Carlson Contender 1500 Shorty

**milkdud** · 03-23-2011

This is my 1965ish Carlson Contender and my 1975 1500J Short shaft. (Pre XS motor)

Conrad

**wolfgang** · 03-24-2011

"no guts - no glory" as General Patton used to say. Just be very careful.

**milkdud** · 03-24-2011

It actually handles the power quite well as long as I know its limits to the environment around me.

If its windy I dont run fast into the wind, just not worth it. Or gusty on the river can be a bit weird catching a side gust.

And no rough water or wakes. I only run fast when its perfect. Even a small wake will make it a very bad day. It just does not handle rough water at all.

Conrad

**FrenchPhil** · 03-24-2011

Ever thought of changing the hull or do you have another boat ?

**Mark75H** · 03-24-2011

I was starting to doubt you were really a photographer

**milkdud** · 03-25-2011

This is the only fast boat I have. I'm just a limited budget tinkerer. It works for now, possibly someday a full tunnel boat would be nice.

And what do you mean Sam, who else posts so many damn photos of possibly the ugliest boat online?

Its about as ugly as it gets, Paint wise.
Conrad

**wolfgang** · 03-27-2011

Originally Posted by milkdud

It actually handles the power quite well as long as I know its limits to the environment around me.

If its windy I dont run fast into the wind, just not worth it. Or gusty on the river can be a bit weird catching a side gust.

And no rough water or wakes. I only run fast when its perfect. Even a small wake will make it a very bad day. It just does not handle rough water at all.

Conrad

In the `70s of the past century I tested one of these hulls with a 140 hp Johnson (which makes for a lower center of gravity) on the Rhine river in Western Germany. The river carries heavy shipping, and I can only confirm your notions about the boat`s behavior. One word: scary.

**Roy Hodges** · 03-28-2011

Has ANYBODY ever tried a good cleaver prop ,with LOTS of transom lift on one of these boats ?It seems to me that -that kind of prop might give the boat some balance , and TAME it down. My 2 cents worth.

**wolfgang** · 03-29-2011

Originally Posted by Roy Hodges

Has ANYBODY ever tried a good cleaver prop ,with LOTS of transom lift on one of these boats ?It seems to me that -that kind of prop might give the boat some balance , and TAME it down. My 2 cents worth.

Hi Roy, perhaps on a glass lake. Even with a "normal" prop, when sitting at the helm of one of these hulls, one always feels it is about to stuff. The ride attitude of the boat just doesn`t give any confidence, only cracked vertebrae.

**PIP** · 03-29-2011

Those boats and hydrostream vipers are the best looking boats ever in a big blue metalflake and a 150 shorty. If you wanna sell it, let me know. I love it.