reminding me to not get a big boat.
The cruiser was a 1960's Tollycraft.
A wood boat that looked ok from the dock.
Countless issues lurked in the bilge.
The twin 350's defined the classic boat anchor.
but fortunately pickled on the inside.
I teamed up with another barefoot mechanic,
with the same name.
they looked like boat engines,
everything painted no tape needed.
Not anymore.
Carb rebuilds, water pumps, thermostats,
filter and generator mounts, batteries...
Finally the 60's Tollycraft seemed mechanically sound.
Nothing major other than no steering,
the owner was used to it though.
Holey chit...
and a haul out was scheduled.
since the last boatyard visit,
we didn't know what to expect.
The wood keel had been eaten by worms.
the soft gooey center.
Great.
Surprised the diver never mentioned this.
Every thru-hull needed to be reinforced
with fiberglass and replaced,
some unused holes plugged up.
The mental gears grinding for the keel fix.
Meanwhile Pirate Travis fixed the rudders.
but the concept is similar to metal.
Cut...templates...fit...glue...
Sometimes ya gotta just go for it,
and trust your experience.
acting as the perfect saw horse.
Couldn't have planned it any better.
thick mahogany planks.
No special tools just a jig and skil saw.
I'm glad we made it back on that sea trial!
Holey Chit!
to lather in resin,
and all the cut outs were sealed in fiberglass.
Each piece was fit with the good old grinder...
Amazing how fast a 36 grit disc shaves wood.
unless you don't mind paying lay days.
I enlisted Jaxon to power out a late night,
ending with the typical 34 watt bulb...
to thicken the bonding surfaces,
filling any gaps in the seams.
A good old hack trick.
the wood tight.
Couldn't have done it without Jaxon!
The plan was to fiberglass the entire keel the next day.
Not with Jaxon though this was too nasty,
too much dust and stickiness.
Definitely didn't want to ruin our family fun
with the harsh reality...
Now that the wood was repaired,
it was time for some paint.
A painter friend Hau knew just what to do.
Amazing what can be done with some string,
tape and a roll of visquine.
or I tried anyway.
These guys are workhorses,
but they need a constant supply of tools,
materials or direction.
I was the grease in the gears.
My Dad was crucial as he orders all the materials.
Family affair!
It was so hot in the tent.
sanded and faired...
Tons of minor fixes that explode when shiny.
while magnifying others,
allowing a shift in attention to tackle the important details.
assures sanding is thorough.
Did I mention it was hot?
Finally time for the Awlgrip topcoat.
I still have overspray on my glasses.
The finish was impressive.
Too nice for the nasty swim step.
now the topcoat was finished.
Now it was time for the bottom paint.
A relatively easy job other than the waterline.
but this didn't look like the same boat.
Super smooth with crisp lines.
The owner was amazed.
Jakob help with screwing in the thru hulls.
then Pirate Travis buckled down all the hoses and valves.
After the zincs and prop coat
the never ending list was almost complete.
He has had this boat for decades,
and this was the best it had ever been.
Whew!
the last rudder part was fixed,
which meant welding near the fresh paint.
Always something...
Good times with a good crew!
TP
wow.... that is awesome work! About how much was the total bill? I ask because I used to have a 46 foot Chris Craft, all wood. I got lucky, the worms had never eaten into the wood. Lots of copper paint on that ol hull. My shipyard costs included replacing one Chev 350, planking over one drive shaft thru hull and removing the prop and shaft, which I still have. Then repainting the bottom, and out to the water again. 15 thou
ReplyDeleteHey Jesse!
DeleteThis bill shoulda been over 20k for the amount of work and the quick turnaround,
but that's not nearly what he paid!
TP