Billkuma
Cadet
- Joined
- May 15, 2021
- Messages
- 15
Hey, folks. My first post since joining the other night. Been peering and leering at posts since then. There’s a lot of experience and knowledge here from young and old alike. Grew up on a farm in the 1950s on Maryland’s Eastern Shore on Delmarva, surrounded by the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays, Wicomico, Nanticoke, and Choptank Rivers, and countless ponds and small lakes. Driven about everything on and off the farm and flown some small planes (single-engine, land rating), but never drove (piloted?) a boat save for a friend a couple times while he put up the bimini. Back then, a farmer didn’t throw away a three-gang plow if it broke – he fixed it and then probably repainted it. That’s still my perspective.
Fished freshwater lures from the bank as a kid (1950s) but never got into saltwater much. Having retired four times, got into fishing saltwater from a dock 7+/- years ago and quickly tired of that. So, bought a 1992 Bayliner 1950 Capri with cuddy. Ready to go, engine was great, interior was acceptable but damage to exterior hull on starboard, forward area that I didn’t feel comfortable splashing. Worked on the hull and, before I knew it, life got in the way of living. Working on this small farm, routine work on the house, put myself back in college, helping raise my (at the time) two-year-old daughter. Yeah, had my first (official) child at the age of 65 – Momma’s obviously a lot younger than I am. I tend to do things when I choose too, not when I’m supposed to. I understand I also have a 53-year-old daughter somewhere in Japan.
Never got back to that 1950 seriously. Couple years ago, saw a 1986 Bayliner 2150, with larger cabin, head, galley, and aft cabin two miles up the road. Privacy for Momma and the (now) nine-year-old young’n. Owner wanted $400, offered $300 and drove away with the dual-axle trailer as well. With no idea about the Volvo Penta 2.3L or the integrity of the boat itself, I am restoring everything I can get my hands on. There are three bulkheads, one just forward of the engine, one just forward of the aft cabin, and a half-height bulkhead forward. Ripped out the ice box (won’t be spending more than a day on the water; besides, hauling ice down to the ice box versus taking a cooler onboard?), downsizing the “galley” cabinet to allow easier access to the aft cabin, restoring the head from scratch, and replacing the bulkheads from scratch. The monkey fur cabin lining all around was in good shape, but some idjit decided to spray paint it black and installed red LED string lights (the old style inside the PVC tube that always exudes sticky dioctyl phthalate).
I plan to separate the anchor locker from the V-berth with separate access door, redesign the steps down to the cabin (that first step is a bear!), extend the companionway aft about 18” for easier access with redesigned steps and grab bars, add gas struts on the engine hatch (that’s also a bear without stepping on the engine), and add other toys and trinkets as they occur to me.
A few months ago, I saw a 1985 Four Winns Horizon 190 bowrider a mile down the road for $250 with single-axle trailer. Yeah, thought I’d just rescue it. Floor’s shot but shouldn’t be a problem – was a home improvement contractor in another life and worked with epoxy to assemble a Fisher 101 ultralight. Electric and electronics are not a problem, thanks to U.S. Air Force training. All tedious work I’m sure, but manageable. So, now, I have three boats, all with stern drive engines, next to the stable and the only time I’ve got them wet is when it rains here.
Just thought it’d be neighborly to introduce myself and I look forward to learning a lot from you folks. Also, hoping I can pay it forward (or aft?) someday.
Fished freshwater lures from the bank as a kid (1950s) but never got into saltwater much. Having retired four times, got into fishing saltwater from a dock 7+/- years ago and quickly tired of that. So, bought a 1992 Bayliner 1950 Capri with cuddy. Ready to go, engine was great, interior was acceptable but damage to exterior hull on starboard, forward area that I didn’t feel comfortable splashing. Worked on the hull and, before I knew it, life got in the way of living. Working on this small farm, routine work on the house, put myself back in college, helping raise my (at the time) two-year-old daughter. Yeah, had my first (official) child at the age of 65 – Momma’s obviously a lot younger than I am. I tend to do things when I choose too, not when I’m supposed to. I understand I also have a 53-year-old daughter somewhere in Japan.
Never got back to that 1950 seriously. Couple years ago, saw a 1986 Bayliner 2150, with larger cabin, head, galley, and aft cabin two miles up the road. Privacy for Momma and the (now) nine-year-old young’n. Owner wanted $400, offered $300 and drove away with the dual-axle trailer as well. With no idea about the Volvo Penta 2.3L or the integrity of the boat itself, I am restoring everything I can get my hands on. There are three bulkheads, one just forward of the engine, one just forward of the aft cabin, and a half-height bulkhead forward. Ripped out the ice box (won’t be spending more than a day on the water; besides, hauling ice down to the ice box versus taking a cooler onboard?), downsizing the “galley” cabinet to allow easier access to the aft cabin, restoring the head from scratch, and replacing the bulkheads from scratch. The monkey fur cabin lining all around was in good shape, but some idjit decided to spray paint it black and installed red LED string lights (the old style inside the PVC tube that always exudes sticky dioctyl phthalate).
I plan to separate the anchor locker from the V-berth with separate access door, redesign the steps down to the cabin (that first step is a bear!), extend the companionway aft about 18” for easier access with redesigned steps and grab bars, add gas struts on the engine hatch (that’s also a bear without stepping on the engine), and add other toys and trinkets as they occur to me.
A few months ago, I saw a 1985 Four Winns Horizon 190 bowrider a mile down the road for $250 with single-axle trailer. Yeah, thought I’d just rescue it. Floor’s shot but shouldn’t be a problem – was a home improvement contractor in another life and worked with epoxy to assemble a Fisher 101 ultralight. Electric and electronics are not a problem, thanks to U.S. Air Force training. All tedious work I’m sure, but manageable. So, now, I have three boats, all with stern drive engines, next to the stable and the only time I’ve got them wet is when it rains here.
Just thought it’d be neighborly to introduce myself and I look forward to learning a lot from you folks. Also, hoping I can pay it forward (or aft?) someday.
