Abandoned Duratech

[sandbarskipper]

Last fall a boat washed up on the bank of my river property right after goose hunting season and presuming someone had lost it I left it for almost a week assuming someone would come along and claim it. In the end I hauled the boat up to my garage and determined what it was. The back corner braces had the mark Duratech on them just as in the image in the gallery on duratechboats.com of the S13. Whoever owned the boat destroyed it so badly it would bring a tear to the eye of anyone who has visited the duratechboats website. They destroyed the boats inner supports and benches to use it as a duck hunting boat. The outside is primitively painted with obvious cheap camo spray paint. Its hard to even describe the end result that this boat is left in after the previous owner took a sawzall to much of its integrity. I don't have any pictures of the boat right now for you all but my plan is in the spring begin restoring. What should be my first step? strip the boat completely with airplane stripper? What primer should I then use? Also I am not certain the boat is a S13 because of the poor shape it is in. Is there somewhere I can find a serial number on the boat?

 

[timfives]

Re: Abandoned Duratech

Last fall a boat washed up on the bank of my river property right after goose hunting season and presuming someone had lost it I left it for almost a week assuming someone would come along and claim it. In the end I hauled the boat up to my garage and determined what it was. The back corner braces had the mark Duratech on them just as in the image in the gallery on duratechboats.com of the S13. Whoever owned the boat destroyed it so badly it would bring a tear to the eye of anyone who has visited the duratechboats website. They destroyed the boats inner supports and benches to use it as a duck hunting boat. The outside is primitively painted with obvious cheap camo spray paint. Its hard to even describe the end result that this boat is left in after the previous owner took a sawzall to much of its integrity. I don't have any pictures of the boat right now for you all but my plan is in the spring begin restoring. What should be my first step? strip the boat completely with airplane stripper? What primer should I then use? Also I am not certain the boat is a S13 because of the poor shape it is in. Is there somewhere I can find a serial number on the boat?

I'd look at getting a title for it first. It would be a shame to restore it, then have the original owner come back and legally take it.

T

 

[JoeMan]

Re: Abandoned Duratech

Agree. If it has no state ID stickers, go in with the 5 digit serial number from the ID tag and see if it comes up. Bet not.

The ID tag on that boat is more than likely a small aluminum tag attached to the wood transom on the inside. If that wood has been replaced...or ABUSED...it may be gone.

Once you've got her registered, yes, I'd use a couple cans of aircraft stripper. That stuff is the best. Once I had mine stripped to aluminum and clean, I used a 2 part automotive epoxy paint. Yep...you need the right mask if you're using that stuff. 1 coat primer, then 1 coat top paint. Mine is "JoeMan's Neptune" on the Duratech site.

I've got all of the vintage brochures, so do post it if you find the serial number...with this we can ID the year. If not, some simple measurements and a couple of pics will do. Although...I do shudder at the thought of seeing her as you describe. But unfortunately, this kind of thing happens to old boats...even if they're cool classics.

Does it resemble this one?