.

Houseboat production ceased there in the late 70's. Pluckebaum did build some of the smaller houseboats but I don't believe any of the 41's.

Boating Corp. of America bought the Marinette name and most of their equipment in the early 90's. They completed one Marinette in about 2 years then called it quits on that line. They auctioned off the remaining inventory and sold the name to some engineer in Michigan.

George Garcia who founded Aluminum Cruisers back in about 1950 died a year or so ago.

Incidentally, there are 60+ year old Marinettes still on the water. Can't say that for glass boats.

Also, we made our own fuel tanks that were underwritten by UL. We never had one fail.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		The first Marinette Sea Crest Houseboat
by: Todd

I recently purchased the very first Marinette Sea Crest houseboat ever made. It was built by Aluminium Cruisers Incorporated in Louisville Kentucky at the Stanford Field Airport.

The boat was built for the 1970 Louisville Boat Show. It is 40 feet long and 12 feet wide. It is powered by twin inboard Chrysler 318s with an 8.0kw onan genset. She has a top speed of 38 MPH, clocked by GPS.

She was repainted with Imron paint and new smoked glass windows installed by Pluckebaum. She carries 140 gallons of fuel and 100 gallons of fresh water. The interior paneling was replaced with 3/8 thick beadboard. All trim was stripped and refinished.

My wife and I keep her on Craig's Creek in Kentucky, at mile 530 on the Ohio River. Happy Boating.

Reply
Well Todd, congratulations on your purchase, WOW, the 1st Marinette Sea Crest ever built, and she does 38 MPH :)

Enjoy your new houseboat, IAN from www.all-about-houseboats.com
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Aluminum Houseboats - repowered Marinette 34
by: Sean

I purchased a 1967 Marinette 37 houseboat about 18 months ago. It is the 34 hull with a bow sprit and large swim platform. The hull has minor corrosion problems, but it is bulletproof 3/16ths aluminum plate. Nothing some filler won't fix.

I have been on an overseas project and the BP blowout slowed my re-power down so the boat was out of the water for 15 months.

Launched last week with two new Yanmar 110 turbos, new gears, shafts, props and a MASE genset. The boat tops out at 21 knots and cruises at 14 kts at 4 gallons/ hour.

The original aluminum "zincs" are still available and protect the boat perfectly at -1081 mV. It is the perfect boat for my home water in L.A. (Lower Alabama)
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Buying Aluminum Houseboats - neck deep in restoration
by: Anonymous

I bought a used '69 RiverCruiser houseboat, a 34' LOA with a 12' beam. Every square inch is aluminum, the hull is 5052 grade aluminum. Superstructure and bendable or thinner aluminum is extruded aluminum and is of a lesser grade.

The sacrificial anodes on mine corroded away many years ago (unknowns to me when I bought it) thus corrosion ate large holes into the hull. It looked like the surface of the moon after I sandblasted the hull.

Had to cut large sections of hull out and re-weld plates along whole hull, very expensive to hire aluminum welders since it's a specialty. I only discovered all this AFTER I bought the boat and delivered it from Sarasota to my home in Mt. Dora (Lake County, Florida)

The barnacles which were holed up inside the corroded holes were actually plugging the holes and were probably the only thing preventing the boat from sinking! After the patchwork of welds, I epoxied the whole bottom than added 3 coats of aluminum-impregnated moisture cured urethane.

I only wish I would have found this site BEFORE I got into all that mess. Triple check the hull of any houseboat, especially aluminum before buying!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Aluminum Houseboats - a 34 Marinette house boat
by: Rabbit Hash KY

I live on the Ohio Rive and own a 1967 Marinette 34ft houseboat (River Criuser). Single 318 no generator. These are hard to find and harder to get information on.

A friend of mine owns the same boat and they are only 11 serial numbers apart. He has a generator and it is suprising the differences in the two boat. I would like any information on this boat if someone has it.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Marinette Houseboats - are they Pluckebaum's?
by: Bob L.

Google Marinette Yachts, the assets were purchased and I believe they will build a boat for you.The new owners name and phone number is there. Marinette is not Pluckebaum, but may be a cousin.

When Pluckebaum was building production boats they would contract out and build boats for other companies. Their production line was bought by Charlie King and became Kings Craft.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		1967 34' Marinette houseboat
by: "Special Treat" (boat name)

Marinette was a great houseboat. Very well built and all aluminum, even the super-structure. Mine is unusual in that it was re-powered with a NEW Volvo 200hp diesel and the dual-prop stern-drive. The company is now called Pluckebaum, they're very expensive but a great boat.

Jerry S.
St Paul, MN
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		1959 28' Marinette cruiser owner
by: william wilson

I got my Marinette cruiser on a trade, and was going to make a barge out of it. But when I saw the condtion of the boat and how it was made, there's no way I can cut in to it. It is amazing how well buit it is, the only thing wrong with it, it some paint and some trim fixed. Not a lot.

It still has the original 70hp gray marine engine runs great. Trailer is in fair shape considering age. Only problem cannot find out what it is worth.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Wanted 1959 era 28 foot Marinette all Family Cruiser
by: Sandy

I am looking for a 1959 era 28 foot Marinette " All Family Cruiser " Prefer an outboard or will convert from inboard. OR Also interested in a, single engine, 34 foot or smaller Marinette houseboat without flybridge.
Great lakes area ( Toronto, Canada )905 584 2941
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		My father bought a Marinette
by: Anonymous

My father just bought a 34' Marinette houseboat, and I think it is a 74, it has a brand new interior, twin 307's, beautiful shape, and in the family for 30 plus years, al of this for $8500, fully equipped too! It even came with a paid slip till the end of the year. What do you guys think?
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Marinette Boat
by: Gene

This was rated the #1 boat all the years they made them. From the 1930's and closed in 1990. Was manufactured in Lousiville, Ky. It is all aluminum. The military ordered these boats because of there salt resistance.

No other manufacturer met the standards. I have a Marinette Sedan cruiser 1972 and it is in great shape. Have had many offers to buy it from me but not ready to sell at this time. But will sell eventually when price is right. Not many of this year around any more. A collectors Item.
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Rare Houseboats - only about 100 Marinette boats made
by: mark

There were probably only about 100 Marinette houseboats made. Was a nice one for sale in Cincinnati at the FOUR SEASONS Marina.

I have a 1972 28ft. Express, twin 318s. Smallest cruiser i have ever owned but love it to death. Wouldn't trade for a new plastic boat for anything.

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