New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

[ArnieTX]

Hi

I'm new to the forum and have never restored any type of boat before. I found this Texas Maid in Texas. It appears to be a very clean and well built old boat and I'm going to turn it into a fishing machine for my family. I have 4 kids so we need all the room we can get. This boat sure does have a lot of space in it.

The transom needs replaced and the boat needs a motor. I haven't cleaned her up yet but would like to get her painted up and pretty. I'll be scouring this forum for help and will document my progress. It should be a lot of fun.

Here are some pics of our new baby:

If anyone has any pictures of their Texas Maids I'd like to see them if you don't mind. Email at ArnieTX@yahoo.com/.

Talk to you soon

Thanks

 

[ArnieTX]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

some more:

 

[ArnieTX]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

It's an 18' Tahaiti(sp?).

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

fantastic find, the transom won't be hard, 1/2 exterior plywood for the deck, couple coats of oil base paint all sides. go fishing. i would clean the total interior, pressure washing. and put a coat of Gluvit on the inside bottom up above the water line. stops any small leaks. a 70 hp johnson/evinrude would do it just right.

 

[ArnieTX]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

Thanks. I'm excited.

My 5 year old keeps asking if we can paint it today. He named her Ol' Betsy.



Here's what I'll try to get done this week:
1. Pressure wash and clean interior.
2. Seal Interior with Gluvit
3. Disassemble Transom

I know everyone asks for the "how to" info. I can find that through search. What I'd like to know is what are some common and avoidable mistakes I might make during this restoration? I'll ask you guys this before I start heading into unknown territory. I'm not on any schedule so I want to do it right.

Thanks again.

Joe

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

it looks like you can drill the rivets in the stern cap, and splash well. will give you good access for the transon. you can do your transom with 2 piece of 3/4 exterior plywood. i use PL construction adhesive to glue the pieces together and 1 1/4 drywall screw, then coat the complete transom in 3 coat of oil base paint, or you can go all out an glass it. it is the easiest transom to replace. this is available at lowes and Home Depot. http://www.stickwithpl.com/Products.aspx?ID=fef65cc9-47bf-4802-aaa9-a343f2ef9458

this is one i did, boat did not have a splash well so i added one.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

Way cool...that's a lot like the 16 foot Texas Maid Fiesta that I was trying to find, wound up with a smaller 15-foot Impala model. You can remove the splashwell to get access to put in a new transom by just drilling the rivets out. Not a hard job replacing the transom, I did mine all by my lonesome. Definitely coat the inside hull with Gluvit as Tashasdaddy recommends. I skipped this step and mine seeps a little water...may still pull the deck and do this. Congratulations and keep posting pix as you go along...I'm almost jealous. Search this form for Texas Maid and you'll find the threads I've posted about mine...photo attached.

 

[oops!]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

what charector.....that boat is sweet......alum....fantastic.....

not many like her around.....an east resto and super project

 

[i386]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

Nice find! That's sweet boat. The hatch and portholes are really cool. Welcome to iBoats.

 

[redfury]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

Nice find! That's sweet boat. The hatch and portholes are really cool. Welcome to iBoats.

Exactly what I thought. Very VERY cool boat. I think I could probably get the wife to let me get something like that...the kids would just LOVE the portholes...that is just way cool.

Please, do it up right, and take some pictures to document your progress. Not only for us, but for the kiddies to look at down the road. You've got a pretty easy project to work on with tons of potential to make it perfect for "YOU".

Don't forget to letter "ol' Betsy" on the back of that thing when you are done

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

with kids make the area under the bow, flat, and have a foam cushion made for it. when i was a kid we loved to get under there and watch the waves splash up on the ports. also a good place for a tried cranky one to take a nap.

 

[ArnieTX]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

Thanks for all the suggestions and encouragement. I will certainly document my work for you guys- I need to so we can do this together.

Funny thing is, there is another Texas Maid, I believe it's a Fiesta, about 10 miles away from me. It has a windshield thrown in the hull. I wonder if that windshield would fit my boat. I need to talk to the fellow who has it in his yard. His place is basicly a junkyard and I'm not even sure he is doing anything with the boat. It's been there forever. Sometimes folks like that don't like to let stuff go.

Thanks again.

Joe

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

Definitely check on that Fiesta windshield. It might fit if the hull width is the same just in front of the dash. Where are you in Tejas?

 

[ArnieTX]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

Cool.

I'm in D'Hanis Texas 60 miles west of San Antonio on HWY90.

 

[HondaPower]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

That is one sweet looking boat, I would love to find a hull like that 18 foot, wide and deep. The mind boggles at the endless possibilities. That was a great find in my humble opinion.

 

[ArnieTX]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

Question:

The transom has holes in it to mount a boat motor. Are all of these holes an industry standard template? Or do I need to find a boat motor that is specific to the measurements on this transom? I have no idea what motor was on here before.

Thanks
Joe

 

[ArnieTX]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

Yeah- I got lucky. I traded a Martin compound bow and some arrows I don't use anymore.

Sweet deal.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

it is possible they will match up. but it is a total gamble. i would fill, and some JB marine weld.

 

[ArnieTX]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

Looks like the original motor was a Johnson/Evinrude, at least that's what the shifter shows inside. Looks like it was an electric shift model. Had push buttons for forward and reverse and only one shift handle for throttle. I will post pics of it later if someone is interested in parts. It's in good shape.

 

[JAT@ACR]

Re: New Guy - Old Boat - 1964 Texas Maid

I'm new here as well, but I think you and I are in the same boat. (Pun intended)
let's see if I can get my pictures on here.