14' wood runabout repair question

[1973Chieftain]

I saw a 14' Whirlwind Deluxe runabout on Craigslist and am considering buying it and repairing it. There appears to be about a 5"x7" hole in the bow area, right along the keel. Is this repairable? This would be my first wood boat, all my other rebuilds have been aluminum

 

[Arawak]

Wow, what a cool old boat.

Did you want to restore it (repair it as originally built), or just fix it up (patch with fibreglass and/or wood)?

 

[64osby]

Hey Johnathon, Happy New Year.!

That 3rd pick looks like a lot more than a small hole.

Great looking, but appears to need a full restoration.

 

[GA_Boater]

The second pic looks like the keel is also rotted. Can it it be repaired to original (the only way), of course. But I would ask the seller for more views and wouldn't spend a lot on her. Restored, she would be a real looker.

 

[Woodonglass]

What's the current bid? There's going to be a LOT of work involved to restore/repair her. THAT's just what's noticeable!!! I guarantee you there's a LOT more restoration work to be done on her before she's seaworthy!!!

 

[GA_Boater]

I love how sellers simplfy repairs. "Needs hold in the bow bottom repaired from improper storage...Epoxy hole and refinish" Sure thing bud, just put some tape on the outside and fill the hole with epoxy. :facepalm: Looking at the rest of the pics, she needs a lot of work. I hope he's open to offers a lot less that $475.

 

[1973Chieftain]

http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/boa/4821439028.html

Here's the link. Yeah, without more pics of the hole it's hard to see how bad it is. But before I drove 2 hrs each way to go look at her I figured I'd ask yall who know alot more then I!

 

[Corjen1]

Looks like lots of work......but very cool boat.....

 

[Woodonglass]

I'd ask for a LOT of more detailed pics of the entire interior and exterior bottom of the hull and the top edge where the sides meet the top looks bad too. Transom too! Once you get those pics, I'd expect you to see much more problem areas. Patching molded plywood is next to impossible and make it look good unless you plan to paint it and then the boat won't look right unless it's in an already painted area. I'd really think hard before taking on this project unless you are very experienced woodworker! She MIGHT be worth 1/2 of what he's asking. MIGHT????

 

[Watermann]

I think you'll find lots of dry rot in that one. Too bad people treat cool old boats like garbage. I walked away from an old mahogany Chris Craft with a flat head V8 that was treated like it was a compost pile for a decade. Personally I would only take on a wood project boat if it was somewhat taken care of and just needed refurbished rather than the hull rebuilt from rotting out.

 

[Luke000]

It is definitely a cool looking boat but over priced for the amount of work needed IMO. Its really too bad. But that boat is less than an hour away from me and if I did not have my current project going on I would go look at it for S's & G's.

 

[Grandad]

Walk away, quickly. That hull was factory steam molded using wide multiple plys to achieve the right curvatures. A half century ago, I bought a 15' molded mahogany hull shell from the manufacturer, without transom or decking. I had to add a full length oak stem, but there was no other support ribs required in these boats. The hull flexes on every wave. Trying to patch such a hole will be very difficult. Any rigid patch will not stay attached and will break free as the original surrounding materials flex. Unless full length thin plys of wood are again laminated together from the stem to the gunnel over a wide area, she'll never regain her original looks or integrity. If it was mine, I'd cut it up for a bonfire. - Grandad

 

[Weep'n Willy]

Wow, it is only 20 miles from me but looking at those pics I fear that is a waste of gas to even go look at it. Certainly is a cool looking boat and such a shame that it was so badly cared for.

 

[gm280]

I have to agree with the rest on this one. Looks like before you got everything proper, you would literally build another boat using that one as a mere guide... JMHO!

 

[ssdale]

Too much for me at any price. Grandad is right on with his take. Not my style, but I have seen a similar style boat used as yard art in a guys yard next to a creek-partially buried and overflowing with flowers. At least people can enjoy the lines for a few more years.