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Random Quote: If you take care of your boat your boat will take care of you.
Can anyone tell me anything about these boats? I can't seem to find much info on them through a web search. I have seen one or two for sale but wanted to find out a little about them before heading out to take a look.
I'm not familiar with "North American", but "North American Fiberglass", I think, was the builder of the the GREAT "Sea Ox" boats of 20 years or so ago?
North American Fiberglas(Sea Ox) were built down the road from Grady, changed to Sea Cat in '94 and eventually to World Cat. Sea Ox were used by CG in 80's.
I used to live with a guy on IOP, SC that had a 22' side console. At least that is what he told me it was and it looked nothing like a Sea Ox. It reminded me of a Wellcraft V20. If memory serves me correctly, it had fairly low gunnels, was wet, and pounded. It ended up turtling at the dock because of some home made temporary bait tank he was using.
They were great boats in their day. The drawback now is most (if not all) drive trains were OMC stringers. While a stringer mount isn't that big a deal, finding OMC stuff is much more problematic. If you can find one in good condition, it'd make a great restoration ...
S-22 North Amerian offshore were built in Hialiah Florida , they were tough as nails hull was 1/2" thick and laid glass. Was told they were run to Bimini and back on each maiden voyage...Overbuilt to todays standards. As a wood junkie it was the first glass boat that didn't BOB in the water. first boat to sell me on fiberglass, I have had 4 , currently remodeling one in Orlando and know where several are sitting. Most in blocks and covered with weeds, but the hull is unmistakable Can spot one going 60 miles an hour out of the corner of my eye, then its slam on the brakes time....took belly tanks out, side saddle takes out, engines and outdrives out, replaced with brackets to free up fishing space....love the boats.
North American I know is 25ft or so, center console, and looks like Beehive (similar to Ocean Master) in the way the fwd gunnels are slightly flared up. I have seen them straight inboard or outboard.
What a pleasent surprise to see that.
A Boat House Bulletin from the sixties, when the tests were done at the end of Midnight Pass Rd. in Sarasota, later moved to Placida.
That's where I saw my first S22, might even be the boat pictured.
It was a very good hull for the times.
I can recall the man that ran both Siesta Key and Lake X for Mr. K commenting on how well the hull was built, and he knew how to hurt a hull.
I sold my old S22 last year. I bought the boat in 1992 and used her in the Chesapeake Bay for 18 years. It was a 1976 with a Johnson GT150 outboard and a 18 Merc kicker for crabbing. The bottom of the hull has 11 layers of hand laid glass and the gunnels are one inch thick. The S22 hull weight is 2,785 lbs. (just the hull). The S22 with the back to back seats can fish 4 people easy. You will love the way it takes the chop. PM me if you have any further questions.
Ken
__________________ Ken2175
98 Proline 34 CC
2-250 mercs
If memory serves me correctly they were actually built by larson, north american was a subdivision. They are of average quality
it is the other way around...first built S-19, S-22 in Hialeah...then in 1978 (I believe) came out with harry schoel delta-conic hull on a C-22 center console...fishing buddy bought a new one from sundance 1978 with a 175 merc black max...great ride...I bought a 1979 hull with a 1980 200 johnson on it in 1980.......drove to Hudson Fl. to pick it up...loved that boat...
they later made C-20 and a C-26...
1984 got laid off by Pan AM and had to sell it
somewhere around late 80's or early 90's larson got the molds and started selling them as International american or something similar...
I looked at one and it appeared they cheapened the build somewhat...
Boat manufacturer "North American" 
