dcollicott
Cadet
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2009
- Messages
- 18
Greetings.
I have recently been given usage of and responsibility for my Father-in-law's MFG. It's a 15-footer, fiberglass hull, wood deck, split front seat and folding, full-width rear seat. It has a Johnson Super Sea-Horse 35 on it, which might just be the original motor, as I think it's from the same year. The boat is at my in-laws place up in Leelenau County, Michigan, and we have lots of fun with it out on Grand Traverse Bay (usually the Northport Bay area) and Lake Leelenau. It's a very nice ride, tough and fast, and the motor runs very smooth. Even mom likes going for rides on it, and she's very much not a boat person.
It's in pretty good condition with a lot of original wood and hardware. From the documents over at Fiberglassics, I've pretty much decided it's a Celeron, probably from 1959 or 1960, but I'm waiting for some measurements from my FIL to verify that. It has a curved, metal-framed windshield, but I think my FIL said that was a replacement at some point in the past. Most of the wood is doing very well (that is, I'll refinish it some time just to make it shine real nice), but the deck need refinishing due to some mice that lived atop of it for a few years. That will be no problem.
I didn't realize until I started looking around the Internet that it's not just the dime-a-dozen thing that we assumed it was as first. This has changed my feelings about the boat from just wanting to keep it afloat for fun to wanting to give it the treatment it deserves as a classic (as well as still having fun with it!). Fortunately, I have both woodworking and nautical skills, and it will be stored indoors and protected from mice and other dangers from now on, so its future looks very bright.
I have a couple questions for the MFG-knowledgeable folks here:
- If my FIL confirms the windshield on there is not the original, would it have had one of the wood-framed windshields I've seen in a couple pictures?
- Did the Celeron (or did all the MGF's with no rear deck) have the little corner seat in the stern, I think on the starboard side?
- It has some red-with-white-trim vinyl seat cushions that snap onto snaps in the back of the seats. Could those be original as well?
Pictures to follow after my July 4th weekend up at the homestead.
Thanks!
I have recently been given usage of and responsibility for my Father-in-law's MFG. It's a 15-footer, fiberglass hull, wood deck, split front seat and folding, full-width rear seat. It has a Johnson Super Sea-Horse 35 on it, which might just be the original motor, as I think it's from the same year. The boat is at my in-laws place up in Leelenau County, Michigan, and we have lots of fun with it out on Grand Traverse Bay (usually the Northport Bay area) and Lake Leelenau. It's a very nice ride, tough and fast, and the motor runs very smooth. Even mom likes going for rides on it, and she's very much not a boat person.
It's in pretty good condition with a lot of original wood and hardware. From the documents over at Fiberglassics, I've pretty much decided it's a Celeron, probably from 1959 or 1960, but I'm waiting for some measurements from my FIL to verify that. It has a curved, metal-framed windshield, but I think my FIL said that was a replacement at some point in the past. Most of the wood is doing very well (that is, I'll refinish it some time just to make it shine real nice), but the deck need refinishing due to some mice that lived atop of it for a few years. That will be no problem.
I didn't realize until I started looking around the Internet that it's not just the dime-a-dozen thing that we assumed it was as first. This has changed my feelings about the boat from just wanting to keep it afloat for fun to wanting to give it the treatment it deserves as a classic (as well as still having fun with it!). Fortunately, I have both woodworking and nautical skills, and it will be stored indoors and protected from mice and other dangers from now on, so its future looks very bright.
I have a couple questions for the MFG-knowledgeable folks here:
- If my FIL confirms the windshield on there is not the original, would it have had one of the wood-framed windshields I've seen in a couple pictures?
- Did the Celeron (or did all the MGF's with no rear deck) have the little corner seat in the stern, I think on the starboard side?
- It has some red-with-white-trim vinyl seat cushions that snap onto snaps in the back of the seats. Could those be original as well?
Pictures to follow after my July 4th weekend up at the homestead.
Thanks!
