Thanks for doing some research Spiro,
It's hard to tell in my photos, but the transom pad on mine blends into the transom in the centre. Jims seems about 1 inch wide there. Would appreciate it if you could pass on any info you get of HH.
Cheers Simon
Hi Simon,
Might take some time.
I wonder if I'm looking at the right pic. Is this your boat?
If so, it appears the transom pad is the same as that on Jims boat, ie protruding at top center, directly under the letters ENDU.
Do you have any other/clearer photos of it?
Yep that's it but the photo is not that clear, my transom looks the same as no.16 on the formula registry home page. The search continues. Thanks mate
A couple more pics borrowed from the registry, hope they help.
Haines Hunter & Edencraft F-233 transom pad
As mentioned, my understanding is that all HH and EC F-233's had this style transom pad, but I do not know if HH did it from day 1 or if it was introduced after some time. Having said that, if you search out pics of F-233's built by Haines Hunter, all appear to have this style transom pad.
Formula Thunderbird 233 transom pad
G'day all,
I have this HH 233 hull that I'm currently renovating, as you can see the pad blends at the centre.
There is no ID plate so it's difficult to date year of manufacture.
What do you all think.
Con
Wow, that's interesting Con. Assuming its not a Formula Thunderbird 233 dressed with HH stickers, that would be the first HH F-233 I've seen with that style transom pad.
It suggests HH may have built a number of F-233's before they made the change to the transom pad. Jims pics confirm that change occurred prior to or during '72 ie as his boat is a '72 model.
What this also tells us is that your boat would have been built in the mid /ate '60 or very early '70's.
Hi Con, mine has exactly the same transom. Your HH decals are from the 80's so maybe put on at a later stage. What colour is your resin/fiberglass, look under the gunnels? The big question I think is when Haines started producing the 233, under license or not, cheers
SImon, I'm told they started building them in the late '60's and have asked for confirmation on another site.
The question going through my mind right now is, if Con's boat has no ID plate and the stickers were added in the '80's, how do we know it's a actually Haines Hunter? I'm sure I've seen rebuild threads on THT where the resin colour is green.
Totally agree mate, I'm the same have now idea of it's origins. My hull ID is from western Australia , no manufacturer but says first registered 1965. Can that be right.?
Not sure mate. Aronow owned Formula in 63 and 64. Copies of the 233 started to spring up after he sold the business, so I'd be surprised if HH were making them in 64 or 65 but again, I cant confirm.
Simon and Spiro,
All the exposed glass work has a green colour to it ( above and below deck )
I was told by the previous owner that it was built in 71, but he didn't have any proof, only word of mouth.
I would still like to know if it's a HH or Formula.
Regards Con
Judging by the pictures above and elsewhere, it appears to me that the Thunderbird 233's were built with a "shoe box" hull to deck join and the Haines variant were built with a "flanged" join to take either a metal gunwale or a rubber gunwale.
If that's the case identification should be fairly straightforward.
Well if that's the case BM mine is a formula thunderbird, bugger!! Mine has the same shoebox set up like cons. Thanks for all the input guys
Bugger???!!! I'd have thought having the US variant would possibly have greater value than a locally built unit as you have the original v a copy? The Thunderbird would also be more rare (in Oz at least).Originally Posted by simon656
I'd probably badge it/sticker it proudly as a Thunderbird. More original than the Haines!
Did HH ever use these lights in there boats ?
Regards Con
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