Excalibur 40 vs. ?
 

How does the early 80's Excalibur 40 stack up against other big offshores from the same time period - say, the Formula 357/402, Cig 38 Flatdeck, Scarab 38, etc?

Just doing some research right now, but I've seen one that really caught my eye. I want to try and get a little bit more 'educated' before I pursue it further. My biggest worry is the structural strength of a 20 year old boat - how do the stringers and transom hold up? What about the fuel tanks? How many, and how difficult to replace, if necessary?

What is the history of the brand? Is the company still in business, or are they long gone? Basically, I know nada about Excalibur, but would like to learn! So, how about some help from you owners out there?

TIA!

Dockrocker....I don't know about the early 80's Excalibur models, I have a Wellcraft Excalibur Hawk 40....I believe 1984 is the only year that Wellcraft built them, according to the Wellcraft rep. I talked to he told me that Wellcraft only built them in 85.....mine is transom stamped as a 84....anyway Wellcraft was known for using poor grades of lumber in or around that era, mine seems to be ok at this time, I like the room inside the boat because of the 9' beam, as far as comparing with a Cig. 38 flat deck with equal hp it may be a bit slower (the Excalibur that is) mine has a single 208-210 gallon fuel tank and as far as replacing it the cockpit floor would have to be pulled...all in all they are a boat with good lines and can be made to look great....it's all up to what you want I guess....good luck in your search.....Fred

fred, thanks, I thought your boat was earlier. I'm not sure what the relationship between the Wellcraft boats and the earlier Excaliburs is - that's one the questions I'm trying to answer. Seems like the '83 Excalibur 40 and your boat don't share a whole lot other than the name?

I'm betting someone out there knows the story...

Hey Fred,
What does your Hull Identification Number Start with?
My 1984 Excalibur 31' starts with NAP.
DS

not tht this is even related but my 79 excalibur 24, not a wellcraft, had alot of gel cracks around the cleats but the hull is still solid as a rock. That boat is heavy and built like a brick ****house. I think even at 24 yrs old I feel safer with that hull in rough water than a newer comparable boat. Excalibur marine boats were very well built (so I've been told). This prolly doesn't help you at all with the info your seeking but sorry I'm only familiar with the Little Excaliburs. I'd like to learn more about them as well but info seems sparse on these boats. If you get some answers to your Question please do post them. Thanks
Martin.

Zanie, mine starts with WEL
Dockrocker, I think Wellcraft aquired the molds from Excalibur and built the boats....they look the same inside and out when I compared a 83 Excalibur to my 84 Wellcraft...in the 40 anyway.....Fred

Between three of our friends we have 3 40's and a 27'. If you take my 82 model and put it next to the 84 they look the same. Then take a fist and bang on the hull sides, there is the difference. The Excaliburs are much more solid feeling. Do you guys with 40's have the nothched transom, and what is your engine comp stringer lay out like. The 82 has a huge stringer in the middle where the 84 has shorter ones.

Mine has a notched transom and the center stringer is about 3" thick and 20"-24" high, then there are outside stringers to each side of the center one about 24" away that are like 2x10's, my 40 is stamped 84 but Wellcraft says it's a 85.....Fred

Whats the reasoning for the notched transom anyway?.....Fred

With the notched transom, you can raise the drive X dimension, which in turn gives lower drag from drives. Only some of the Wellcraft Hawk 40's had notched transoms as they forgot to put the transom plug in the mold on some of the first ones they built. Wellcraft bought Bill Farmer's Excalibur Marine in early 1984 and built the Hawk 40 from then through 1985 or 1986. I still have a Wellcraft Sales brochure from 1986 that shows the Hawk 40 listed, but not sure if they built any that year. Also there is a interesting updated 1983 Hawk 40 on the Yacht World web. site, Double Diamonds at Lake of The Ozarks. Jon

THAT 83 HAWK 40 IS MINE. IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED CALL ME AT 636-357-8575

Hi JD, In the fall of 1993 I sold and delivered my 1984 Hawk 40 to Lake Of The Ozarks. When we were there, went to the Marina at Gravois Mills and there was 1982 or 83 Hawk 40 in slip there and another Hawk 40 next to Marina in boat dock at private house. Any of those boats still around. Also my Hawk 40 was Black with Yellow, orange and red stripes. Interior was all McLeod front and rear. Is that boat still on Lake? Thanks Jon

JON,THE GUY THAT HAD YOUR BOAT IN 2001 TALKED MYSELF AND A BUDDY ABOUT REDOING HIS BOAT LIKE MINE.THEN THAT FALL I SAW IT AT A DEALER FOR SALE.HAVEN'T SEEN IT SINCE THEN.THERE'ES ABOUT 4 OR 5 ON LOTO.MOST ARE ORIGINAL OR CLOSE

The NAP stands for North American Products...... Thanks, Vince

Hi older boater, When Bill Farmer sold out to Wellcraft did you do anything with Wellcraft. Jon

are any of these for sale.......Thanks Jeff

What are you looking for? Project, nice and running, or complete update?

I remember seeing a black 40 ( maybe your old one? ) in Ohio at Put in Bay around 1992 with orange and yellow stripes. It looked great. Sounded good too!

Hi StepenA, Thanks for the update. That was my boat at the bay. When you saw it I had 540 CI Tall Deck's with C.M.I. Headers made 635 Horse Power would run mid to upper 70s. I sold it in 1994 and it went to LOTO with mild 502 motors and stock exhaust. Have never saw or heard anything about it again. Jon

I had a 83 Hawk at loto. White hull wtih red and blue stripes and red out drives sat across from Big Thiunder. it had 525hp with Speed Masters 3 great boat. I was told when the boat was new it came with 650s turbos??

depends on price ...prefer a project.

Hi fubard, When we delivered our Black 40 Hawk to LOTO in the fall, I stopped at Big Thunder and saw your Hawk on lift across from Thunder, saw the Red # 3 Drives right away. Boat looked sharp. There also was a yellow and white 1982 or 1983 Hawk 40 in Big Thunder's water docks under roof. LOTO must of had a least 4 or 5 Hawks at one time.

Cool. I really like all black hulls. Yours was one of the first that I had seen at the time.

I had Wellcraft build for me a 1985 40 Excalibur Hawk. It was specially built with kevlar, airex core top deck and nomex rear hatch with notched transom and 1" higher X . Gus Anastasi personally supervised the build. The boat was light and ran about 70mph with 482's which was fast in its day. The paint job features an airbrushed Hawk on each side, 40 on the bow and large Excalibur on the sides. Kept it in Vermilion, Ohio on a lift. I sold it in 87 and , if my memory serves me correctly, went to Washington state. Great boat........

Hi Goldeneyee, Sounds like one of the best Hawks built. Not many Hawk's are Kevlar. Any pictures of boat, did it have TRS or Speedmasters drives on it. Why did you sell it so soon.

Jons: It was equipped with Trs drives and turned Hydromotive solid hub 25 pitch props. It was a super neat boat but I got an irrestible impulse to buy a 42 Excalibur Eagle and the rest is history. Both boats were in Monroe yearly for the Glopra races . I do have pics of the boat at home. Presently in Fla at the Lauderdale boat show.... Bill