1974 Chieftain 25 "Adventurer" Restoration

[IslandExplorer]

any new news on your project

Some but very little. The winter this year broke records in New England and kept me deep in survival mode the whole time. Didn't manage to get hardly anything done on her since I sounded off last, I'm ashamed to say. As winter approached I mounted the helm and navigator seats, secured the railings, added a teak mount for the throttle controls, cut the deck into correct sizes for hatches, put in supports with a sub floor draining channel to protect the (currently absent) engine from drips, and added gas tank access hatches. Replacemwnt engine is still just a stripped down block on a stand in the barn.

Hopefully this weekend or next there will be some 2026 progress finally! ️

 

[IslandExplorer]

Seat pedestal backing plate

Port fuel tank inspection hatch

Aft deck panel cut into 5 pieces for 3 hatches.

Deck engine hatch drip/drain channel

This shows the depth and generous grade of the channel

 

[IslandExplorer]

Railing buttress. Rivets are so quick, compact, light, and convenient. Get yourself an air riveter.

Teak plank for Merc morse control clamped. The angle mount I think is mahogany I cut and varnished. Multi timbered conglomorate of a craft for sure.

Getting tucked in for long winter.

 

[IslandExplorer]

Uncovered for spring, this is how she sits currently.

Interior is still not done but mostly complete.

 

[Gibbles]

It's coming out amazing.
I see some tint in your near future.

I used ceramic (3M) tint, keeps lots of the heat out of the cabin.
Lots of different types, carbon being the other type.
Don't cheap out on it, ebay is a good source.


I took a crash course on tint install last year, not too bad after some youtube videos.
I believe i did 30% on my islander.

 

[IslandExplorer]

Thanks! And I think you're right, it is pretty toasty in there without those big windows wide open and a good breeaze. I want to do tint and also restore the window screens on the sides for sure. I'll look into that ceramic tint, thanks for the tip! I actually have never installed it myself and don't really know squat about it to be honest.
Just finally started back to work on her this weekend. Just got the engine and its parts unearthed from the cascade of other projects last night. Hoping to have the motor rebuilt and reinstalled in the next week or two. Hopefully have some significannt progress to show soon! ️