Greetings, this is my first post, I think. I thought I started a thread a couple weeks ago when I bought my vintage boat but couldn't find it when I looked for it later so I'm trying again.
I got lucky and picked up a 1966 McKenzie 16' aluminum Cherokee runabout style boat with a 1965 Johnson 40 electric and a Holsclaw trailer, all in very nice, original condition. It's at All Marine at the moment where it's being made both sea worthy and road worthy. The trailer is adjustable for different size boats and they're going to retract the tongue about a foot so I can get this rig in my garage. Its obviously been garage kept all or most of it's life and deserves to continue to be kept that way.
I'll get some photos when I get it back from All Marine who is getting the Johnson 40 engine ready to go (new impeller, gas lines, clean carb, drain and replace the oil in the bottom end and the top end of the motor as well as replace the coils and points. The McKenzie is getting new steering cables and throttle cables, a new transom plug, and the ignition switch reworked as it even still has the original key in it but doesn't want to move, yet.
The whole setup is amazing in how original everything is from the the step traction diamond on top of the trailer fenders as well as the Holsclaw decals, the original paint, vinyl seats, canopy frame and cover, "walk-through" windshield that actually still opens, and a Johnson that barely looks used under the engine housing.
The last valid boat sticker and trailer license stickers are both from 1976 so, I'm guessing, this boat and motor were only used lightly for 10 years and sat for the last 40+ years in the guy's garage.
I found it at the local auction house and when I was checking it out before it went off, I was amazed that even the paint on the bottom of the boat was almost all there. The guy who's getting the boat ready for its "maiden voyage", with me at least, is going to show me how well the boat will shine up with the wax/polish he's going to show me that he always uses He doesn't sell it but I'll know what to look for once I see it.
I used to go fishing in Ontario for a week after Labor Day for quite a few summers after I got out of the Air Force. We went there as a family from the time I was around 9 until I graduated high school before that. I look forward to taking it back up there and to a friend of mine's place in Quebec, just over the Quebec/Ontario border North of where I fished in Ontario, which was about 70 km North of Kingston. Anyway, an older gentleman who was always there the week we were there in my later visits up there had a similar boat (runabout style) and I immediately thought of him when I saw it.
I realize it's not the "ideal" fishing boat but I can easily make it work and enjoy the heck out of it just the same. Besides, I'm in my early sixties anyway and won't be wearing it out either, probably but I'll have a blast with it for a while at least.
I got lucky and picked up a 1966 McKenzie 16' aluminum Cherokee runabout style boat with a 1965 Johnson 40 electric and a Holsclaw trailer, all in very nice, original condition. It's at All Marine at the moment where it's being made both sea worthy and road worthy. The trailer is adjustable for different size boats and they're going to retract the tongue about a foot so I can get this rig in my garage. Its obviously been garage kept all or most of it's life and deserves to continue to be kept that way.
I'll get some photos when I get it back from All Marine who is getting the Johnson 40 engine ready to go (new impeller, gas lines, clean carb, drain and replace the oil in the bottom end and the top end of the motor as well as replace the coils and points. The McKenzie is getting new steering cables and throttle cables, a new transom plug, and the ignition switch reworked as it even still has the original key in it but doesn't want to move, yet.
The whole setup is amazing in how original everything is from the the step traction diamond on top of the trailer fenders as well as the Holsclaw decals, the original paint, vinyl seats, canopy frame and cover, "walk-through" windshield that actually still opens, and a Johnson that barely looks used under the engine housing.
The last valid boat sticker and trailer license stickers are both from 1976 so, I'm guessing, this boat and motor were only used lightly for 10 years and sat for the last 40+ years in the guy's garage.
I found it at the local auction house and when I was checking it out before it went off, I was amazed that even the paint on the bottom of the boat was almost all there. The guy who's getting the boat ready for its "maiden voyage", with me at least, is going to show me how well the boat will shine up with the wax/polish he's going to show me that he always uses He doesn't sell it but I'll know what to look for once I see it.
I used to go fishing in Ontario for a week after Labor Day for quite a few summers after I got out of the Air Force. We went there as a family from the time I was around 9 until I graduated high school before that. I look forward to taking it back up there and to a friend of mine's place in Quebec, just over the Quebec/Ontario border North of where I fished in Ontario, which was about 70 km North of Kingston. Anyway, an older gentleman who was always there the week we were there in my later visits up there had a similar boat (runabout style) and I immediately thought of him when I saw it.
I realize it's not the "ideal" fishing boat but I can easily make it work and enjoy the heck out of it just the same. Besides, I'm in my early sixties anyway and won't be wearing it out either, probably but I'll have a blast with it for a while at least.
