How Many Banana's were made?
 

I have seen at least 20. One was a center console. Most of them were in N.E.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

Approximately 50 24' Banana Boats were made, one 38', and two 34'.

When my dad sold the company in '81 he had made 25 and I believe another 25 or so were made. My 24' boat is an '88 and it is hull #37. My dad still has boat #6 which was a '76. I have a great deal of pictures an info. to post - will do it as soon as I can...

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

That is an interesting question because it involves boats of various sizes being branded banana.

First of all the name came from a suggestion made to me by Don Aronow that people tend to remember a name for something if it is really different. Something that did not sound like a marine or boating name at all. That is why he used the various names he did, Formula, Donzi, Magnum, Cigarette, Squadron XII.

I decided that the image of a banana boat, was of an old rusty steamer barely moving along coming up from South America. The boats I made were the exact opposite of that image and the name kind of stuck in peoples minds.

The first boats were the 24 foot models, both race version and pleasure version. The only difference was in the lay-up and the resin used. The race boats used a high impact resin.

The first race boat was a 24 rigged by Don Aronow for me in the Magnum shops in Miami as he owned both Magnum and Cigarette at this time. It was rigged with twin 350 engines modified by Stan Irwin....this is the same engine builder who built the engines for Doc Magoons NY run from Miami. The boat had TRS drives and cleaver props.


The history of the boat is given on one of the other threads, but it had a very successful career, first as top banana and then raced again as gone bananas, until finally being stolen in Miami the night before a race.

The next boat had a single Mercruiser 280 TRS package, was yellow and called banana split. This boat ended up being used as a demonstrator and was eventually sold to Chuck Fogarty as a pleasure boat. He raced it in the Plymouth Mass race and eventually sold it to someone in Florida at B&C marine....that's the last we saw or heard of it.

All told we built about 25, 24 foot boats, before the company was sold and the name changed by the new owners to banana boat ltd. from banana boat co. We sold boats as far west as California and Oregon and as far east as Bermuda

When banana boat ltd took over the 24 foot mold (the 38 and 34 foot mold were Coyotes then Sonics) they changed the lamination format and began using a different resin for their construction.

The first boat they made was also a 24 with twin 350 engines called hell's banana. The history on this boat was not very good as it had a lot of bad luck with everything from sinking to burning. I understand it is still around in New Hampshire somewhere.

Of the larger boats one 38 was built as a race boat, top banana, and a 34 for my personal pleasure boat with twin 454's with TRS drives. A second 34 was made for Chuck Fogarty and raced as Gone Bananas in the Modified class.

So to answer your original question, as the founder of the company, I made less than 30 boats altogether, using the specific lamination and resin format as given to me by Don Aronow.

I still have hull #6. It is a pleasure boat, but was put into action in an emergency at one point as a race boat. One year we as a comapny promised to show up at the offshore race out of Gloucester Mass. However the week before, we raced in Miami at a Bacardi race and halfway to Bimini came down off a wave and broke one of the solid motor mounts.

Not having enough time to bring the race boat back to RI and fix the problem and still make the Gloucester race in time, I pulled a boat off the production floor with no interior installed yet. We showed up as promised and entered the boat in the "Inshore" division. We took first overall out of 26 boats. It became my favorite little boat, so I kept it for my wife and we named it "Fast Lady". Years later I painted it black and we still have it, it lives in Boca Raton now.

Charlie Sr.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

Thank you so much Sir. I'm sure I can speak for all of us in the Banana boat cult following. That we are not worthy of having you on this board. You are a GOD!

Re: How http://www.spelchek.com/cgi-bin/spelchek.cgiMany Banana's were made?
 

I owned "Hells Banana" from '89-96 and I believe it was CURSED I think the # M666 might have been bad luck. :eek:

We bought it from an insurance savage operation after it had burned at Port Edgewood marina. The fire was mostly cosmetic damage (it was parked next to a boat that had completely engulfed) It was mostly a labor of love and a fun project. We finished it spring of '93 and thats when it got fun!

Hells Banana was a 24' rigged with a pair of blown small blocks and TRS drives. When it ran, it went like Hell! We ran it all around Gloucester Mass, It was amazing how big of water that mad little 24 could handle, sort of like a small Top Gun. We were running just shy of 90 with it.

Hells Banana taught me how to wrench on boats :D I could not even guess how many motors we blew up in that thing!!! (most of our pics of it are of me and my friends pulling the motors/all-nighters in our driveway) ... we came home on one engine many times. One morning we were limping back from Hampton NH on one motor and it died. My buddy and I drifted for a couple of hours befors a sail boat saw us and offered to tow us in. I told the guy we were fine and sent him on his way. My buddy did not understand, there were no other boats in sight, he thought I was nuts. :D I said there aint no way we are going to be towed in by a SAIL BOAT! 4 hours later a small powerboat offered a tow :D

The last year I owned it was the most fun. I finally found an engine builder that knew how to build a marine engine. Summer of '95 we burned quite a bit of fuel threw her and just plain enjoyed how well the boat worked. At the time I had a friend with a 34 Scarab and he would have to let off the sticks before the little Banana did :eek: He took a pic of us passing him in the air!

I sold it spring of 1996 to a kid from Winnipesaukee. The last time I saw her was at the Winni races in '99, he had fresh motors and was enjoying the boat.

I should have kept it but at the time we had 5 boats, (33 Fountain, 28' Baja two Donzi classics and Hell's Banana) It was time to clean house.

Has anyone seen it lately?

Kurt

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

When and how many out of Port Edgewood in Rhode Islands. I remember in the 80's when I was in college I took a ride up they had several there. Also saw one at the Providence boat show is this the same mold.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

Biggus,
I think I ran into you up in Wolfeboro this summer. Either that or it was the next owner of Hell's Banana. I believe that it is now owned by Andrew of Andrews Marine Service in (Minge Cove)Alton. Thats where we have a slip at. But our boat stays out at the island as the slip is only for an 18' max. Would love to see some pics of it when you owned it! I think I have a couple of it how it sits now on my digital cam. I'll check and post them if I can.

Adam

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

Biggus
Your comment about being in the air reminded me of a race in Key West that we won with that little 24.
In those days the race went in and out of the harbor once and then we headed off to Dry Tortougas for the far turn and then back to Key West. All open ocean with a full 360 degrees of nothingness when you were out there.
Anyway, after the race Knocky House, who was a race official for APBA and was Don Aronow's old racing partner, came up to me and said that my win was being protested by a competitor.
He waited until the surprise set in and then he said....the protestor said, that in the rule book somewhere, the boat has to actually be in the water for part of the race course. The protestor said that whenever he looked over at you during the race, your boat was flying.
Then he busted out laughing.
Yeah, it was a great little boat. Who knows, maybe it will show up in a barn someday after being stolen so many years ago.
Charlie Sr.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

Heatbuzz
Knock it off, you make me feel like I am in a Wayne's World movie.

The reality of it is, I was the one who was blessed. I was able to do something I loved doing, racing, and I met an awful lot of great people who loved it too.

There was a feeling among the racers that we were enjoying a big joke on the rest of the world, we really became alive out there and were getting the most out of life during those moments.

It was like the line Steve McQueen uses in the movie Le Mans, Racing is life, everything else is just waiting.

The real heros were the ones who came before me, Sam
Griffith, Dick Bertram, Mel Riggs, Brownie, and many more, these were real life tough guys who respected the ocean but could also at times master it.

For my part, I was just a kid who grew up racing boats and ocean racing was always a dream. When it finally did happen for me, I was successful due to the efforts of a lot of other people, from the guys who were careful in lying up the glass to the engine builders and riggers even the truck drivers who made it across the Rockies in the winter so this New Englander could race in California.

It was a wonderful time, the end of the era of the deep vee and the real dawn of the cat.

I hope you all enjoy what memories we may have to share, it really was a tough little boat and often it was the boat that got us through more than our own skills.

For all of you that still own a 24, think in terms of redoing it rather than selling it and pass it down to your kids.

Charlie Sr.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

Charlie Sr.,

Funny you should say that, we bought ours this year as a cheap first "performance boat." With the intentions of running it for a few years to get used to the size and going a little fast. So we could save up for a nice Skater of around the same size. But after a few months with it we have fallen in love with the little no frills 24'. So it will slowly get rebuilt and mildly modified. It's just a blast to drive. Eats up chop on the lake that would have killed our 18' Century. And is smooth and predictable at speed. And as for the no frills part, I think it was pure genius on your part! I'm in a boat to boat not use the head, watch TV, make margarita's or lounge on the couch. I want the wind in my hair sun on my face and tears in my eyes (agian due to the wind)!!!!!

Oh, and my 6yr old son love to drive it. Race style of course! He's the wheel man, and I get the throttle. He runs it staight as an arrow, but won't let me drop the 225 Erude under 5K :D He just say's FASTER,FASTER!!!!! Oh well, I want a 300 with a bracket and jackplate anyway's. :eureka: Besides I need to keep him happy don't I? :confused: :D :D


Adam

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

Fruitta 55

The whole idea of a simple boat comes from my many years as a Porsche owner. They are desinged to go fast and be safe....that's it!

The boat should be the same way. The single engine IO was designed so that, if you broke down 50 miles south of Block Island at 3AM, you could get in there and work on the engine with lights and no fear of being swamped or losing any tools.

I had a 38 foot Magnum that I used as a pleasure boat for many years that was desinged the same way, simple simple and simple. Nothing extra that wasn't needed.

Appreciate your time with your children, before you know it they will be grown and gone.

Good luck with your redo of the boat if there is anything we can do to help please feel free to ask.

Charlie Sr.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

Boomer
I'm sorry I don't know much about the number or types of boats built out of Port Edgewood. But, yes the boats you saw from them were out of the same mold. They are the people that bought the small mold and changed the mane to banana boat LTD, from my name of banana boat CO.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

mine was one of the last ones that i know of. that was 1991. at that ime the number was around 70+. i should check the HIN on mine... it might help. i could stop in and see ray and ask him if i get over there. fyi

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

I picked up my old boat at Port Edgewood around 1996. I'll always remember the slew of Bananas and Sutphens that I saw there. That was the first time I actually drove a boat over 70 MPH, and the smell of fibreglass resin was strong in the air. All the Bananas I saw were OB boats, with cracking transom issues. I wish I had seen some IO boats.
No matter. One could tell that, even with new owners, Banana had something legendary going for it. Having opted for a different 24 then selling it to go bigger, I would still love to run around in a Banana 24. If anyone is in the mid-CT area next year and wants to have a Sutphen guided tour of the coast, drop me a line. I'd really enjoy seeing you guys in action.
Thanks
Chris.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

Nope, not me. I never made it to Winni this year.

I sold it to a guy named Andrew, he must still own it. If you could, tell him to PM me.

I'd love to see some pics!

Thanks!

Kurt

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

My brother went down to port edgewood this year and said they still have the molds out back in shrinkwrap, and the last hull made is still in the mold just waiting to be popped out. I would like to get my hands on that.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

A friend of mine has a 24 that was never rigged. It's a complete hull/deck and full interior. No guages and transom has not been cut. It's been sitting on the trailer behind his shop since 1988.

He is interested in moving it. What would it be worth?

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

Biggus
Start first witht the serial number of the boat.

Look at the top of the right rear corner of the transom. There should be a number cut in there that starts with three letters. The numbers after the letters would then designate the number of this boat in the production sequence and the date it was made.

Second when you say the transom was never cut, that could mean it was laid up as a sterndrive boat. Look inside and see how the stringers are set up.....were they made for a single or twin engine sterndrive.

To make a sterndrive boat into an outboard boat even with a bracket would require different stringers.

Full interior....could also mean the bottom of the cockpit wasn't cut out as we used to do to race boats for weight.

When you have that info and better than that, a photo you could post, the value could be determined.

Thx

Charlie Sr.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

No Problem Biggus, I'll be seeing Andrew on Monday. Now I'm confused, did anyone else other than Banana Boat ltd., you and Andrew, own Hells Banana that anyone knows of? I mean this guy I talked to seemed to kow an awful lot about it and said he used to own it, either that or he just knew alot about it and claimed he had owned it.? Does anyone have any pics of what it used to look like? It's just plain white like mine now. And unfartunatley it looks as though it has seen some mory glorious days. Oh well, At least its still around right.

Adam

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

Does it still say Hells Banana on it? And do the motors have blowers on them?

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

heatbuzz,
To answer your questions. No just solid white. And yes it does still have the twin blown small blocks.

But I think most of the racing controls were tossed a long time ago. i.e., throttles,wheel that sort of stuff.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

So are you out of the water yet Adam?


Rick

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

Yes I took it out last weekend. I just got the pics of Hells Banana off my camera also so here they are. Sorry the are not the best. And I would have got more had I known for sure that it was Hells banana. Oh well I'm sure it will be there next year. So I'll get more then.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

Sorry its fuzzy but you get the idea. Will get better ones next year. Or if I go back up for any reason soon I'll try and get some better ones, as I noticed that the engine cover was off when I was up this weekend .

Hells Banana?
 

That thing is sick...

I wonder how fast it goes?

I wonder if it slams into waves with all that weight of the two motors?

I wonder if I could do that to may Banana?

I wonder... :rolleyes:

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

That was the most impressive boat I've ever owned. It behaved like a much larger boat. What really impressed me was how it would fly level when airborne. That boat was built like a tank and could take some really big water for a 24' offshore rig!

Thanks for the pics. Glad to see Andrew is still having fun with it. Other than the scoops, It looks just like when we sold it.

Biggus
 

How fast did that thing go? 90? 95?

What kind of props did you run? Cleaver? 26 pitch?

Why did you ever sell it?

Chris

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

OK I check the Boat the model yr is 89.The hull was laid in late 88, and the boat # is 43.

This is my wife and I leaving our wedding by boat...

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

Oh yea, But I did the decorating and I christen her the S.S. HENPECKED. The Bride didn't like that too much, and it took Chris a while and a lot of elbow grease to get it off, before he cruised off to the Vineyard for the Honeymoon from HELL. You name it and it went wrong. From loosing an oil line on the way over, to poring rain to our old man almost dying, causing them to cut the honeymoon short and run back to the Hyannis hospital emergency room. Oh well one to tell the kids about.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

You will notice the Cigarette emblem on the side......(sell out).......how do you like that Charlie Sr.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

No wonder the boat broke down on the way. It was just pissed that it was dressed in that other :( logo :D Oh well at least its part of its heritage. But I still don't like it. Sorry Chris. When mine gets redone it will still wear the banana name with pride!!! If not on the side it will go across the rear hatch like on the yellow team banana boat.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

Hey Adam, you can see the difference the first pic. is when he first got the boat, looks like yours with different head lights. The second one is what it looks like now all white, it also has the wind deflectors on the windshield. It looks good all he did is spray paint the plexi glass. The new bolster look great too. I'll see if I can post some pic. of them.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

Ok I got the pics.

Adam,

I agree with you on the cigarette logo. When I bought my boat it actually had a cigarette logo on it. Since I was unable to find a Banana Logo, I just went with the cigarette.

It will be coming off next year.

Rick,

I did more than just spray paint the windshield. I build a custom fairing for my boat in my garage, but was anable to finish it in time for my wedding.

I then decided to alter the stock windshield with a band saw one day. I cut down the center section so it wasn't so pointy in the middle. Wet sanded the hell out of it and painted it. I like it much better.

I think we should kick HeatBuzz off the Banana Board until such time that he buys his own Banana Boat....poser... :eek: :D :D

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

Found this

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

i still have a few of those t-shirts. my is on that t-shirt.i was there as well.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

and that is my pic.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

Charlie Sr. maybe you might remember this one . Back in the early 80's, there was a 33 or 38 ft Sonic in Lynn harbor Ma. it was white with grey stripes, said Sonic on the side and coyote across the top of the transom. The boat was named the Gasperella I was told it was a recovered theft. It must have been one of the first boats under the Sonic name. Ring any bells.

Re: How Many Banana's were made?
 

You guys should have a bannana reunion and incorprate it into the event that the superboat and fountain owners had at claudios last june. there was even a velocity that snuk in!! come on its easy to do ,all we have to do is picka date that is good when there are no other events, races poker runs,holidays,etc,i know im ready for a trip out east next year as last year,just check out on oso's pic forum summer fun run,it was at clauidos,myself and zuperboat trailered to jamesport and cruised over to clauido's. it took less than a hour to trailer from jamesport to babylon. lets have it at the saybrook inn,i'll make my reservation's now :eek: :eek: :eek: tripps ps im quite sure i could get 2 bannanas plus 1velocity and one superboat to go and 1 32 skater that goes 155 tripps