1961 53' Huckins Linwood Restoration Project

Joined
Jun 15, 2013
Messages
6
Just purchased this boat from a friend in San Diego, CA. Im starting at the stern and working on getting rid of all the rotten wood, re lay some fiberglass then re paint. Im thinking about doing the rear deck as synthetic teak. What are your thoughts and suggestions??






 

Teamster

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Nov 8, 2010
Messages
1,923
Re: 1961 53' Huckins Linwood Restoration Project

I think I want to tag along and watch this,.............................

Looks like fun,......
 

mccoytr

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 21, 2012
Messages
200
Re: 1961 53' Huckins Linwood Restoration Project

Looks like you got a days work ahead of you. Will be watching this work. Lets just hope you don't cut through the hull when working on that floor!! Would be wrong time to join that club. Post plenty of pics.
 

pckeen

Commander
Joined
Jun 20, 2012
Messages
2,067
Re: 1961 53' Huckins Linwood Restoration Project

This project looks amazing. Good luck, I'll be watching!
 

Woodonglass

Supreme Mariner
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Dec 29, 2009
Messages
25,924
Re: 1961 53' Huckins Linwood Restoration Project

What's your budget? Have you checked your Engines? Are they sound and good runners? How's the below deck superstructure? Everything shipshape?
 

Ned L

Commander
Joined
Sep 17, 2008
Messages
2,266
Re: 1961 53' Huckins Linwood Restoration Project

Nice Huckins! She is definately worth your spending the time to learn to do things properly. "Synthetic teak" on a Huckins would be like putting vinyl wood grain wall paper on a Rolls Royce.
 
Joined
Jun 15, 2013
Messages
6
Re: 1961 53' Huckins Linwood Restoration Project

Hey guys, thanks for the replies...

mccoytr : Ya that would be a bad day to go through the floor. The two engine compartment doors are feeling a bit soft and bouncy so im just going to straight replace them with new plywood and im thinking re fiberglass them as well and then ill go from there on what to surface it with. Any suggestions cause I would like to do something other than straight white paint.

Woodonglass: Budget is good, im a single guy with very few expenses so that why my buddy let me take this project over. That budget will come into play when ill have to redo the electrical and gauges. its all on a 32V system still, ORIGINAL, so it all works but needs to be updated so that's on the list down the road. Dual diesel engines that both run, the underbelly is actually very sound. it was taken out a couple years ago and inspected and fixed up. the bilge pumps never have anything to clean up so all seems good down there. just need to weather protect it first before I go internal.

Ned L: Maybe I used the wrong term for my flooring idea, Flexiteek ? The original synthetic teak decking material for boats is what I was thinking of doing the full back deck with this. Is this the crappy stuff your thinking of? If so, what would be your best suggestion to make it look like the Rolls Royce she really is? I just want it to be perfect, that's why Im sharing the progress.

Heres some updates, so the lower side walls were pretty rotten and I decided to take them out. Afterwards I was very pleased the look and feel of them being off, it really opened up the deck, didn't feel so closed in. Continued to work around the inner edge of the deck wall, started digging out the rotten spots ill be filling them in. More photos to come and all suggestions are welcome. Thanks guys



 

64osby

Admiral
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Messages
6,799
Re: 1961 53' Huckins Linwood Restoration Project

Wow! Huge project boat. No real suggestions, but that big red Milwaukee Sawzall might be getting a ton of use.

Welcome to the site and I'll tag long watching.
 

White90GT

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Messages
161
Re: 1961 53' Huckins Linwood Restoration Project

subscribing, good luck!
 

Slmith

Recruit
Joined
Jul 23, 2013
Messages
1
Re: 1961 53' Huckins Linwood Restoration Project

Hey, My name is Steve. I bought a sister ship in the fall and have a bunch of restoration underway and will launch next summer. My hull is 359. Yours must be 356 -> 360. We need to talk. How would you like to make contact?
 

Woodonglass

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
25,924
Re: 1961 53' Huckins Linwood Restoration Project

I would try and make contact with a local sawmill and score some Douglas Fir,Southern Yellow Pine, White Oak or other highly resinous wood that could be sawn and Kiln Dried into lumber sized to your needs. It's either that or your will need to use epoxy and laminated the wood to get the thicknesses needed.
 
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surlyjoe

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Nov 21, 2005
Messages
486
Re: 1961 53' Huckins Linwood Restoration Project

Sweet yacht! wood boats are sooo nice to live on, quiet and dry!

I did a 54' Northwestern Trawler with my dad back in the 90's. He bought it from the owner of HotRod magazine who had ordered it new, built out as a coastal cruiser. Alaskan cedar over white oak with twin GMC 8v92, very cool boat for the Baja!

Anyway, the biggest job we didn't see at first was replacing the cracked ribs.. we ended up laminating them out of marine ply rather than trying to find someone to steam bend them. Take a good look at the ribs for cracking in the knees!
 
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Ned L

Commander
Joined
Sep 17, 2008
Messages
2,266
Re: 1961 53' Huckins Linwood Restoration Project

I can't say that I've ever seen much in the way of teak on a Huckins. If you are really interested in maintaining & maximizing her value I would suggest you do some good research on Huckins boats and understand their styling (traditionally always sort of 'minimalist' in appearance. Never much in the varnished mahogany & teak look). They have a very distinctive look and finish about them, that is in part what makes them a "Huckins" (aside from the just straight out high quality). I would be concerned that if you start straying from the original fit & finish and intent of the boat you will only reduce her value.
 
Joined
Jun 15, 2013
Messages
6
Re: 1961 53' Huckins Linwood Restoration Project

Hey all, been traveling a bunch for work but I have been doing work on her, and have plenty of photos to show you guys. I haven't decided anything on the Teak aspect yet, was just considering it. I have been doing a bunch of research on Huckins and looking at ones from the era and style. There seems to be a lot of different ones out there and it seems hard to find an original style because they are so old, many have been restored by personal style of the owner.
If you have any place that has photos of original Huckins that would be awesome because a lot of this Im doing from ones that are being sold.
Slmith- you can send me a private message on this site or at ninjadesigns289@gmail.com Would love to discuss construction issues with you.
Surlyjoe- the boat was taken out about two years ago and had a full inspection done on it so I believe the ribs are all sound but I will be doing a check now that you mentioned it. From the old logs it seems its never been too far off shore before so I don't believe it has taken much abuse.
Ned L-I had a question about you mentioning them not varnishing the Mahogany. The previous owner was telling me otherwise and when he sold it said that all the wood trim just needs to me sanded and stained. Im using Cetol, believe that's the right term, oil based for my trim staining. What is your opinion?


Here was the work process for the massive 13ft beam across the stern:





So obviously the wood filler applied to the massive crack really stands out so I will be applying some stain/paint with a fine brush to the filler putty that should match the stain of the wood and come back over with another coat of Cetol on the entire thing and hopefully hide the putty discoloration.
 
Joined
Jun 15, 2013
Messages
6
Re: 1961 53' Huckins Linwood Restoration Project

Ive begun sanding and painting on one of the largest surfaces, the tanning mid deck just in front of the helm and the roof of the saloon.
I used a two part epoxy, two coats and I will finish with a Poly Urethane top coat for an extra strong and high gloss finish. I also used 3M 5200 sealant along the wood trim rails on the deck where the wood meets fiberglass.
Original:

Sanded:

Sealant:

2 Part Epoxy Rolled On:

 
Joined
Jun 15, 2013
Messages
6
Re: 1961 53' Huckins Linwood Restoration Project

Both engine hatches were shot. the fiberglass was peeling off and the wood was ruined. the insulation and struts on the underside were still good so I purchased new wood, 7 layer marine ply and rebuild both engine hatches using the old struts that I removed from the old hatches and the insulation also. Heres some photos of the steps I took.

Fitting the sheet with the right thickness to allow the drainage system to work. There is a series of channels that trap the water that slips past the engine hatches and drains out the boat, very cool when I figured it out, IMO.


Laid out where struts would be placed:


Prepping struts: Cut old screws, sand smooth, apply glue, then screw into new board:




Add insulation:


Next step to follow is fiberglass engine hatches and paint epoxy. Pictures to follow with completion.

Any comments always welcome, thank you all for everything you have provided, Im young and new to a lot of this so I appreciate any piece of advice you would like to provide. Enjoy.
 

Huckfan

Recruit
Joined
Sep 22, 2014
Messages
2
It seems to have been a while since the last posts regarding the Huckins Linwood restoration project, anything new to report? I am contemplating a similar project so I am all ears !
 

Huckfan

Recruit
Joined
Sep 22, 2014
Messages
2
Has anything new been happening since the last post? I would love to see the progress!
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
If there was anything going on, Huck would be posting. In the meantime, wait until he does before posting. Please do not reply to topics with no activity for 90 or more days. This clearly falls into that category. Please read the rules, thanks.
 
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