1960 Larson All-American 16'

[stevewolverton]

Hi All,

I'm back for another build. The new boat is very similar to my other rebuild - that can be seen here:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=243848

This is a 1960 Larson. It's the big sister to the other Larson I've restored. I'm really looking forward to this project! I kicked myself for selling that 14' boat, so I decided to pull the trigger on this beast. This is going to be my keeper. I have a few other project boats I'm going to fix and sell, but this one is mine.

The pic was taken from my phone (I'll start using my digital camera farther into the build) when I first hooked onto it. I towed it 500 miles - funnily enough from the same guy I got the 14' from.

 

[stevewolverton]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

This is the boat back at my house. Interesting note about the boat is it had been painted. The original color was very similar to the blue it appears in the photos, but the hull was a solid blue hull - someone had painted the hull white with the Larson stripe. They did a pretty good job too.

 

[stevewolverton]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

Since I'm going to be doing most of the heavy lifting alone, I decided to build a lift gantry around the boat. I can use this thing to split the deck, put the motor on the boat, and flip the boat upside down for the bottom work. After the job is complete I'll tear the gantry down.

 

[stevewolverton]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

I'm using a block and tackle system to split the deck. I used a reciprocating saw to split the hull from the deck. The boat uses a flange mount that had been glassed together.

I didn't lift the boat from the bow light.

That's a 1961 Searay under the cover behind the Larson ready to go.

 

[stevewolverton]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

More progress.

The deck/hull split was a piece of cake using the gantry. I raised the boat - pull the hull from under it.

The worst part - digging out the old floor/foam junk. Messy. Hot. My least favorite part of the rebuild.

Gutting the old stringers. They came out as solid pieces so I can use them as patterns. Lots of grinding to get to this stage.

The old Larson lapline hull is notorious for developing cracks in the laplines. I filled in the voids with epoxy/wood flour and fiberglass tape. Should be much stronger than a factory hull.

 

[stevewolverton]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

When I say I filled in the laplines - I mean my friend Jacque did. I was mixing the epoxy and passing it to her to do the fillets. She's tiny - 5'1" and 115 wet, so it's much less nerve wracking with her in the weakened hull than myself.

Plan for weekend is to install new stringers and floor.

 

[Icyharp]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

Hi, looking good, but have a question. How long did it take you to get the foam out, and is there really an easier way than just tearing and scraping? The foam in my Larson is over a foot deep in places and it took me 2 hours to get a section 2' x 3' out......I really hate all this foam.

Keep the pics rolling, thanks

 

[stevewolverton]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

Icyharp - I hope this isn't a duplicate posting, and I apologize if so.

A lot of the foam in my boat came out in big chunks when I got to the bottom of the hull. The biggest problem was just getting down to the bottom.

Gutting the hull is the worst part of the rebuild. Good luck on your project.

 

[Icyharp]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

Thanks for the reply, I did find that as thick as foam as I have that I have to cut it way down before I can lift off the hull. In that little area I did in my post of the President revival i had 4 garbage bags full of the stuff already. But you are right once I seen the inside of the hull I was excited. Just got late and cold to be out right now, cause I still have standing water in mine......

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

You may think I'm crazy but try using a flat nose shovel.

 

[Icyharp]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

You may think I'm crazy but try using a flat nose shovel.

No I dont think you are crazy........lol I already thought about it. Right now I was just using one of these gems

 

[stevewolverton]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

I used a shovel to scoop the stuff out when I finished busting it up. I also used the prybar to bust it up. It's just a huge PITA job. Keep whacking at it.

 

[CC55murc]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

So can Jacque help with the epoxy work on mine? I can't talk my sister in to letting her 5yo crawl up under the frount deck.

 

[stevewolverton]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

I'll ask her, but she's quite busy working on my boat.

 

[stevewolverton]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

Making progress. We're putting the white on today, and I'm hoping to be finished with paint tomorrow. I will separate the white/red with a thin black pinstripe line. Interior will have white cushions and black carpet.

 

[stevewolverton]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

Ok - getting a little closer to launching this beast.

To Do List:

install horn
install burgee mount
install carpet (black)
make new bimini (black with more coverage on sides)
make bimini frame covers (black sunbrella with velcro)
make ski tow frame covers
install tach, pressure, and head temp gauge
polish/install interior trim pieces
paint trailer


I'm waiting on longer shift/throttle cables. I should be able to launch this week.

 

[sYnOnYx]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

Beautiful project, Can't wait to see the trailer to match !

 

[stevewolverton]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

Beautiful project, Can't wait to see the trailer to match !

Thank you sYnOnYx. I'm not going to do anything fancy to the trailer though - I'm going to coat it in bed liner material.

 

[stevewolverton]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

I launched the boat last Thursday and it did well. I didn't have to adjust the motor or anything which was a surprise. I've always had to adjust something on my boats when I first launch them so maybe it's a good omen.

I'm ordering the carpet this weekend. I still have to polish the interior trim, but the bulk of the work is done. I've got a crazy sound system planned for this boat too.

I ran a 13 pitch prop on the boat and may bump it up to a 15. This boat is built for towing boarders and will spend 90% of the time doing just that. The 13 pitch prop is a beast when launching out of the hole, but I think it's just too low. I'll slap my 15 on there tomorrow and see how it does.

I made my burgee today. I have a vinyl sign cutter so I get to do all kinds of neat lettering, boat numbers, etc.

A few more pics:

 

[ddonuts]

Re: 1960 Larson All-American 16'

Wow, nice job. I have the same boat but still original.