Rare Vintage Hondo & other Boat Rods

[Miller Custom Boats]

http://millercustomboats.com/images/designs/***boat.jpg
This is a boat I built in the mid 90's. 20' Miller Custom. I started building this boat as my personal family ski boat/demonstrator. It didn't last long, not even thru the build. I got a call from an old (not old, PREVIOUS) customer. He had owned a 20' all-glass Miller, loved it and was wondering what I was doing. "What are you working on, what do ya got in the shop?" He had just returned from the L.A. boat show that year. He was looking for something unique, something different, he was looking for a Boat Rod.

[Miller Custom Boats]

http://millercustomboats.com/images/...20wooddeck.jpg
The hull bottom half is built of Kevlar with high density foam core and a fiberglass mix. This combination produces a high rigidity and stiffness in the hullI weighing half of a normal layup. When I chose the wood for the deck, I was able to thumb through pieces of this particular cut log. In the center of the log, I found beautiful Bubinga Pomelei with a large sap runout, something I've never seen before. I used the wood with the runouts.

[Miller Custom Boats]

http://millercustomboats.com/images/.../20bubinga.jpg
The rigidity and stiffness of the sandwich construction of the hull in combination with the wood deck gives this boat a ride, feeling, sound that never comes with an all glass boat.
I originally built this boat with a 502, but when the customer bought my "ski boat" we started making changes and the boat evolved.

[Miller Custom Boats]

http://millercustomboats.com/images/projects/blown.jpg
I took the 502 out and dropped in a Paul Pfaff 900 hp blown big block chevy. My customer told me the boat ran a 106+ m.p.h. surprising a few "old school" cruisers at the river.
My thanks go to Paul Pfaff, Andy Casale, Glenwool, Lightning, they all helped make this a real boat rod.

[Miller Custom Boats]

http://millercustomboats.com/images/.../20woodevo.jpg
A little change to the interior.

[Miller Custom Boats]

http://millercustomboats.com/images/designs/***boat.jpg
After his initial call, my customer showed up a few days later on his bike, with ten other guys on bikes, all flying their American flags. And a chase vehicle, they were going north for a couple of days. They all looked the boat over and he bought it on the spot. My kind of day.
The gentleman that bought this boat is a great guy to work for. It is with pleasure I call him a friend.