Mahogany Restorations

[chick92064]

To begin this thread, I don't know if I can realistically expect to find an old mahogany runabout to restore since there's a lot of shops making their living doing this and I'm sure they have a leg up on me in finding the project boats, but for the sake of this thread, let's say I find a couple in the New England area for sale and set up an appointment with the owners to look over the boats.I am newly retired with a lot of time on my hands.

A) What's the most common problem a newbie to boat restoration encounters ?
B) Is there litature available on this subject and if so what do you good people recommend ?
C) What is the most common and hence the best Mfg to look for so as to source parts easily
D) Does anyone have any recommendations for a specific make and model that I could expect would be reasonably priced and be a good project ?

I should stipulate that while I have never restored a boat, I have built houses restored motorcycles, am a licensed fabricator and marine designer. (commercial craft) and have a shop full of tools.

I appreciate everyone's input

BHW

 

[marine4003]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

Chick,
Having restored -(2) Chris Crafts -1 HackerCraft and built a small 12"tunnel hull all out of wood,i have some answers but your best bet is go to Wooden Boat and access the links - http://www.woodenboat.com/.
as for my experience...biggest common problem is money,NEVER has a project come in at what i had originally planned, but if thats not a problem then its setting realistic goals, always break down the project into little projects,then tackle them one at a time,otherwise it can get away from you real quick
B) -If you plan to do all wood,use the link above to get more info...also Mitch LaPoint has a good website and has been restoring for years
C) - Again if you plan on ALL wood,parts and sources are there you just have to research,original pieces off "old" 50 yrs +,are easy enough to find but are EXPENSIVE,a well restored Riva can run upwards of 75K , a 50's model Chris Craft SeaSkiff, in decent condition is alot cheaper,Google "Wood Boats" tons of hits.
D) - Chris Craft was the most comon wood boat in that era,that being said,it's easyer to obtain parts / litrature / help for these boats,also wood is different than other materials,because unlike fiberglass / gelcoat / aluminum,wood is not as forgiving,you can patch all the above,but screw up with wood,and if its going to be a varnish finish..........

Good Luck !!!!

 

[109jb]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

Have you considered building a wooden runabout from scratch? There are many plans out there. One place that has lots of plans is here

 

[chick92064]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

Great advice guys. I have priced some restored Chris Craft runabouts in the 18-22 ft range and it looks like $25k will buy a boat in "good" condition. I don't know enough about the industry to gauage if "good" condition still means I end up putting it up on chocks and spending a couple years on it. The best advice might be the build it myself route. Perhaps somebody on the site who's done this will see this thread and post some pictures of their projects.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

Ayuh,...

Have a look around Here,.. The 1000 Islands Boat Museum is just up the road from here...

I have built houses restored motorcycles, am a licensed fabricator and marine designer. (commercial craft) and have a shop full of tools.

I don't see Cabinet Maker in that list...

 

[marine4003]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

Great advice guys. I have priced some restored Chris Craft runabouts in the 18-22 ft range and it looks like $25k will buy a boat in "good" condition. I don't know enough about the industry to gauage if "good" condition still means I end up putting it up on chocks and spending a couple years on it. The best advice might be the build it myself route. Perhaps somebody on the site who's done this will see this thread and post some pictures of their projects.

25K will buy you a boat thats in great shape,shop around,in the back page of woodboat mag. there's "free" boats...just go pick 'em up,THOSE will require lots of work,but if you look around and even go to wood boat shows,there are incredible deals to be had,as well as auctions,my 1st CC i didnt pay but 3K for a boat that needed to be reassembled,all the parts were included,wood needed sanding and refinishing and upholstery work,but overall i spent 6 months of 10 hr weeks,and sold it for 12K - take your time and look around,but,after TONS of research,i still recommend WOODBOAT as the best resource available,buy a copy,look online,the boats are there,just gotta look.

 

[Woodnaut]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

Chick, just a side note. Once you get started on your project pay particular atttention to safey and toxicity issues. For example, mahogany can be mildly toxic and epoxy resins can be can pose serious health issues after prolonged use. Some affects are cumulative. Old bottom paint can be highly toxic. Take safety and health issues very seriously so you can enjoy your retirement and your project to the max!

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

If you would like something a bit smaller, less expansive and less complex for your first project, a 14 to 18, cold molded mahogany boat is something that you might want to look at. I am most familiar with a boat called a Whirlwind, by Molded Products, Inc. The company was located in Cockysville, MD, but they were sold throughout the eastern/northeastern U.S. Here's a link to a page that details one owner's boat.

http://woodyboats.blogspot.com/2007/11/newest-member-of-family1956-whirlwind.html

One bit of advice that I would offer in restoring a cold molded boat is to stay away from power sanders. These hulls are made by laying up thin mahogany strips (not quite veneer, but not far from it) at 45 degree angles, from the keel to the side rails. Each strip is about 6 inches wide, and is laid side by side along the length of the boat. The ends are glued and stapled to the keel and rails. Successive layers are laid up in the opposite 45 degree angle to the keel, with glue binding each layer to the other. Basically, what you have is molded plywood, laid up on a frame. The problem with power sanders is that it is easy to sand through the top layer, which causes a blemish that looks like a ring. Obviously if this occurs on a portion of the boat that will be varnished, you end up with an ugly "scar."

They are great boats and are not only beautiful, but very practical in everyday use. They are very light, and the v-bow tapers back into a flat bottomed boat with round chines, so they don't require much power to move. You do have to be a bit careful of "dock scars," etc., but they are still very usable boats.

 

[chick92064]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

What I'm looking for is either a Chris Craft Riviera or something very similar. I'd really prefer something larger than 18' in a low side boat like this because Sebago Lake can go from flat calm to 4ft whitecaps in a blink. My Mach 1 is a deep V with high freeboard aft and a cuddy up front, so even though it's only 19' it's a good boat for Sebago. Anyway, that brings up another thing I don't know about these old mahogany boats. The photos I've looked at and the one's I've seen in person all look low to the water and not built for rough water. Comments ?

 

[chick92064]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

Ayuh,...

Have a look around Here,.. The 1000 Islands Boat Museum is just up the road from here...



I don't see Cabinet Maker in that list...

Bond-o
You make a good point. Fortunately my Dad had that skill and I have his tools. With a boat in the water to use while this project progresses and entering the Metallic* years, I figure I should be in possesion of enough patience to be able to learn the cabinet maker trade as I go.








* Silver Hair, Gold Teeth and a Lead Bottom

 

[marine4003]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

What I'm looking for is either a Chris Craft Riviera or something very similar. I'd really prefer something larger than 18' in a low side boat like this because Sebago Lake can go from flat calm to 4ft whitecaps in a blink. My Mach 1 is a deep V with high freeboard aft and a cuddy up front, so even though it's only 19' it's a good boat for Sebago. Anyway, that brings up another thing I don't know about these old mahogany boats. The photos I've looked at and the one's I've seen in person all look low to the water and not built for rough water. Comments ?

I'd take out a wood CC in heavy water over a same size boat ANYDAY, These boats use the same hull design as the famed PT Boats,and they were made of plywood,these designs and materials crossed the Atlantic,Made for rough water? i whould trust it more than i would an old Bayliner. Go hereand look -http://www.tradingdock.org/index.php?a=5&b=371

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

Oh man -- love the woodies. A couple of short clips featuring Canadian legends Ditchburn and Minett-Shields. I grew up on Lake Muskoka playing around the ruins of their factories. Think I was born fifty years too late...

http://cottagelife.com/classicboats/player.swf

 

[chick92064]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

I'd take out a wood CC in heavy water over a same size boat ANYDAY, These boats use the same hull design as the famed PT Boats,and they were made of plywood,these designs and materials crossed the Atlantic,Made for rough water? i whould trust it more than i would an old Bayliner. Go hereand look -http://www.tradingdock.org/index.php?a=5&b=371

PT Boat, now there's something every boat nut should own. I imagine there's a few out there. I'd like to see a picture if there's a site member with one tied up to his/her dock. Did they run Rolls Royce 12 cylinder aircraft engines in them or am I way out in left field ?

I have no idea what a Bayliner weighs, but my Mach I Challenger is 2,675 lbs dry. That's fairly heavy for a 19 ft boat. No disrepect intended to anyone who owns one but I'm no Bayliner fan either if that's what you mean marine.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

PT Boat, now there's something every boat nut should own. I imagine there's a few out there.

Ayuh,....

There was a Great show about PT boats the other night on the History channel....

They said there is but 1 PT boat left in the world,....
That is the restored 1 in the show....

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

I know of another one, but it is not restored. The National D-Day Museum in New Orleans has one. It has been sitting in a lot next to the museum for several years. I'm not sure why work has not begun, because they usually get to work on things when they aquire artifacts. Perhaps Katrina related expenses have slowed down some of the funding for the project.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

Finding an old woodie to rebuild is not a problem. Lots of sites that cater to them, both in sales of boats and the materials to restore them. Finding the "right" boat may be more of an issue. Have you ever ridden in one? Driven one? Might find out more by attending a few boat shows - lots of them in New England during the summer months. Also, check out the Antique and Classic Boat Society (www.acbs.org) for information on chapters and shows in your area. Don't be afraid to strike up a conversation at a show with someone who owns a boat of the style you may be interested in. More often than not they're willing to talk it up and tell you about the process. Many shows have a parade of boats at some point and you might be able to talk your way into a ride. You may find that a boat that looks really cool at the dock isn't all that comfortable underway. Narrowing down your search is a good thing...
- Scott

 

[chick92064]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

That's a damn shame about the PT boats. I can't remember the model, but there's a WWII aircraft that there's only one or two of left as well. Strange when you think of how many of these craft were made.

I've got a line on a sweet looking mahogany Chris Craft in the Seattle area that was in the middle of replanking the bottom and the owner is bailing on the project. The photos he's posted show new ribs and with the bottom open from chine to chine. The engine was running when he flipped it over to do the work and he has all of the bright work, hardware etc. The boat was stripped to do the replanking. This looks doable but the logistics of getting to Maine have are daunting. Price is $3,500. The name of the boat is "Moxie" Anyone on the site in the Seattle area know this boat ?

 

[fdmsiv]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

Take a look at www.glen-l.com Run through their customer photo section (archive) and take a look at the Riviera and Barrelback sections to get an idea of what you can build.

They also have a great forum to answer questions and get some ideas of what your in for if you decide to build.

 

[smclear]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

If you get an old Chris Craft, you can go here

http://www.mariner.org/

to find out everything about your particular boat. They have all the old build records for Chris Craft.

 

[chick92064]

Re: Mahogany Restorations

Not a PT Boat, but check this out.

http://www.harperboats.com/200340hct.htm