no reply from international marine

[wayneoro]

they make caribbean boats . having bought a used caribbean and loving it i wanted more info about them . over a year i have sent them 3 emails requesting info on how or where [if any] i could access the info i wanted . never have i had a reply >:( even to say we have no archive of info etc etc

[boatboy50]

Wayne,

What info are you after?

Maybe someone here can help?

What model do you have?

Regards

Darren

[BM]

What do you want to know specifically mate?

[Mindi]

Wayne. Not sure that this is the sort of history you are asking..? but here goes.
A guy called Tom Spooner made a lot of money supplying tinned food during WW2 under brand Tom Piper. Bought land at Scoresby between Ferntree Gully Rd and Stud Rd with a vision of Aust disneyland and started building boats as International Marine with franchise for Ray Hunt (Florida) designed Bertram and Caribbean hulls....not sure if the Caribbean moulds were Hunt designed or locally "inspired" by the close proximity of Hunt's Bertram hulls....??? if you get my drift....The boats were called Bertrams as Hunt designed the first one for a Florida Car dealer named Dick Bertram.....
Spooners created a lake and did "Caribbean Waterski Gardens" modelled on Florida's Cypress Gardens thingo for some years but the Disneyland dream stayed just that. Built (still builds...?) Columbia Yachts also...business taken over by son Russell Spooner..large part of property sold off for light industrial use...brands include Bertram, Caribbean, Pride(same as Caribbean), Columbia (sail) all glass, all premium quality, think focus in recent years is at big end to compete with Riviera etc rather than trailer boats. Pioneering family in Aust boatbuilding and absolutely top people...may be oldest boatbuilders still operating in Aust..? dont know...anyone else still around since 1950 ish..?.

I recall some of the models but not enough to help you in detail there..? although spent a lot of time in Bertram 25s, Caribbean Reef Runners, and a 20ft Pride runabout I had which was awesome...all very similar deep V hulls with an obviously shared parentage.

[wayneoro]

cheers guys just technical stuff . plus ideas on fitouts etc i have the 5.5mtr caribbean baron [1985 approx]with the 115hp classic merc [2004] would like to know the original prop this would have had . lots of these units were sold . i am in my unit for the long haul ,i think it is perfect .bow rider full cabin built like a little ship ,go almost anywhere [river crabbing -100nms reefing ].still a worry when the manufacturers cant be bothered to reply to a owners email .

[Ocean_Spirit]

I would suggest a phone call as opposed to email, as details quite often change and these may not have been received.

Like your John Haines (Signature), Lindsay Fry (Seafarer), Bill Barry-Cotter (Riviera/Maritimo), the Spooner family is one of the stalwarts of the Aussie boating industry and has plenty of experience, and I have heard, are very passionate about their product. So I have no doubt they would be willing to talk to you.

International Marine build the Caribbean range as alluded to above. In my mind, they build one of Australia's best flybridge boat ranges between 28" - 40". Very different boat in terms of design and fit-out to Riviera/Maritimo (different market), and different level of specification and type of fit-out. Over the 40" mark I guess you begin to also look at imports like Viking, Hatteras, Bertram, Etc. in that size range and price bracket.

As mentioned above, proven hull designs and traditional construction principles that work - great resale on the newer boats too. Spooner family recently had a good article in the BRW top rich list and International Marine are a well backed company and great dealer network around the place.

40" Caribbean would be the dream!

[Mindi]

cheers guys just technical stuff . plus ideas on fitouts etc i have the 5.5mtr caribbean baron [1985 approx]with the 115hp classic merc [2004] would like to know the original prop this would have had . lots of these units were sold . i am in my unit for the long haul ,i think it is perfect .bow rider full cabin built like a little ship ,go almost anywhere [river crabbing -100nms reefing ].still a worry when the manufacturers cant be bothered to reply to a owners email .

Wow a Baron....awesome...they were bowriders before bowriders were probably even called bowriders..? sorry cant help at all on the motor. Classic boat.

[boatboy50]

Wayne,

Back when those boats were built the engine hp was rated at the flywheel. Today they are rated at the prop. I would say your 2004 model engine would use a different prop to the original engines anyway.

I would just make sure your engine is reaching it's needed rpm range, which on that engine I think is 5000-5500rpm. That is all that counts.

Regards

Darren

[rubba]

mate get hold of flattyfinder off here he has been in contact with them before regards dale

[BM]

Wayne,

If your boat still has its ID plate on the transom area it will have the model number (be it V183 etc) and the serial number.

A phone call to reception at International will provide you with the year of production. I don't believe they were building the Baron in 1985 but a phone call will find out. Phone call is better than email because email can easily be ignored. Can't ignore a person on the other end of the phone though.

Your 115 Merc will very likely have a 16 or 17 inch prop which will be the right prop for that hull. As mentioned by Darren the only consideration you have is to ensure that at full throttle you are achieving the max rpm as stated by the manufacturer. Your serial number decal on the swivel bracket will state the max rpm, which I think for your engine is 5250rpm.

International are very good to deal with. I rang them recently for some info on the Bertram 28 flybridge (no longer produced) and they promptly mailed out to me the original brochures for the Bertram 25 and 28.

Cheers

[BrewGuru]

Mindi, was that in the western suburbs of NSW, the "Disney Park" ?

[Waraba Mick]

Hi wayne, i have an original brochure for the Caribbean Baron, late 1970s, pm me if you want a copy.



Mick.

[BGG]

Here's as much as I can tell you:

LOA - 5.51 m
Beam - 2.34
Max HP - 150 rated at the flywheel
Weight - 636KG

[wayneoro]

great input guys ty , will try put pics up . i dont believe i could have bought a better boat if i had known what i was doing

[Mindi]

Mindi, was that in the western suburbs of NSW, the "Disney Park" ?

No it is Melbourne SE....the land going south and west from the intersection of Stud Rd and Ferntree Gully Rd in Scoresby...International Marine still there and when I last looked some years ago there was a regular market around the old lake,. Most of the street frontage of the original property has been long sold off to businesses/factories.

[wayneoro]

Hi wayne, i have an original brochure for the Caribbean Baron, late 1970s, pm me if you want a copy.



Mick. ty mate got it ,that is a great help . my baron is just a little bigger 19.3 or 5.5 with a full size cabin .so is probably older then the one in your brochure .but everything else the same cheers wayne

[Waraba Mick]

Thanks mate glad i could help, i guess i would be safe in saying you would have the only Baron in woodgate. Nice to see some of the older girls still on the water.


Mick.

[wayneoro]

ok rang them and found nice helpful people they are mailing me all they have [info];D go caribbean 8-)