|
|
|
|
The Southwest Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society Volume 11, Issue 1 Spring 2006 The Bow- Robert Black Spring is here--at least for those of us in the Southwest Chapter. Members are preparing their boats for the up coming Keels and Wheels Boat Show..Ed and Jan Ueckert are completing a major re-varnish job and have described their experience in an article in this issue. Dave Parker’s restoration project is also moving forward –he has sent along some progress photos with the article Craig Stanfield and he co-wrote for the newsletter. We want to feature more of our members’ restoration projects in future newsletters. Send information and pictures to Craig Stanfield. He will be happy to help edit an article for you.
Our thanks to Tom and Pat Croasdale as well as the other volunteers who put on our exhibit at the Houston Boat Show. The Outboard Motor Club also provided an exhibit for the booth. For those of you that have not seen it, we are provided a large space in the Reliant Center at the entrance to the show. It is a high visibility location and a lot of people stop and look.
There are a couple of North Texas shows on the summer calendar. The Eagle Mountain Classic Boat Club’s, “In the Water” Show, will take place Saturday June 3rd at Eagle Mountain Marina. There is a Kick-Off Buffet on Friday June 2nd. For more information go to their web site at www.emcbc.com or call 817-239-6165. The Annual WBA Show will again take place August 26-28 at Sneaky Pete’s Marina on Lake Lewisville. Activities include dinner and socializing, as well as the usual boating activities. For more information see their web site at www.woodenboatassociation.com .Calendar
Houston Boat Show
click to enlarge Ideal Boating – Craig Stanfield Well there are several kinds. The absolute best is riding on the other man’s boat. Here, we freeloaders refer to it as the “OMB.” On the OMB, you sit as a guest. You drink as a guest. It is really, boating as good as it gets. Insurance costs? I think so. Haul outs? I guess the yard does it. Compliments flow like free Margaritas. At first, I discriminated to ride on/in only the most pedigreed boats. As my acquaintances wised up, I found myself starting to “lower” to more “earthy” brands. Sorta a transition from Trumpys to Centurys, with the great middle class wedged between.
But, back to this form of boating… it would be nice if the engine ran, but it is not a requirement. After all, unless you are driving a ferry, going boating does not imply going anywhere.
I raced up to Lakeview Marina on the trusty Moto Guzzi. Arriving at my shed, I proceeded to ready the Resorter for an hour on the lake. It was already hot as hell. I checked the voltage of the battery. I analyzed the electrolyte of the battery. I visually inspected the water level of the battery. I performed a quick charge using my “portable” 40 amp charger. I connected the boat’s electrical system and then fastened the 2 gauge hot wires that are dedicated to the bilge pump. Fuses? I don’t need fuses. They just blow anyway, and then you have to find a big paper clip. All systems were good to go. The battery was hot. The float was working .
On the cell phone, I call the marina. The kid (these days, that’s anyone under 45) comes up on the tractor and hooks me up. The boat rolls out. The ‘Guzzi rolls in. Yeppers, the mighty Ford runs. Now for the important stuff. The pump. Are the cables free of touching combustible materials? Are they at least 6” apart for cooling. No need checking the limber holes. My bilge is as clean as they get.
In the water. Fired up. The mighty Resorter idled the quarter mile to the restaurant, as there wasn’t any reason to tax the aging STP in the crankcase. Flags flying. It really doesn’t get any better (except, of course, on the OMB.
Sitting at Pappa’s on the Lake. I came in smooooth. No dock rash. No rushing from one side of the engine hatch to the other. My dad would have been so proud. I tied up using bow, stern, and a spring line. A big round buoy (that I found floating in Clear Lake ) separated the aging African Mahogany from the treated pine. My fingers didn’t get caught between the stainless rub rail and the dock this time. The engine ran until I turned the switch off. Well, honestly, it quit about the same time that I was reaching for the key, but the onlookers couldn’t tell. I only lacked the scrambled-eggs hat . People were looking. I had already carefully left a coiled line to cover the rot in the deck. The towel was strategically placed – back when I left the marina - over both the stains and the tears in the upholstery. It was a beach towel….. a very big beach towel. Color coordinated to the upholstery, of course.
A couple “biker” guys asked me to sit with them. I knew something was wrong;. They both rode Harleys. It seems Harley riders (aka Bikers) stay with Harley riders, and non -Harley riders (aka Motorcyclists) stay with our clan. Motorcyclists talk about Bikers. And Bikers ignore Motorcyclists. (Note: It is not unlike Chris Craft and Century Guys). We both talk trash about each other in private. The difference? Anyways, they were wearing the entire chrome catalog. The full line- Black Harley T. Leather Harley cap. Chrome belt buckle. Black leather chaps. CHAPS! It was 103 in the shade. I was out of my league, but their table was geographically desirable. I could see the attention the mighty Resorter was getting. Their table was the one to have. I swallowed hard and sat down.
Now back to my boating, I was just eating up the compliments on my old Resorter. The iced tea was flowing like water. The chicken strips were great. Anyhow, the “bikers” were floating most of their bottle-laden ice bucket, when one said “…is that coolant squirting out of the right side of your boat?” Me, feeling temporarily relieved, that the all-important circuit was working, informed this “biker” that it was, in fact, the bilge pump. Awestruck, and full of liquor-induced honesty, the biker that started the conversation bellowed in his confederate flag drawl “What’s keeping that boat floatin?”
Garwood Rebirth – Dave Parker/Craig StanfieldIt is amazing what is transpiring on the latest SWC Raffle Boat on the waterfront of Seabrook. Remember the Garwood at the last Keels and Wheels? The postwar 16 footer in “as found” condition? It seems Dave Parker was the “winner”, and he is now getting more from her than he originally anticipated.
In May of ’05, Dave and buddy (and fellow SWC member) Jon Stroble removed the engine from the Gar, and placed the lump of steel in the storage shed awaiting the rebuilder. After a careful audit, Dave happily discovered that all the hardware was with the boat with one exception – the fuel tank cap. Everything was removed from the boat before it went into storage, not to see daylight again until Thanksgiving week when the insides were degreased and pressure washed as per Don Dannenberg’s instructions. Once home (no easy task, given the condition of the trailer), Dave built a cradle inside the boat, using the stringers as guides. This was done to protect the shape on the extensive repairs needed. Then, Dave “walked” the trailer out from under the boat. On Thanksgiving Day, Dave, Jon, and 10 of Alice’s able bodied family members (a small fraction of the total in attendance) then rolled the boat over on old tired borrowed from the local Chevron station, working only for beer.
An extensive survey revealed extensive roughshod repairs, and much rot to rectify. At some point the vessel was partially replanked with plywood side planks, transom and decks, and completely refastened with galvanized deck screws. Each screw protruded through the backside ¾ of an inch, splitting all of the battens and many of the frames. This proved a severe hindrance in removing the bottom planking while protecting the bottom frames for patterns. Armed with a fresh tetanus shot, Dave had to resort to both wearing “Mechanix” gloves and buying bandages at Sam’s Club. By mid January the double bottom was removed the entire bottom and most side frames, originally mahogany, are now replaced with white oak. The keel, gripe, stem and chines have been removed for patterning, after which
The bottom will be replaced using the Dannenberg “enhanced traditional” 5200 method. In addition to deciding what to do, where to do the work, and how to appease the wife, Dave has had to suffer the dilemma of silicon bronze vs. stainless fasteners…$254 per 100, instead of $25 per. His goal? To use the Gar as his own WoodenBoat school. He has already learned much about the construction/reconstruction of a traditionally planked vessel, and the learning just continues…
Major Woody Restoration At last Jan and I found a place to refinish our boat. We have an acquaintance, Michael Gray, who owns a vacant patio home in the neighborhood. He lives on Lake Travis and graciously allowed us to use his patio home garage. We expected to be out of the space in one month but finally left after two months at the end of February. We still are not finished with the boat. However, we are registered for the Keels and Wheels, and Jan assures me that we will be ready.
We worked on the usual things. We cleaned deck seams with the help of Les Burton’s specially designed tool. Jim Frechette and Chuck Webb gave us invaluable help in preparing the hull and seams and refinishing the boat.
We completed extensive work on the steering wheel assembly. Lew Lawson gave us a source for a new horn ring and horn button. The spoke trim pieces are secured with a hidden screw under the horn ring and a visible screw. We had been missing one of the three visible screws since we had purchased the boat. We visited the local fastener store, and they had the exact screw that we needed. I bought a dozen! Jim Frechette pulled the wheel for us with his handy wheel puller. We rechromed all the other steering wheel parts. It looks much better.
We also addressed some dash board issues. We replaced all three switches and bought identification tags from Jim Staib in McHenry, Illinois. Jan repainted the white surround on the instrument cluster and restained the gray trim. At Jan’s suggestion we also replaced the vinyl covered panels on either side of the instruments with stained and varnished mahogany. We also secured the two piece rubber base for the windshield from a source in North Carolina.
With technical support from Dale Lipps we also replumbed the modern water pump, which we had installed several years ago. We had no luck in locating the required brass fittings in Austin, which we needed. However, Chris Dorflinger has always recommended Blue Water Marine for any and all boating needs. On a recent trip to Houston we drove past Blue Water. Jan insisted that I turn around and go in to look for fittings. They had everything! Chris was right, and all need to listen to our wives about these boat problems.
Also we replated 17 pieces of hardware. I have never had any success in keeping the brass through hulls looking bright. I decided to turn the Chris Craft in a Century and chrome plate them. However, Bill Nalle has gold plated deck fittings, and they always look like freshly polished brass. For very little extra money, yes, I had the through hulls gold plated. Thanks, Bill.
In addition, not only has Mike Siegel owned the ACBS Boat of the Year and the Best of Show at Tahoe, he also owns BIG BOY, which has a beautiful teak and holly floorboard. We had the authentic white vinyl covering on our floor boards. Jan claims that the factory made a big mistake. We are now in the process of covering our floorboards with teak and holly. Thanks to Mike for the inspiration, to Jim Frechette for picking up the material on one of his wood runs to Houston, and to Bill Nalle for helping me cut the wood on his beautiful, new table saw.
Finally, we need to complete the installation of the floorboards and the rest of the interior. We will also install new rollers and carpet on the trailer—hopefully just in time for the show. The repainting of the trailer will have to wait. I have included some pictures for your enjoyment. I am glad that there is no sound so that you can not hear any of the frequent yelling that took place. Also, after this experience Jan is convinced that there must be a more maintenance free material that we can use to build boats. click each picture to enlarge
|
Last modified: 12/5/05 |
