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Can you identify this classic yacht model...?

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by YachtForums, Feb 5, 2020.

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  1. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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    Saw this R/C model in a hobby shop. At first glance, it looks like a Huckins, but I'm not sure. Has two electric motors, running lights and believe it or not, a bow thruster! It's nearly 4 feet in length and to me, the hull is reminiscent of the Air-Sea Rescue hulls used by the Navy in the mid-1900s. Wisdom welcome...

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  2. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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  3. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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  4. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Yeah, I remember the owner had one of those kits onboard and pulled it out occasionally, but too much work refurbishing the big boat to build the little one.
    He was my dock neighbor in Salt River Marina, St. Croix.
    Crewed on Dauntless many times, quite the boat and it came with tall story about black helicopters and Bay of Pigs involvement.
    After I sold my boat and moved off the island I would occasionally crash on Dauntless after scuba diving and partying on St. Croix.
    Good people, good boat, but everything fell apart after the hurricane.
  5. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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    Great story! Small YF world...

    On the subject of Dumas, I'm the proud owner of this Donzi. I have yet to splash it. Can't seem to find time...

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  6. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Wow, a fishing machine..

    How much did they want for the Dauntless model? Maybe I should buy it for old times sake..
  7. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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    I think $400 will buy it.
  8. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    hmm, perfect for my canal, but wifey will say: Don’t you have enough boats already...? o_O
    (Usually a trip to Paris will fix all those problems, but that will make it an expensive RC boat. :D)
  9. CTdave

    CTdave Senior Member

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    The photo in the link showing "Dauntless" is sad. Does anyone know if Dauntless even exists anymore?
    I love the Donzi R/C! I need one of those. On second thought, I don't have time for all of the ridiculous R/C boats downstairs LOL I have everything from a big Tug boat to a crew built '50s Missouri Battle Ship and the "go fast" cats. One is a MHZ which is around 40" and a handheld GPS on board clocked it at 87.4 mph. It's had motor/battery/ecm upgrades since then but I haven't had time to run it.
  10. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Well, not quite:
    She was damaged in the big hurricane and washed up on a beach at North Shore, St. Croix.
    The owners had gone through a divorce and had no insurance on the boat.
    It was probably stripped by the locals and only a shell remaining now.
    (Hope I am wrong, hope somebody stepped up and salvaged/restored the boat, but doubt it.)
    I lost touch with the local scene in St. Croix after my scuba gear was stolen 6 years ago, never went back. Nice sailing, nice diving but the locals prefer To keep it down as a 3rd world country, crime, drugs, killings, etc.
    Enjoyed living there 1984-1988 including a year in St. Thomas, but it has gone to the dogs, just like Dauntless.
    (Do a google search, click images and you may find her up on a beach as a derelict hull. Sad.)
  11. CTdave

    CTdave Senior Member

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    Thanks Norseman. Yep, Those areas used to be fun places but as each went down the tubes, I didn't want to bring my wife & kids. St Marten was the last place we frequented (Dutch side) but haven't been back in 6 or 7 years. Turks/Caicos has been treating us well & the diving has been good.
    Now, off to find Dauntless!!
  12. CTdave

    CTdave Senior Member

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    Interesting..... The first hit, I found this video of Dauntless. The man narrating says he had just purchased it but it's from 2004. I wonder how far he got? I didn't know it was an aluminum hull which is promising. Interestingly, it was designed by Howard Hughes
  13. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Yup, aluminum hull.
    The owner/captain was very aware of it: You drop a copper penny in the bilge and the metal and salt will make a hole right now he said.
    He was not nervous or paranoid, but very aware of potential problems with the aluminum hull.
    Great guy, his background was a water taxi Captain from New York City harbor, excellent operator as far as driving twin-engine boats, best guy I have worked with maneuvering boats, behind Capt. J of course. :cool:.
    Last journey I did on the Dauntless was a run from St. Croix to Nanny Cay Marina in the BVIs for a haul and bottom job, February 1988.
    Half way across we had an engine problem, the tender line got slack and wrapped itself around one of the shafts.
    My fault so I jumped in the water with a knife to cut the 3/4” nylon line from the Port shaft.
    Big waves so the hull kept hitting me on top of the head while I tried to cut.
    Held on to the shaft with one hand so as to ride up and down with the boat with one hand and sawing the line with the other hand. Shaft had barnacles, cut the skin of my hand started bleeding, got sharks attention, got up and tied tender with a different line.
    All good, young, strong and not quite as smart as now. (Wife begs to differ of course.)
    Dauntless was a sweet boat, but a maintenance hog, pretty much like any boat, perhaps more because she was old and had too much deferred maintenance.
    My buddy the owner did a great job trying to keep her up to speed, but lost the battle. Hat of time him for trying, big job..;)