TOPIC: '53 18' Century Resorter finally

Bob, if I come down, can I have a ride? sure is a beauty of a boat. more pic's please frog

Sure come on down when it's done, she's stripped right now. You posted too soon, more pics now.

Bob

Very glad to see you breaking out the pics on the Resorter project Bob, really looking forward to watching this one!

Thanks Mark.

Dammit, 15 minutes worth of pic upload the it all got dumped. Try again I guess.

Ok, I'm semi awake and one cup os coffee, so here are more pics again
Time to strip the inside and pull the engine with my buddy Bob to help me.



Hmmm what's wrong with this picture?


Engine on rack and power washed.






Now to investigate the problems. There's a twist in the hull.


Well that's enough for now, have to get back at it.

Bob

bob,maybe you already know about this club,but here it is... www.centuryboatclub.com/

Thanks John I do. I am a member and have been posting on the club facebook page extensively for insight.

Bob

That quit the twist on a restoration. Looks like it would pull to stbd. Could it have been setting on the ground or a poor adjusted trailer for a long time? I've seen drag cars twist just like that from having more HP than the frame could handle.

I have some Century parts from my 1947 Resorter that was completely rotted. I have the original Grey marine engine, and hardware. The windshield frames and gauge cluster will not be correct, but the other parts will be close. I have a beautiful steering wheel, chocks,lifting rings ect. Let me know if you need any assistance.
That is a very cool boat and worthy of a restoration!

Sorry guys been in Huntsville AL all week, just got back. I'll post some pics tomorrow.

Kevin I think it was from sitting on the old gator trailer, of which I'm sending to the scrap yard, it's really rough.

Royce (72 Hornet) didn't realize this was you, HA HA HA, small world hugh? As we discussed on the club page, well messages anyway, I do want the majority of what you have. I think I'm going to keep the V-8 though.

What isn't right about your windshield frames? I was counting on those since I hate the convertible windshield frame without the convertible stop.

Bob

bob, sounds like your all set up in the parts for your boat. now just alittle elbow grease. lol. looks nice. frog

What a beautiful boat! Keep us posted Bob.

I'm finally back from Huntsville so here are some more pics.

This is the trailer it came off of and won't be used again. I think it's an old Gator but the build plaque is gone so not sure. The springs need to be replaced, the bearings, the front tongue is bent and would need to be cut and re-welded. It has the original non locking tongue. I'm probably going to take it to the scrap yard and see what I can get. I'll take off the new trailer lights.


The boat is now down on the shed floor with a cinder block and 5/4 board on top of the block. The stern is on the blocks and the keel is on the floor, three points and very stable. The floor is completely level this way I can figure out the twist problem.



So once it was on the floor I measured from the floor to the top of the chines on port and starboard at the second frames and found the starboard side was 1 1/2" higher. This took care of that.

Ok I give up this is the fifth try at rotating this the right way, none of the usual ways are working, I give up.
It needs new stringers, the forward engine mount areas are questionable. When you run a V-8 in these boats the factory would bolster the stringers with 3/4" marine ply on the outside faces. I have the marine play ready to go, just need the douglas fir for the stringers.





Well that's enough for now. Time to get out to the shed and back to work.

Bob

First time catching this thread. She is going to be incredible when you get her done. Love the pics. jim

Here are some more pics of the progress so far.
Cradle is built and mobile.


Needed to float her to see how bad the bottom really was. Didn't want to just fill the inside with water since the trailer is completely wrong to support that much weight, so it was easier to take her to the little lake close by.



A few leaks, two I expected a couple more I didn't.


After going through the interior more I found a few more cracked bottom planks so it looks like a while new bottom. Worst part is the bottom wasn't put on with 5200 like I thought, it was put on with I believe the West System epoxy. I'm going to have to be very careful so I can at least use the bow ends for patterns, the rest is pretty much straight.

That's all for today.

Bob

Great boat, Bob. Bettie Page was a century Ski Dart, very similar to your boat in design, although a little newer. She was a fun ride. (The boat, not Bettie.)

A couple suggestions:

The original Gray Marine engine was an AMC-based V8. Unless you really like pain and frustration, stay away from them. For one thing, they require a Leece-Neville alternator and voltage regulator. Both are impossible to find. It cost me $125 to have my regulator rebuilt and it still needed an unobtainable diode. I paid $165 for a voltage regulator, after a three month search. The L-N alternator is the only one that will fit on that engine unless you build some Rube Goldberg contraption to hold a GM alternator way out in free space. There are also about zero performance mods available. The Jeep guys have monopolized all the four barrel intake manifolds. I'd definitely stick with the small block Chevy.

Your prop looks to be too big but maybe it just looks big to me. With a 350 in your boat, you should most likely be running a 13X13 prop. WOT should be right around 5,000-5,200 RPM.

Lastly, assuming that your bottom planks are solid, those "little" leaks can be addressed by thoroughly filling the cracks with 5200 from the bottom. The next day, dunk the boat in the lake and allow it to stay there for 3-4 days. 5200 sets up well under water and the swelling wood will squeeze out all the excess. The "squoze" can then be easily removed with a sharp chisel or a multi-master prior to bottom painting. It may be the "poor man's 5200 bottom" but it works well and if you're thinking about removing the bottom anyway, you've got nothing to lose by trying. I've used this system on several boats...works like a charm.

Hint: 5200 likes to "drool." Putting it in the cracks upside down is a real mess and it seems to drool out almost as fast as you can stuff it in there. Do the job when the hull is dry and you're wearing the worst clothes you own. Wear a hat! As you apply the 5200, go back about every three feet and cover the cracks with 2" wide duct tape to hold the 5200 in place. Dunk the boat the next day, tape and all, and when you eventually pull the boat out of the water, the tape will be easily removed.

Note: Free advice is worth twice what you pay for it. If any/all of these suggestions don't work, I'll deny everything and provide the best air-tight alibi money can buy.

Note #2: The word "squoze" is a proprietary word, invented by me, for the exclusive use of persons using 3M 5200. Miriam Webster, who just happens to be a close personal friend of mine, will soon be adding it to his latest lexicon. Anyone found to be using "squoze" outside the confines of 3M 5200 discussions will have their classic boat confiscated and be forced to own a pontoon boat...a pink one.

Jan,
Actually this is a '53 and only came with the 4 or 6 cylinder. The v-8's in Centuries didn't come out until '57. I'll have to look at the prop again and see what it is, I forget. I'll know more about the bottom once I get her turned over and get a closer look. The main leaks you see are almost an 1/8" wide and about 2' long, on both sides of the keel. There's another about 1/16" 1' long on the next plank over on the starboard side and a few cracks internally, up toward the bow. I don't have access to the lake to leave the boat in for more than about 10 or 15 minutes. It's an electric motor only lake and I was using the launch ramp. I think the planks will need to be replaced and if I'm going to replace 3 or 4 planks I may as well just do the whole bottom. It also looks like the stem needs to be replaced also.

Bob

dang Bob, that sucks with the cracked planks on the bottom n all. and even sucks worse that they used epoxy...

Was going to ask about that windscreen, but looked it up, looks like it's original to the boat after all.

good luck bud. can't wait to see her when you get her done.

Waterwings, when you start to take your bottom planks off, it will become very clear on what you will need to do to make the boat above all safe and seaworthy. Remember that these boats wehn built were never meant to last over 10-15 years, let alone 60! There is no magic potion, IE, 5200, epoxy, new screws etc. The oil soaked bottom, dried out wood, loose framing, aged fasteners and years of movement now make your boat not only unsafe but not seaworthy! Make sure that you find a copy of the Dannenberg book on Runabout Restoration and you will learn about all of these forces and hot they have contributed to your boats current condition. The 5200, Epoxy and crews are merely bandaids that can wreak poor results when they are not properly used per there original design.
You are now getting your boat properly supported to begin addressing the issues that will no doubt included rot, severely degraded fasteners, oil soaked weakend wood and broken frames. Remember, rot is a living organism and will grow like a cancer within your boat...
Please note that I am not trying to sound like a Debbie Downer, but rather someone who is being brutally honest about the realities of wooden boat ownership.

Shake,
Thanks bud no worries. Yeah it's the correct windshield I just like the split low profile better, especially since I don't have the convertible top that goes with the it.

Royce, yeah I know we discussed your '47 a little but. So are your windshield frames not correct for a '53?

Bob

Bob, while not being historically correct for your boat, they will look IMO, alot better than what the boat came with. They will not give you as much protection, but hey, as least you will be looking good! LOL

Cool thanks. They are correct for the wheel you have? So they match?


Bob

I agree, the split windscreen will look a lot better than the original, lol.

Also, I'm with hornet on the rebuild. these old wood boats were built to flex and have movement in the hull, expoxying IMO is not the best avenue to take with these boats. however a no soak bottom has it's benefits if the boat is to be trailered regularly....

She's gunna be a beaut!

Replacing a planked bottom is a major job. Five years ago, the "going rate" was $1,000 per foot. There's a reason for that...it's worth it. The labor and material required is substantial. Yes, read Dannenberg. (I taught him everything he knows!) Seriously though, there's a real trick to doing the bottom, that is, doing it right. If you have never done it before, try to get some who has to help you...at least get you started. The installation of steam bent planks is a two man job. Don't begin until you are sure you can work on it until complete. It's not the kind of thing you can do half way and then return to finish a few months later. Best of luck.

Great points on this thread. It is critical to get your bottom even and correctly done or you will end up with a boat that will handle funny. That could mean porpoising, nose diving or hooking one direction or the other. And Nautilus makes a great [oint durind the steaming process. It is critical to have help when fitting the bottom planks. Clamps,5200 and screws become your best friends!

Shake, it's all about looking cool!!!!! LOL It will be getting a 5200 bottom since it will not be sitting in the water.

Jan, the whole boat is getting done so how bad can it be?!?!?!? LOL. I have clamps out the ying yang so I'm ready. I just need to figure out exactly how I want to steam the planks. Thinking about the Dannenberg method but there's got to be a cheaper way to build one. Money saved here and there really adds up and buys more parts.

Royce yep all good stuff, thanks for all the inputs. Please send me those pics when you get a chance.


Bob

Time for more pics.
Got the transom off. It took 4 hours to get the bottom plank off because they used epoxy to glue in the bungs/plugs so I had to removed the bung/plug the scrape out the slot on the screw so I could get it out. Needed to keep the planks in tact for patterns. Could probably reuse two of them but I think I'll just put all new ones on. It isn't pretty under neath there.



I should be able to still make patterns out if it.
With the transom off I was able to get hull pretty level and even to brace it up.






Flipping party tomorrow, if it stops raining.

Bob

Bob:

You obviously know what you're doing. Everything looks good to me...maybe even a little overkill on the bracing but it will certainly retain it's shape.

Now...here's what I want you to do: beef-up the stringers and drop in a big block Chevy...nothing too potent. 475 HP should do the trick. Three two barrels with progressive linkage would be a nice touch. They always look great sitting on top of the 6-71 blower. Move the driver's seat to the rear, cover the front seat area with decking and leave the engine compartment open so that the blower and eight exhaust pipes can stick out skyward. Name her "Aqua Viagra."

Email me when you have all that done. I'll come by and take a ride. Make sure you have beer. Glad I could help!

Jan

Jan,
Thanks, I have a tendency to overkill everything. LOL Nice idea about the motor but that set up won't do very well in the brackish river bay water here. It'll look cool but won't last long.

Bob

Well she's flipped over and back in the shed.








Yep there's just a few cracks. Time for a whole new bottom.


That's all for now.

Bob

Bob, I can hear Joe Cocker singing "I get by with a little help from my friends" in the background! LOL

Good job on the flip buddy, proud to see you pressing on with the project my friend. BTW, J.D. has 5200 on sale right now for $11.99 a tube. (The big 13oz?) I've always found the wood boats truly beautiful and engineering marvels, but can't imagine tackling a project of this magnitude. I guess the good part is wood dust doesn't itch and smells a lot better, right!?

Thanks Mark. Lowes has it for the same price I believe and I won't have to wait for shipping. Yeah there will be a lot of sanding with a respirator of course. I've ben a woodworker for a very long time and this was just a natural progression I guess.

Bob

Weather was crappy after the flip, lots of rain, so I worked on the motor.
not too dirty under the valve covers.

Some interesting things in the manifolds.


I'm thinking cylinders 1 and 4 are probably in rough shape inside.


Bob

The oil galleys look pretty decent Bob. The lack of "sludge" tells that someone took good care of the motor, right? Those manifolds and risers are another story altogether! I've seen them almost plugged with rust and scale, but that looks like a rat's nest was ingested and pumped through the motor. (Might have come in from the exhaust side, but you know what I mean?) May want to take those to a machine shop to get them vatted out, checked for cracks, etc.?

Yeah I'm thinking of taking the manifolds, heads and block, once it's all stripped, to a shop and have it cleaned and checked.


Bob

bob, wish I were closer to you, I have been a gm auto mech for 42 years, I think I could help you out. frog

Thanks Greg appreciate that. I may hit you up for some advice here and there if you don't mind.

Bob

bob, anytime. frog

Thanks buddy. I'll post what I found under the heads tomorrow.

Bob

bob, I sent you an e-mail. let me know if you got it. yours came thru as spam on my end. frog

Greg it didn't come through, even as spam, not sure why.

Worked on the boat all weekend but not much to show for it. I didn't take any pics will take some tomorrow. I got two full rows of planks on the port side and did manage to get all the bungs/plus off all the screws but I still have to grind out the epoxy in all the slots. The person who did the bottom last epoxied them in!!!!!!!!! I've used up two Dremel diamond bits trying to grind out the slots. Got the whole port side doe but need to finish the starboard side before I can remove all the screws. Planks are coming out but it's ugly. They're splitting by the battens since that's where they were epoxied but there's still enough on the top part to make patterns from them. Very slow going. Also looks like the bottom ties are all split where the screws went in. I think I paid too much for what now appears to be a pattern boat! ARGH.

Here are the pics of the heads I promised. Carboned up as I figured but the cylinders look pretty good so..........



Bob