First things first...

I learned long ago that I need a goal before I can make a plan.  In the past week I have made some decisions about the boat project.  First off, I will eliminate the 4 cyl Volvo engine and outdrive, glass in the transom hole, and have an outboard offshore bracket installed, with an outboard motor.  My research has led me to a company up in Bellingham that makes these brackets, and they just so happened to have done a few boats exactly like mine.  Here is the goal:

Eliminating the I/O motor gives you a bunch more room in the boat, which will come in handy for fishing, crabbing, etc.  With the extra room, I plan to construct some modular type seats that can be added or removed based on what the day's plan is.  This photo shows the bracket, and a spiffy 130 HP Yamaha outboard, which is just about perfect for this boat.  All I can say today is that I have a LONG ways to go before my boat looks like this.

Saturday morning.  It's nice today, no rain in the immediate forecast.  The lawn is in dire need of it's first mowing of the year, but I have boats on the brain.  I figure the lawn can wait, and dig into the project.  My goal for the day is to get all the vinyl covering up, the fuel tank out, and inspect the space below the decks for any signs of water or rot.  I also need to get the wheel hubs replaced.  On the trip home with the boat, one of the bearing buddies came off, which allowed the grease to fly everywhere.

A quick inspection confirmed that the hubs are toast, no sense in trying to just replace the bearings.    I  have to tow the boat up to the shop in Bellevue so I can use the fork lift to remove the engine in the next few days, so I put hubs on my short list.















I got the fuel tank out, thankfully it was only about 1/4 full.  I wrestled it out of the compartment, and slid it overboard.  I am a little startled with what I saw next.  One of the holes that the tank attached to started leaking water as soon as the screw was removed.  Not good.  I took a 3 inch hole saw and carefully drilled an inspection hole in between the stringers that lay longitudinally from stern to bow.  Because of the age, this boat has fiberglass stringers, with a foam core.  The compartments under the floor boards are also filled with foam, and I dig hands full out after removing the 3 inch plug with the hole saw.   After about 3 fists full, I realized the magnitude of my project just got kicked up a notch.  Water.  Standing water... and lots of it.  

I drilled 4-5 moire inspection holes around the cockpit and every one revealed water in the foam.  I try not to get too discouraged, I remind myself that this IS a project boat.  Prognosis?  The floor boards will all have to come out, the foam removed, and then inspect the stringers and hope they aren't filled with soggy foam too (they probably are).  I end my day having learned quite a lot, and my confidence continues to build.  Nothing I saw this day scared me too much, which is good.  Thankfully I have a great resource, Glasply.net and it's very nice and knowledgeable members who are more than willing to help.  I will post my findings and get some opinions.  The drone of lawnmowers in my neighborhood all day reminded me that I have another "must do" on my list this weekend.  I'll get the lawn mowed Sunday morning, before I tackle the hub project.  Good intentions don't deter mother nature though, and Sunday morning dawns, accompanied by a light drizzle.  Oh darn.

The hub project goes smoothly.







































I realize I need to buy new tires soon.  Project Boat is slang for "hole in back yard to dump money down".

Saturday Morning.... the fun begins.  Strip that Mutha!

Saturday late afternoon.  Progress!

Up next:  I want that engine out of there!

It begins....

I haven't had a boat to call my own since 2002.  Bought exactly 2 weeks before 9/11, ownership of that boat was brief, and painful.  Oh, it was a great boat.  Brand new, 26 footer, deep hull which was perfect for the Puget Sound, lots of room, plenty of power, and really fun to cruise in.  But I paid more for that boat than I did my first house.  All I will say about that disastrous chapter is that it certainly proved the old saying about the two happiest days in a guy's life: "The day you get your boat, and the day you sell it".  Post 9/11 life eventually took it's toll, and the boat had to go (or I would have had to live in it).  A $15000.00 "bath" later, I was able to sell it to a guy on San Juan Island.  I even delivered it to him.  I'll never forget my giddyness as I drove away...  but I will admit a deep sorrow too.

Anyway... boating has always been a passion of mine.  I have wanted another boat since I got rid of the last one, but really couldn't fathom getting myself back into another boat payment.  I decided to start looking for a used boat, perhaps a "project", and began the search online.  I of course started scouring Craigslist each day, and doing some general research on different hulls.  I found myself looking for a Glasply, which was made in Marysville Washington until they went out of business some years ago.  I learned that Glasply has a very loyal, almost "cult-like" following, and there were many in my local area (Seattle).  I started reading forums, researching the feasibility of making repairs to this type of boat.  A few "Youtube" videos later, and all of a sudden I found myself with a new confidence for restoring a boat.  "I can do this!"  So my search continued.  My theory was (is?) to buy a sound hull for a song, and then spend some dough to get it back into shape.  That way, I can spread the expense out over a period of time, and when I am done, I have a new boat with no boat payment.  Seems easy enough... right?  We'll see.  

I watched CL for several weeks, and finally found this beauty, a 1980 runabout on a nice EZLoader trailer.  The best part... the owner was only asking $800.00.  Heck, the trailer should be worth half that.    The owner had many calls that first morning that the ad ran, including mine.  I knew this boat wouldn't last, so I hopped in my car that afternoon and fought rush hour traffic from Seattle to Shelton to see it.  I was the only guy that showed up to see it, and in about 40 seconds, it belonged to me.  I wasn't really looking for an Inboard/outboard boat, but I figured what the heck.  Outboard models (as it turns out) are rare.  so I brought the little gem home, and started dreaming....

Up next:  The tear down..