Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Shiny!!

I started working on buffing the hull out, and the results are pretty good so far. I am using the 3M one step product for heavily oxidized gelcoat along with an orange pad on my Dad's RO buffer. Looking pretty good so far!

I also spoke with my friend Wade who put me in touch with someone who has some hedge he is willing to sell... Starting to come together!


You can really see the difference on this shot of the stern...

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Took some pics this morning. I tried to find the places that needed the most work. Lots harder to do that on this boat versus the banshee...
Here are some showing the overall condition of the hull and cockpit (which I deem very good - after a bit of buffing). I have a few options with the missing hatch covers that I am mulling over. There is a guy in Oklahoma that just wrecked his bucc18 hull and he is parting it out - but is pretty darn proud of the pieces. I was also thinking that I might make some wood doors (hopefully out of hedge) which I think would look pretty nice.


I can't really photograph it now, but there is a small leak in the hull at the bottom of the daggerboard well. That is really job number one for me to fix (She will sail without hatch covers, right?)



I am going to try and replace the scuppers with auto-bailers (hopefully I can find them used).


The wood trim pieces will hopefully be replaced with hedge pieces that I plan on making, assuming I can acquire some more from Wade.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

NEW BOAT!

I have a new Sailor-Patron!! A new friend, Steve, has given me the opportunity to restore a 1978 Chrysler Buccaneer 18 and I can't wait to get started. After a nice drive up to Omaha, I have boat number 3 (and possibly a wife on the verge of completely losing her patience for my "hobby" - She might call it a "hobbsession").

She has a red hull a very good set of sails, and will need a little bit of love to get back out on the lake, but she has the most promise by far of all the boats I have worked on to date. If it ever stops raining here, I will get out and take some before pictures. She needs some general cleanup, a few fiberglass/gelcoat repairs and a thorough cleaning.

So this first post is for all my avid readers of my banshee blog (thanks Mom, Dad, and Olivia for the three hits!!!). I will be finishing up the transom of that boat soon and trying to find her a new adoptive family. Thanks to Steve, maybe this blog might get four hits!

Seriously though, I have learned a lot through my work so far and I hope that maybe one day, my ramblings and experiences restoring these boats might actually help some future googler finish their project, or give them the courage to start one.