Shell Lake Tri-14

[John Painter]

I just purchased a Shell Lake Tri-14 in very good shape for $75. It has three small FG patches on the keel where one would expect it, and the previous owner who'd had it for over 30 years (and was getting to old huck it around) beefed up the transom for a larger outboard. I plan on running just my Evinrude 15hp. Considering the age, I'm fairly impressed with the condition, the fiberglass all around is very solid despite it's amateurish look and even the gelcoat looks free spider cracks. The previous owner did keep it well sheltered over the winter. My plan is that I will clean it up and further inspect the patching and addition to the transom, make any repairs as necessary, and then paint the exterior white with an anti-fouling bottom paint and interior gray.

My major question is about whether I need to leave both seats in the boat (they are well weathered but very solid (not punky anywhere) are they structural? Or could I safely leave out the aft seat and remove the center post (maybe attach it to the seat if I wanted to put it back for some reason), to give me some room to move around.

I will be using the boat in salt water in and around the bay area in front of my cottage in Maine, no swells and modest waves and chop from lobster boats in the area. While I know this is primarily a lake boat, from talking with the previous owner and from I've read about the boat so far it's very stable and should be a good boat for the area I intend to use it. I'm very interested in what anyone who's familiar with this boat might know.


Thank you.

 

[Teamster]

I spent hundreds of hours in an old Shell Lake with my mentor many years ago,...

The Shell Lake boat works are only 20 miles or so from me, there are still lots of them around.

Great little boat.

 

[John Painter]

The Shell Lake boat works are only 20 miles or so from me, there are still lots of them around.

Great little boat.

That's encouraging to hear, I don't think I've seen one around here before, it has a very distinctive bow even for a tri hull.

 

[Teamster]

I know Uncle Bill removed the seat across at the front, It looked to me like it should have stayed because it helped
hold the hull together, there was some flex without it,..

However, we were on a small inland lake so it probably wasn't to bad,...Any chance of
bigger waves and I'd want that seat there,...

Lund Boats bought Shell Lake Boats in the 60's, I think that was Lunds first foray into fiberglass boats,...

A google search of Shell Lake Boats will yield plent of history.

 

[John Painter]

That?s good to know about the seats, I?m refinishing and varnishing them now, so I?ll probably keep them in but it?s very tempting to me to make the aft seat removable.

 

[John Painter]

Thanks to Woodonglass' great post on using tractor paint from TSC, I was able to give a decent paint job to my Shell Lake at a stupid low cost - still kind of boggles my mind in the price difference from Pettit topside at $45/Qt locally.

 

[Woodonglass]

She's a BEAUT!!!

 

[John Painter]

She's a BEAUT!!!

And one more tribute to Woodonglass who's knowledge inspired me to tinker with colors.

For anyone else interested, I used 2 quarts of the Ford Blue, and about 1.5 pints Gloss White (I wanted extra for a second coat), and hardener, all of it is the Majic brand from Tractor Supply Co, and I got very close to Whaler Blue. This has turned out way better than I had thought it would.
Very thankful for the idea to go with tractor paint. :bounce:

 

[Woodonglass]

Again, Bee-U-Tee-Full job. I'm pretty sure you're gunna be amazed at how durable it is and how long it will last. The other thing is...when you get scratches and chips (and you will) it's a Piece of cake to fix em. Check this out for touch ups...https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NXNE6C...t=&hvlocphy=9026200&hvtargid=pla-365040485887

I've used it a bunch and it works absolutely fantastic!