GW Invaders

[Tomtall]

GW Invaders were sold across the United States with great success and during my years in high school I was lucky enough to have one myself. The 10' version I had was simular to the one pictured below. I powered mine with a white Merc.40. I remember running around our lake (about 5 miles long by 1 mile across) in white caps grining from ear to ear. Oh those were the good old days. I was suprised to see that another company has started building these boats and selling them. Could I have a mid life crises? Please!


http://www.wranglerboats.com/wi10.htm

[brichter]

Interesting. I haven't seen one in a couple years but from my memory, it appears that this copy is identical to the original.
Does any one have a picture of an original one to compare to?
A few years ago someone in the AOMCI was telling me he had the original GW invader molds for that hull.

[Skoontz]

The bottom on the wrangler has a 7" wide flat pad where the bottom on the GW Invader was a slight V-flat. the transom had a 1" radious up the back, and the first thing needed to do was to make the square so water did not follow up the back.

Ours had a 25HP Johnson and then a 50HP. The boat disintigrated under Burtons Bridge.

[brichter]

My money is on the wrangler to be a faster boat then.
I know the GWs had structural issues, as did many of the early fiberglassics.
Skoontz, You must be from this area (I am in Spring Grove right now).
We used to test our OPC rig at Burton's Bridge with John Janaky.

[Skoontz]

I'll bet I stood on the same pier as you then back when Bill and Howie owned Burton's Bridge Marine. My invader was Red, White and Blue, with a short Evinrude 55, with T-n-T. John cupped the prop that gave the bow lift that made the transom dance that lifted to bow and slapped the water that ripped the fiberglass that placed the dessert topping on the deck I ate. I missed the bridge pier with the boat, but placed tennis shoe prints above the water line that stayed there for 3 years....

After the Invader I had a starburst gold Switzer Super Sport with a 140 Johnson. John told me I had the best angle of attack he had ever seen on an OMC/Switzer rig, and, I later ran past the 69MPH mark no other combo like that had.