Hal Kelly, Foo Ling ?

Tomtall · 08-30-2006

I have a chance to purchase a Foo Ling runabout by Hal Kelly. Boat was built in 1966. Used as a lake racer up till 1972. Been stored in the rafters of a garage since then. What can anybody tell me about this model of Hal Kelly boat. I want to put my son in it with his 15 johnson race motor so he gets an idea how to drive a roll up boat. Do you think this boat will perform with that size engine on it? The owner of it ran a KG9 on it. It was advertised as a A-B class boat back then. If anyone with experience with this boat could give me some input it would be appreciated.

Thanks - Tomtall

**7500Blizzard** · 08-30-2006

It should run ok with that motor with a little setup. I have a set of plans for this boat one of these days i get around to building one

**John Schubert T*A*R*T** · 08-31-2006

Originally Posted by Tomtall

I have a chance to purchase a Foo Ling runabout by Hal Kelly. Boat was built in 1966. Used as a lake racer up till 1972. Been stored in the rafters of a garage since then. What can anybody tell me about this model of Hal Kelly boat. I want to put my son in it with his 15 johnson race motor so he gets an idea how to drive a roll up boat. Do you think this boat will perform with that size engine on it? The owner of it ran a KG9 on it. It was advertised as a A-B class boat back then. If anyone with experience with this boat could give me some input it would be appreciated.

Thanks - Tomtall

Tom,

I believe the plans that Hal sold included up-scaling measurements for a "C" & "D". Ask what the length is, that will tell. To be perfectly honest, I doubt that if it's the "A-B", with the KG9 on it & someone in the cockpit, water would probably come over the transom.

Tomtall · 08-31-2006

John - I will see what it measures out as. This was kind of confusing information from the gentelman that ownes it. He told me it was 11 ft long. Then in the next breath he said he ran a kg9 on it. We'll see when I get over there. Thanks for the info, both of you.

**7500Blizzard** · 09-05-2006

As it says in the pic above the foo-ling is 11 feet long his "b" hull was the airborne at 11ft 6 inches and c/d boat was the mad cap at 13ft.

**John Schubert T*A*R*T** · 09-06-2006

Originally Posted by 7500Blizzard

As it says in the pic above the foo-ling is 11 feet long his "b" hull was the airborne at 11ft 6 inches and c/d boat was the mad cap at 13ft.

Yes but, I raced with Hal, and went with him to the Stock Outboard Nationals in 1954 & my Mom & Dad were close friends with Ethel & Hal, so I do know that Hal had made provisions so that the FooLing could be built as a "C". I even believe that there might be a picture of it as a "C" on Skip Hagerman's site.

**7500Blizzard** · 09-07-2006

The pic i posted was from skips site couldn't find much more there.

**STEVE FRENCH** · 12-02-2009

Does anyone know the fell'a in the Tomahawk, Wis. area that built a Foo-Ling and ran a Super-10 Wizard on it?.....He had a sand cast 20 block bored and sleeved to 22 CI and said it performed really well......He sent me pics several years ago....Was think'n of ask'n Ruck to do one for me......Missed a block on E-bay resently but it was Mod ported and I want one for closed-up lake play in KG-4 form.....

I bid on that one and thought I would try it with a Bayer pipe set I have on a Mark-25 powerhead but someone else got it.

Thoughts?
100N....Steve

Tomtall · 12-02-2009

Steve - You have a PM with the information you seek.

**JohnsonM50** · 12-02-2009

Originally Posted by John Schubert T*A*R*T

Yes but, I raced with Hal, and went with him to the Stock Outboard Nationals in 1954 & my Mom & Dad were close friends with Ethel & Hal, so I do know that Hal had made provisions so that the FooLing could be built as a "C". I even believe that there might be a picture of it as a "C" on Skip Hagerman's site.

I have a copy of Hals Airborn B [and the boat]. It does have a 'D' scale to about 13'6". Theres also added instruction like a 3/8 bottom to build it.
Look at the Foo-Ling & see if it has external upper chines. This is unique to that model I think. Its supposed to improve roll up characteristics & trap some air too.. [Ive heard]. Hals runabouts as Ive heard are: Dry Run, Foo-ling, Jinx, Airborn & Madcap.. Are there others? He designed some hydros too.