- Fig. 1. The original hull serial number.
- serialNumber.jpeg (20.92 KiB) Viewed 215 times
- Fig. 2. The c.1960 boat on its much newer trailer, showing the topsides in decent condition.
- ok.jpg (135.64 KiB) Viewed 340 times
- Fig. 3. The boat flipped over, with a now "holey" bottom.
- holey whaler.jpg (168.47 KiB) Viewed 340 times
THE GOOD
I found this boat in Marblehead. It came with a decent trailer, a period correct Evinrude 35-HP engine, and the original interior. The seller was in poor health, and he asked me to promise to do a good job on restoring the boat. Then he added a couple of tool boxes filled with good old tools, and that means I can't get too grumpy about what's under the hood
The topsides are in reasonably good shape. The original serial number (2415) is visible. There is crazing everywhere, but no stress cracks in the obvious places like the transom corners). I sold the engine to a guy who was happy to find one.
THE BAD
I flipped over the hull and found bad gelcoat cracks, which aremore serious than crazing. I knew some repair work had been done, but that work was pretty extensive. My [foiled] plan was to make sure the repairs were solid, then barrier coat everything, paint it, and flip it back over.
THE UGLY
Hitting the repaired areas with a rubber mallet shattered almost all of the repairs. They were too thin. Even worse, the foam under the repairs was wet. At this point, I realized that the sections of the bottom with the bad spidering might be wet too. I think the wet foam froze and flexed the gelcoat, cracking it. Lots of folks cut out the deck from the top and refoam that way, so no worries--except this bottom had huge sections that need to be replaced, so that won't work!
THE NEW PLAN
- -I started with the holesaw (which was in one of the tool boxes that came with the boat), and I found that not all the foam was wet, I'll get out the wet foam and pour in new foam in. Then replace the hole saw divots (I kept then).
- Next I will apply two layers of 1708 [probably refers to a particular type of biaxial fiberglass cloth - yes, 17 oz cloth backed with mat, pretty standard boat building glass] over all the repaired sections.
- Followed by [new allover topcoat paint using ...well... 545 primer/barrier coat THEN topcoat] AWLGRIP.
- Some vinegar and salt to get the green off the old Norman pins.
- I'm looking at a new Tohatsu-Mercury 25-HP engine with a 15-inch shaft and tilt-trim, and hydraulic steering. The new merc-hatsu is the first time you can get tilt/trim on a 15 inch shaft, and the hydrolic steering fits the curved transom. eg with hydraulic steering, there is no need to modify the 15-inch transom, or add extra parts.
In the meantime, it looks like I might lose a little bit of that famous Boston Whaler hook. (if you know, you know!)
No sane person would continue, but I did make a promise, and I do love old Boston Whaler boats.