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Rare Mandella?

Vanilla Gorilla

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I know I am not necessarily in the right spot (V-Drive vs Direct Drive) but I figure this is where most Mandella knowledge would be. I am looking for any info, opinions or feedback regarding a boat that has come up for sale a couple times in the area and it keeps peaking my interest.

It is a 1970 Luis Brummett Mandella 23ft with a cuddy. Claimed to be 1 of 7 built. 12" stringers run the length of the boat. originally had a 427 ford and now has a 410 bored .30 over. The hull has a couple issues but nothing major. They asking $4000.

I have been searching the interweb, all the boards and forums. I can only find one reference to a 23' Mandella, it is in the Ski Race Race boat Names thread here ("Blue Angel" 23 ft Mandella Lou Brummett pulled Butch Peterson in the Catalina Ski Race about 67)

Thanks for the help.

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Riverbound

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I would just shoot a call to Carson brumett. He would know the scoop on the boat.
 

CampbellCarl

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Yeah, that's real rare. I think that I have seen one other in my 60 years around boats. This thing will need to be a labor of love for you as its not really all that good looking (kinda like the ugly duckling) but should be a lot of fun. Isn't going to ride real well as its kinda like a 23' flatbottom. Appears to have maybe 4-5* of deadrise at the stern. Interior seems to all be there. Anything in the cutty cabin? Maybe v-berth up front a couple of benches along the side? Nice colors. Whats the extent of the hull damage? Have you done a 'tap' test on floors and stringers? Look for cloudy spots in the glass (particularly where any thru-bolting happens like motor mounts etc). Older boats have lots of opportunity to stay wet inside and delamination would be your worst enemy. What part of the country is this Mandella?

Do the tap test, see if the motor will fire and make an offer....

Very cool old boat.

CC
 

CampbellCarl

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Appears to be a 3 piece boat, also fairly rare. Bottom is molded in two pieces (left and right) then assembled at the keel line and the deck is the third piece and lays over the top of the gunnel kinda like Mac Stevens did.

Makes sense as Louie's kid Carson used the same process when he built the 21' Brummett.

CC
 

obnoxious001

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Appears to be a 3 piece boat, also fairly rare. Bottom is molded in two pieces (left and right) then assembled at the keel line and the deck is the third piece and lays over the top of the gunnel kinda like Mac Stevens did.

Makes sense as Louie's kid Carson used the same process when he built the 21' Brummett.

CC

3 piece is the way the glass Mandellas were built, to the best of my knowledge.
 

obnoxious001

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I know I am not necessarily in the right spot (V-Drive vs Direct Drive) but I figure this is where most Mandella knowledge would be. I am looking for any info, opinions or feedback regarding a boat that has come up for sale a couple times in the area and it keeps peaking my interest.

It is a 1970 Luis Brummett Mandella 23ft with a cuddy. Claimed to be 1 of 7 built. 12" stringers run the length of the boat. originally had a 427 ford and now has a 410 bored .30 over. The hull has a couple issues but nothing major. They asking $4000.

I have been searching the interweb, all the boards and forums. I can only find one reference to a 23' Mandella, it is in the Ski Race Race boat Names thread here ("Blue Angel" 23 ft Mandella Lou Brummett pulled Butch Peterson in the Catalina Ski Race about 67)

Thanks for the help.

Best bet, as Riverbound mentioned would be to call Carson Brummett (626) 792-6410,,, same phone number for all these years. He usually has no problem taking time out from engine building to talk about the old boats a bit. We were family friends with not only the Brummetts, but also very close to Butch Peterson in those days. They ran photos of "Blue Angel" in their ads with Lou sitting in the seat looking at the camera if I recall, can't find one online.
 

Sleek-Jet

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someone that used to post on here owns one of those, I think his screen name is 67Mandella(?). His hasn't ever been rigged, supposedly the last one built. He showed me the boat once, it was kind of "interesting" looking.
 

Racey

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3 piece is the way the glass Mandellas were built, to the best of my knowledge.

18 foot mandellas were 3 piece yes, Left/Right Hull mold bolted down the keel line, deck sits on top. 21' Brummett's was a top/bottom hull mold bolded around the molding line with the deck sitting on top.

in 67 I believe they pulled Butch with an 18 footer, not sure if it was a long deck. My Dad pulled him one of those years.
 

Vanilla Gorilla

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It is an odd boat but I think that is what is interesting about it. It is said to weight close to 4000lbs and go about 45 mph so it should ride like a tank and handle some decent chop on the lake. It needs some help with cosmetics but nothing major. It looks a lot bigger in person, shold make a killer ski boat. My brother is pushing me to pick it up so he can wakesurf behind it.
 

waterhorse

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Cool and interesting boat. Really enjoy the history of the West coast boat builders and the different designs that were built. Is there any written or recorded material available that documents all of the West coast builders? I worked for Miller Boats in the mid 70s and learned a lot from them, Dave, John and Jim.
If I found that cruiser I would have a hard time not getting it.
Good luck.
 

obnoxious001

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in 67 I believe they pulled Butch with an 18 footer, not sure if it was a long deck. My Dad pulled him one of those years.

Butch's boat, me learning to ski. I am relatively sure Butch had more than one Mandella, as you can see this one is a long deck. Pretty sure this is the boat that Jack Lynch later destroyed when he owned it.

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River Dirt 2

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"Pretty sure this is the boat that Jack Lynch later destroyed when he owned it."

Yep, hoping he has much better luck with this one!
 

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mandella1day

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Anyone know if the Mandella is still for sale? If so does anyone have any contact info
 

msmeads

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Butch's boat, me learning to ski. I am relatively sure Butch had more than one Mandella, as you can see this one is a long deck. Pretty sure this is the boat that Jack Lynch later destroyed when he owned it.

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How did he destroy this boat?
 

obnoxious001

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How did he destroy this boat?

I was at the Lynch river house and noticed the photo on the wall. Somehow there was a discussion about life jackets in fast boats and John told me his mom had asked Jack to put his jacket on right before he took the boat out. He flipped the boat and tore it up pretty badly from what I was told, took the hull to the dump.
 

kenny nunez

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I know a little history of a 18' that was here in New Orleans. A friend of mine had what he said was a "Circle track " model. Tragically he was killed in it when he hit the sea wall one night in 82 and the 454 tore loose and crushed him. The EMT s told me it was not a good scene. He may have been impaired. The family still has the boat. I believe it was a an early 70s model. I drove it a few times. Sad.
 
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