Twenty years ago I was given a bag with four rolled up blueprints and a pile of fragments. They were so brittle the only way to stabilize them was to mount them on poster board. The pile of fragments filled in the missing gaps like a jigsaw puzzle. When I was done I had the only original Ventnor hydroplane plans left in existence.
All other plans were destroyed in fires at the Ventnor and Minett-Shields factories. Ventnor did not sell plans unless a licensing fee was paid. Minett-Shields and one private individual were the only two that ever paid the fee.
These plans are for a post war 18’ Ventnor 225 “tail dragger”. This is a 68 year old design! This would have been powered by a Lycoming Six, a Gray Fireball or a Ford Flathead V8. The plans were hand traced on velum from the original blueprints. All information on the four sheets is included as well as sponson frames taken from the one remaining post war 225. These were factory plans and did not include details such as battens. One sheet is 19 full size side frame patterns, one has seven bottom frames, “keelson post” pattern, table of beam dimensions and some construction notes, the next has seventeen frames including transom as well as the cavitation plate details and the dimensions for the building form, the last original drawing includes the bow block, watertight bulkhead and hatch details and the engine stringer dimensions, also drawings of the hull with an air rudder and sponsons done by the original builder. The tips of three frames are missing but there is more than enough information to extrapolate from adjoining frames. There are three other drawings that show the sponsons and bottom and side views of the hull. Can be built as a two seater! I will include a pattern for the turn fins and an outline of the original rudder. There are no cowling or tail details.
These seven sheets will allow an experienced builder to make a Ventnor 225 replica which is not only accurate in appearance but construction details as well! Of the hundreds originally made there is only one post war Ventnor 225 left. There are dozens of famous hulls waiting to be replicated! I will be happy to help with research. I have more projects than I will ever be able to get to so I’ve decided to sell a limited number of plan sets. I want to see more Ventnors at vintage events…and I might finally get to drive one. Cost of a set is $450. If you have any questions please ask before you make your purchase.
I prefer check or money order.
Please email me for my mailing address. Keith Brayer V12Liberty@gmail.com
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