bouttime007
Chief Petty Officer
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2007
- Messages
- 546
Hello all
Im now the owner of a 1988 18 foot Manatee cuddy courtesy of my brother. He hadnt used it in awhile and wanted it off his lawn. It was covered up most of its life, and the floor is rock solid. The transom has no cracks, and doesnt flex.
Ive mainly had aluminum boats, so this glass boat is sort of new territory for me. I figured the price (free) was a no brainer not to drive to Mass and pick it up, since its got a 1999 90h Mercury on it and all. It might be a good cruiser/fishing/weekend water camper vessel if I can spruce it up a bit.
Ive been on the boards awhile, just not regular, and Ive read a bunch of glass boat topics through the years. I just never felt the urge to get one since my first MFG bowrider when I was 18. One question that I have is, do I have to use anti-foul paint on the keel if Im not going into salt water again? Can the old paint be sanded down and retouched? The paint itself looks ratty and discolored from the original, and I think it would look sharp if it was black again.
Anyway, I notice there isnt alot of talk here about these boats, and was wondering if anybody had anything to divulge about them. Ive read they went out of business in 1989, and that they were pretty solid builds. I know shes alot heavier than my SeaNymph, and my little 3.0 Ranger huffed and puffed all the way home to Maine with her in tow.
I hope to put up some pics tomorrow of the starting point of the possible refreshing. At any rate, I have a nice motor to put on a 19ft aluminum if the Manatee doesnt pan out. But shes got my mind working on ideas now....
Im now the owner of a 1988 18 foot Manatee cuddy courtesy of my brother. He hadnt used it in awhile and wanted it off his lawn. It was covered up most of its life, and the floor is rock solid. The transom has no cracks, and doesnt flex.
Ive mainly had aluminum boats, so this glass boat is sort of new territory for me. I figured the price (free) was a no brainer not to drive to Mass and pick it up, since its got a 1999 90h Mercury on it and all. It might be a good cruiser/fishing/weekend water camper vessel if I can spruce it up a bit.
Ive been on the boards awhile, just not regular, and Ive read a bunch of glass boat topics through the years. I just never felt the urge to get one since my first MFG bowrider when I was 18. One question that I have is, do I have to use anti-foul paint on the keel if Im not going into salt water again? Can the old paint be sanded down and retouched? The paint itself looks ratty and discolored from the original, and I think it would look sharp if it was black again.
Anyway, I notice there isnt alot of talk here about these boats, and was wondering if anybody had anything to divulge about them. Ive read they went out of business in 1989, and that they were pretty solid builds. I know shes alot heavier than my SeaNymph, and my little 3.0 Ranger huffed and puffed all the way home to Maine with her in tow.
I hope to put up some pics tomorrow of the starting point of the possible refreshing. At any rate, I have a nice motor to put on a 19ft aluminum if the Manatee doesnt pan out. But shes got my mind working on ideas now....
