1972 Scat-Craft Restoration

[saltwaterbluefish]

A few years ago my granddad gave me his 1972 19 foot Scat-Craft Fish and Ski. I can tell you that when i got it, it was decked on in brown seats and brown vinyl. Quite the throwback, until I added a few more up-to-date modifications. I had enjoyed using it to fish and take the family out skiing, but last year it seemed like it was not riding as well as it had in the past. During december, i took part of the deck off and realized the horror of what rot can do to a boat. I was actually a little scared that I had taken myself out in the boat after seeing the extent of the rot. One hit from a stump and I would be the Titantic.

 

[saltwaterbluefish]

Re: 1972 Scat-Craft Restoration

Needless to say the design of the stringers although made for a sturdy boat, really had some major design flaws. First, there were no drainage holes for water in the back of the boat, which meant once it got in, it was in for good. Next, the wood was not encased in fiberglass, there were spot here and there were no glass or resin had been put letting water penetrate. Third, the amount of nails and staples that had punctured the crossframes and the stringers made for a termite party. I have never seen termites come out a boat before. It took me almost all of december and feb, but I finally got all the stringers ground down, the cap off, and everything washed down with acetone. Sadly, though I came across cracks that were where the keel stringer had been. Apparently, the company had put the keel stringer in and then let the resin pool around the stringer, which made for some nasty sanding on my part.

 

[saltwaterbluefish]

Re: 1972 Scat-Craft Restoration

A few more pics