Am I a hopeless romantic?

Mama H Chicago

Mother of sailboats
How did I get so enthralled with these early Alcort boats? Had a few minutes before bed tonight and I shined up these keel pieces for Red Rubber Duck. I had already seen the Port notation, and I know she’s 100% a kit build, but seeing these hand scratched on the backs of the pieces just gets to me somehow. She’s 70+ years old and gorgeous. I just want to make sure boats like this will always exist.
IMG_8649.jpeg
 
I don’t know who originally built her, but I DO have a clue that I may be able to use to track them down eventually. I adore the new family that she will be delivered to soon. She was a gift from the kids to Dad, and there are gorgeous grand babies that already have sailboat sleepwear. She will live on a picturesque lake in Michigan and hopefully enjoyed for generations to come.

To your point of 70 years being a rarity, I have learned so much about wood, sealants, fasteners, sailcloth, and on and on. Originally I was going to scuff-sand, repaint and call her good. Once I removed the hull, I got the opportunity to see that there was a significant crack on the internal first three layers of the marine plywood. It would only have been a matter of a few bumps before she split open. Thanks to this group and the resources for products I’ve been pointed towards, I’m doing my best to have her sealed where she should be, vented where she should be, and hopefully shaped to sail like the wind!
 
The boats tell stories, both their own and the stories of their guardians. Thanks for posting the photo, I'm not sure I recognize where those keel pieces go?
 

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