F14CRAZY
Ensign
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2008
- Messages
- 945
I'm considering taking on a big project, a 1964 (or so) Chris Craft Sea Skiff 32'. Twin 327s, I think, and lapstrake plywood planking. It's a big cruiser like a Constellation but a Sea Skiff because of its lapstrake hull. It's located at the marina my Bayliner is at (on the hard) and I can get it for next to nothing.
I know this board mostly consists of restoring fiberglass boats but after doing the stringers and all in my Bayliner I'm not convinced that fiberglass is all that trouble free anyway...
I walked around the thing with a guy I know at the marina that's fixed up his own '26 or so lapstrake Owens and he showed me that it's pretty solid but will need a transom and the gunwhale board, I'm not sure if that has a better technical term, but the wood around the boat at the rubrail. I'm not that knowledgeable in wooden boats but it seems that lapstrake designs seem fairly easy to fix. The engines and transmissions are supposed to be good though I'll have to hear them run or at least do a compression test. The interior is a bit dirty but not in bad shape. The slips and storage rates at our marina aren't bad at all either.
Have any of you guys restored such a wooden boat? I understand that boat project budgets can go waaaaay over as I found out with my Capri. I don't anticipate having it seaworthy this season, or even next season, and it'll be a long term project. But I can afford the storage and shrink wrapping. The owner of the marina (in Grand Haven on the Grand River) is pretty cool and there's no problems with me working on it there. I know it'll be a lot of work to get the plumbing back in order (thank goodness I grew up working for a family plumbing business), and I know it'll need a lot of new wiring, a lot of paint, a lot of varnish, a lot of sanding...but I can work in the time and slowly fund the project. I know the twin V8s are gonna use a lot more fuel than my 3.0L Capri and filling a 150-200 gal tank isn't cheap (though it helps that our marina has the cheapest on water gas anywhere). Before too long my current financial obligations will be complete and I'll be able to pour more into the project. If I can turn the vessel around it'll be a sweet classic that I can keep for life and hopefully be able to make a Great Loop tour with.
I picked up a $500 Bayliner with holes in the deck and rotten stringers and was able to pull through and restore it...I think I have the drive to pull through on this.
What do you guys think? Anyone with personal experience with such a vessel?
I don't have pix of it yet but it pretty much looks like this
I know this board mostly consists of restoring fiberglass boats but after doing the stringers and all in my Bayliner I'm not convinced that fiberglass is all that trouble free anyway...
I walked around the thing with a guy I know at the marina that's fixed up his own '26 or so lapstrake Owens and he showed me that it's pretty solid but will need a transom and the gunwhale board, I'm not sure if that has a better technical term, but the wood around the boat at the rubrail. I'm not that knowledgeable in wooden boats but it seems that lapstrake designs seem fairly easy to fix. The engines and transmissions are supposed to be good though I'll have to hear them run or at least do a compression test. The interior is a bit dirty but not in bad shape. The slips and storage rates at our marina aren't bad at all either.
Have any of you guys restored such a wooden boat? I understand that boat project budgets can go waaaaay over as I found out with my Capri. I don't anticipate having it seaworthy this season, or even next season, and it'll be a long term project. But I can afford the storage and shrink wrapping. The owner of the marina (in Grand Haven on the Grand River) is pretty cool and there's no problems with me working on it there. I know it'll be a lot of work to get the plumbing back in order (thank goodness I grew up working for a family plumbing business), and I know it'll need a lot of new wiring, a lot of paint, a lot of varnish, a lot of sanding...but I can work in the time and slowly fund the project. I know the twin V8s are gonna use a lot more fuel than my 3.0L Capri and filling a 150-200 gal tank isn't cheap (though it helps that our marina has the cheapest on water gas anywhere). Before too long my current financial obligations will be complete and I'll be able to pour more into the project. If I can turn the vessel around it'll be a sweet classic that I can keep for life and hopefully be able to make a Great Loop tour with.
I picked up a $500 Bayliner with holes in the deck and rotten stringers and was able to pull through and restore it...I think I have the drive to pull through on this.
What do you guys think? Anyone with personal experience with such a vessel?
I don't have pix of it yet but it pretty much looks like this
. I'll try joining a board more dedicated to wooden boats and see if I can gain some more insight on what it takes
