bertram31.com

I've always been a admirer of the Forest Johnson Prowlers, very old school and classic lookin boats.
Before I got the B25 & B20, was real close to picking up a Prowler23 open. There was also one docked/for sale at Weech's Dock in Bimini for years with a decrepit old renault diesel in it... Over the weekend I met a couple of guys who've got a really well preserved Prowler32 open, been in their family for years, so we got to talking about boat history, etc, etc.
No one seems to know much about the Prowlers, I beleive they were built in Miami near Bertram on the river. Thats about all I know. I guess the earliest ones were wood, and switched over to glass at some point.
Who was/is Forest Johnson... offshore racer? Naval architecht? Did he become the well known boat photographer- Forest Johnson?
Anyone have any experiences in Prowlers?
Isn't there a infamous Prowler32 FB that runs charters out of Stuart? I wanna say the "bone shaker" but could be way off on that...

Did a little "googlin" and answered a few of my own questions...
The Bone Shaker charter boat I was thinking of is "Finest Kind" a Whiticar 40... has a similar overall look to the Prowler32FB.
The photographer Forest Johnson is the boatbuilder Forest Johnson's son... interesting.
Still love to hear any info anyone has on the boats... or the history.

Check out this site---http://groups.msn.com/RybovichBoats/mes ... nw---there is some threads on the Prowlers----there is also some beatuiful pictures in the photo albums

Prowlers appear big time in Southern Boating magazine. Every issue. A member of the Faithful, Capt Mike Holmes is a regular contributor, Gulf Coast Regional Report, he can probably answer your questions.

Thanks Craig... I've seen that site before, some really old models on there, completley restored... beautiful. My browser tends to have a little trouble with the site though. Is there some connection betweeen the prowlers & rybo?

Mikey... I'm familiar with S.Boating, great mag...
But I think you might be thinking of the new line of Prowlers by Marlow Yachts.
And then to add to the confusion, there are Prowler power catamarans.
Here's a pic of a basic/original lookin Forest Johnson Prowler 32 on the hard & for sale... I think they're much prettier in the salt, kinda have the classic Huckins/Higgins/Elco PT Boat attitude when underway.

I also have problem with that site. As far as I know, no conection with Rybo---but that site is dedicated to custom wood sportfish.

If you can, check out the pics of HOT CAT---it was originaly owned by Tommy Ott as the SEA OTTER---supposedly well know in blue marlin circles.

Buju,

That might be my neighbors old boat which was a Prowler 32 and he also sold it to somebody in South Florida years ago, like in 2003. I try to find out who he sold it to. Sweet boat, the person who bought it was going to use it for charters down yunnda.

R,
DQ

Cool DQ, lemme know if ya find out anything.
But no need to jump through any hoops, I'm just curious about 'em, and the history.
From what I've seen, they go back to at least 1948...

Little side note: I remember in the late 70s my dad was approached by a group of guys who wanted to buy the molds for these. He thought about it and decided against, not because of the boat but because of the folks involved.

You mean they wanted him as an investor?
Or that your pops actually owns/owned the prowler molds?

investor only. But it would have been really cool.

thats a beautifully proportioned boat. nice.

Had a buddy with one in Islamorada in the 80's also a friend here in Stuart bought one a few years ago. He wanted a B31 bur is a bargain shopper and got the Prowler for 19 or 20 with 3116s, (whatever preceded the 3208) it was a heavy pig but the flat bottom helped. I think Miami police use them in the 70's. boat had a bigger salon than the 31. and he thought his wife would buy off on it

Reminds me of the old Bay Head skiffs. Kinda F.U.G.L.Y like one of them manatees, you know cute but fugly at the same time

[img][img]http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/glsctr/a1a.jpg[/img][/img]


Just my opinion Sorry

compared to some of the bubble boat crap that boat is beautiful.

Compared to today I agree. Compared to the Prowler I would say the Bayhead skiff has better lines. Compared to the cream of the crop during the time period, the Prowler doesn't do it for me, reminds me of one of my bad drawings as a kid.

I dunno JP... Looks to me the only similarity in the Bayhead is the one house window shape.
The hull is not even remotely similar, looks like a old chris craft sea skiff clinker hull.
Whereas the Prowler hull is real similar to the lines of a old Huckins... but with a hell of shearline.
But of course beauty is in the eye of blah-blah-blah....
Keep in mind this is a pic of a 32 in relativley poor condition- like so many "before" pics of B31's upon purchase and before redux.
Here's a few more pics of various Prowlers:
a nicely done 27 or 28:

a 32 open

some other 32fb



A beautiful prowler38


I guess if you still think they look like manatees, it's comforting to know that not everyone see's things like Randall & I do, right?

I think it has some what of a classic look. But how does it ride. I never road in a Bayhead skiff but I was told it was good rough water boat.

JP,

These look real close to your F.U.G.L.Y boat, and they all were a real show boat.

http://www.gilligansisle.com/minnow.html


Maiden voyage: 1964
Fate: Shipwrecked in South Pacific after 3 hour tour
General characteristics
Length: 38 ft 6 in (11.7 m)
Installed power: 230 hp each
Propulsion: Detroit Deisels
Speed: 12 knots cruise, max 14 knots
Capacity: 5 passengers
Crew: 2

R,
DQ

Funny you'd mention that DQ,
A few years ago there used to be a bunch of partially and fully sunken derelict boats (pretty much an illegal boat graveyard) right at where US1 enters the Keys, Lake Surprise.
Sometimes I'd take my skiff in there when it was blowin or generally crappy, just to get outta the wind, have a beer, whatever.
One day theres a big ol (45-50')white FB wood hull sportfish submerged just past the salon & cockpit deck. The gunnels, countertops, foredeck, & bridge were all above, windows busted out...old DD's still in there.
Thought it was cool, so I tied up to it and start crawling around. Most everything of any value was gone- rodholders, riggers, deck hrdware, etc. Did score some cool little things like brass 'galley' & 'head' plates (galley one is in my house, above the hood on the stove),a bunch of 'reclaimed' teak... the only thing left on the bridge was a solid brass instrument panel engraved with "Wheeler".
I had no idea... Not so much about the SS Minnow, but also Hemingway's Pilar...both Wheelers.
Really sad to see someone dump a boat like that. From what I could tell, the entire hull was thick mahogany planking, and all the structual elements were as well, I remember looking at the construction in awe. Had all kinds of crazy thoughts about salvaging the hull, for the wood alone. That was alotta mahogany. It'd be rightous to make that into T&G flooring for the house, something-
Probably in the Card Sound landfill now... sniff,sniff.

But I'm a sucker for that stuff.

me too.

I saw a 32 express docked on Jupiter Island, it was called CATILLAC, believe it is owned by Alan Jackson---set up for cruising--with a pair of 380 HP Cummins.

set up for cruising--with a pair of 380 HP Cummins.

I'm thinkin thats gotta haul ass...

I found this info on a listing for the 38 above... A real brief psuedo-history, kinda interesting though.
http://www.yachtbroker.com/boat-ad/disp ... id/1516586

Buju,

The little Prowler,,,,,,,,,,,,,, its not for me, I do appreciate the detail and workmanship apparent in the refits you've highlighted. These I'm sure are as nice as they get.

The difference in the 32Prowler and our B31's to me is that even bone stock and in need of refurb the B31 is still well proportioned and dare I say pretty

I hear ya JP...
I sure wasn't comparing 'em to the B31... In fact, I bet the B31 played a big part in the company closing up shop.
I Just have admired them for a long time (my fav. is the 23open w/a little 1/2 tower, which I cant find any pics of right now) and was wondering why info was hard to come by, even from owners.
I thought it was pretty interesting in the above link (for the 38) who the former owners are on that boat:

Mike Matlack, who now builds the Gamefisherman Boats in Stuart, FL., was the second owner. In fact, the classic and proud lines of the Prowler are not dissimilar to Mike's new classic. Mike sold the boat to another well known fisherman, Tred Barta. Tred owned the boat for a number of years and then sold her to an owner out of Wrightsville Beach, NC, before she was then sold to her current owner.

My first boat in Florida was a 32 Prowler with froze up Crusaders in the early 80's.

Kept it for 2 years while fixin it up. Bought it from the the first marina's owner I had my business at when he got tired of the project.

Put a pair of Chris Craft 427 Fords in her that came out of a repower.

Heavy, slow and ate fuel like a fat man at the all you can eat buffet, when the secondaries opened.

I soon realized that boat projects sucked and varnish was the devils paint of choice.

Traded it for a part ownership in a Cessna 172 and soon realized that 3 guys owning something together sucked also and sold out after I got my license.

I soon realized that boat projects sucked and varnish was the devils paint of choice.

Damn Bruce, you just contradicted everything I stand for. Or, I am Lucifer himself.?.
How'd that heavy pig ride anyway?
Was she a FB or a open?
...something attracted you to her though, right?

Not sure how heavy they were , but with that flat bottom probably ran pretty fast on calm water.

Also , would the glass boats be heavier than the wood?

Here ya go Randall, you need a bigger boat to put that autographed board in anyways...

http://keys.craigslist.org/boa/2051913005.html

Didn't the guy who started Tropic Star have a fleet of Wheelers down there? I know the boats were lapstrake.