HOOT: My last stages of my Keelboat project...for anyone interested

NightSailor

Captain
Now here is a project I have a gazillion hours into. It is nearing completion.''

A major deck recore job. Plus I reinforces some areas. Everywhere that has a bolt through the deck was cored with 3/8" fiberglass panels--no more wet core on this boat.

I just finished two coats of primer on the topsides. My workbench and the wooden crate in the foreground is getting my excess paint. I used up my excess paint and epoxy on a portable workbench 6 or 7 years back and I can store it outside without any worries about water getting into the plywood. Two part epoxy primers and paints are the best.

I'll be painting the deck flat white with light gray non-skid. The topsides will be white. Red Boot stripe, and the bottom is getting an epoxy barrier coat, five coats of Interlux 2000E and either two or four coats of VC Offshore. This will be my first time using a paint type non-skid. I hope to have this boat done in the next week.

Then I start on my new interior for my 46--around Mid-August through October I hope I can finish that boat in 2.5 months and sail it to the Caribbean this fall.



HOOTPrimer405.jpg


HOOTPrimer406.jpg


I have a bunch of pictures on Webshots of this project.

http://www.webshots.com/search?query=hoot+RECORE&new=1&source=chromeheader
 
I had the same thought as Zeppo. But NightSailor's message states that the boat is 46'.

Maybe a Maxi Etchells?

:):):)
 
I had the same thought as Zeppo. But NightSailor's message states that the boat is 46'.

Maybe a Maxi Etchells?

:):):)
Upon re-reading NightSailor's post, it may be that the boat shown is indeed an Etchells and that NightSailor has another (46') boat that he intends to take down South. An Etchells isn't terribly comfy for sleepovers :D.

 
It is an Etchells. Number 83. built in Greenwich in 1973. It is an old one. I bought the boat for $500 from an estate. The old man who owned it could not bear to part with it, so it sat in his driveway for 18 years--no kidding. Check my webshots photos. Actually I have some more pictures going back even farther.

Let me see if I can find them.

http://sports.webshots.com/album/140116127LISNBu

Bought the boat in the winter-March 2003, managed to trailer it home and start working on it in 22 degree weather. I could not stand it looking dirty. Look at the pictures--no need to rehash that.

My other boat is an Ericson 46. Did I post pictures of that. Another beat up boat in need of repair. I have the exterior mostly done, much of the boat re-rigged--new self tailers, new boom, new boom vang I custom built, and after trying to make the interior look good for several years, I finally gave up and gutted the interior. I plan to make the inside all new, bullet proof, and easy to maintain. Sorry about the confusion about all these boats.

All I wanted was a Lightning when I was a kid. Just think if my parents had only given me that I might not be some obsessive about boats today.

In any event, both the Etchells and the Ericson both are what I call "sailor's boats". Lots of different sail controls to tweak to your hearts content.

Here is the made in the USA Ericson, back when I first bought her. Blue topsides and an old Perkins 4-108. I now have a new Yanmar 75HP turbo diesel, with a new transmission, shaft, Flexifold prom and new strut. The new engine motors very efficiently in forward, but sucks backing up.

http://sports.webshots.com/album/140110117PAujRx

Plans for the future are a longer deeper rudder for better steering, plus the interior work I mentioned. I want to use this boat for training classes in Coastal Navigation and Ocean Passagemaking. I will have two double berths aft and two singles up above--port and starboard. A good layout for a couple or two single people on each side aft. I'm changing the salon to two wide settee berths with seat backs that swing up to two more berths--total of 4 in the main salon--give me 8 reasonably comfortable sea-berths, and potential for 10 on the ocean. While the V-berth will be usable at anchor. I'd be the Captain/head instructor, and I'd have room for one crew--probably a second licensed Captain, and 6 students. Smaller classes I can run by myself. I've been fixing it up, paying cash as I go. So I owe nothing on the boat.
 

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