DEFINITE luck...

[Roger Stouff]

Guess who's now the owner of this?
http://www.banner-tribune.com/ftos/thompson1.jpg
http://www.banner-tribune.com/ftos/thompson2.jpg http://www.banner-tribune.com/ftos/thompson3.jpg

1963 Thompson, 19', plywood lap, looks like white oak frames and so forth. There's a small patch of rot in the transom at the exact center-bottom; it needs two frames replaced, some rot up front in the stem; needs to be redecked, and whatever else I find.

The gentleman who had it saw my runabout in the newspaper and called me. I went see it today.

"How much?"
He said, "Do you like it?"
"Sure," I said.
"But do you REALLY like it?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Do you LOVE it?"
Starting to feel silly, I said, "Yes, sir, it's a great boat."
And then he handed me an envelope with the papers for boat and trailer. "It's yours," he said. "I never got around to restoring it, and I just want your promise that you'll do it and take care of it."
"Yes sir!" I said.

I take delivery this week after he fixes the flats on the trailer. Oh, the trailer title was in the envelope, too.

Lots and lots of work to do, and price notwithstanding, I vow not only to do the boat good, but to make the gentleman glad that he did what he did. You could tell he was very sentimental about it, and genuinely wanted it to be revived.

Ah, life is good...

[Memphis Mike]

Roger my first thought was "yo sho nuff done
gone crazy." But ya got for free huh?
Thats great! Thought I was gonna have ta come
down and sit ya on the ol stump for a little
chat. ;)

[Donn]

Excellent....mucho jealousy here! Congrats!

[Paul Scheuer]

There you go, Roger ! I'll say it wasn't all luck. The work you did on the runabout didn't go unnoticed. This is just part of the pay off. This could also be just the start. Remember, though, as mentioned above, "free" is a relative term. And, of course, you do owe someone a day fishing.

[Concordia..41]

Ch ching! And congratulations smile.gif

http://home.adelphia.net/~kwmcclure/images/GREEN.jpg

[ 05-25-2002, 06:25 PM: Message edited by: Concordia..41 ]

[Roger Stouff]

A bit more info now that I'm back...

He bought the boat ten years ago for $2,300. He and the family used it for some time, but the son-in-law neglected it, so he retired it for repairs, which he just never got around to. He tried to find someone to do the work for him, but as I'm complained a thousand times on this forum, nobody around here appreciates wooden boats, much less knows anything about them. This is, in fact, only the second manufactured wooden boat I know of in this entire area, other than some homemade bateaus and skiffs, and damn few of them.

Anyway, his wife was on him about getting rid of some of his boats (he has five, the rest are not wood). We had talked about half a year ago about his boat, but I never got around to going see it.

I told him upfront when I got there that if he was just looking to get rid of it, to do so if someone wants it, because it would take me some time to get the undiscussed price together. Man, was I shocked! He just kept saying, "You just got to get her back in shape," over and over. I promised him that I would and he could have use of it anytime he wanted. He said a ride would be good enough.

I don't like it more or less than my runabout, it's a whole different thing. I wouldn't take the boat I just built into the bay, it's too small, but this boat is big and heavy, as was pointed out. It will take me some time to get it back in shape, so for now I'm just going to store it in better conditions than it was in.

Is there a Thompson's club/group/forum?

Best regards from the Rez,
R

[ken mcclure]

Um, is that good luck or bad luck? ;)

[Roger Stouff]

Depends on how you look at it, I guess. ;)

[Donn]

Roger...I posted this on the first thread about this boat...which I can no longer find:

http://www.thompsondockside.com/aboutus.htm

[ClemKaDiddleHopper]

I could sure use some of that nice boat!

[lumberdude]

Congratulations Roger!!! I'm kinda thinking about contacting the old gentleman that made the trailer for mine. He has 2 old boats he built just rotting in his barn. Would love to work on them. I'm pretty sure he won't part with them though. :(

You are one lucky dude!!

lumber

[On Vacation]

Didn't I tell you Roger???? You would be looking for another project before the weeks end?? YEA YEA ?

[Mr. Know It All]

Roger........It looks very much like our 1961 Lyman 16 footer,only bigger. We got ours the same way and I made the same promise about the ride when she's done. Welcome to the world of lapstrake construction. There is a real need (in Ohio at least) for people with the know how and desire to fix up these old wood boats. They are everywhere around here but in a few short years they'll be too far gone for anyone to do anything with them. As good as your luck may be,I feel the boat is lucky to have found you Roger. Congradulations to both of you.
Peace----> Kevin in Ohio

[Quk&DrtyPete]

Hi Roger, I just picked up a 17ft. Thompson, for free, a couple of weeks ago. Came with a 75 Evinrude and homemade trailer. Now that I have opened her up and stripped her down to her bones she needs a keel and keelson and 80% of her ribs are rotten at the keel. I am questioning my sanity at this point. Found some fiberglassing over the rottin ribs too. What to do? I have just completed a restoration of a 14 ft Thompson this spring......well we really have not had a spring here in Michigans Upper Peninsula as yet but thats another story. Rather than just restore the boat to its original layout I made a center console out of it. Call it the Wooden Whaler now. I was motivated to try this idea after reading an article in WoodenBoat, some time ago. about a guy that converted a Grady White Skiff to a center console. So far I am really pleased with the changes. I have pictures that I wish I could post but have not figured out how to do it. I could email them to you and maybe you could post them for all to critique... Good Luck

[Quk&DrtyPete]

Hi Roger, I just picked up a 17ft. Thompson, for free, a couple of weeks ago. Came with a 75 Evinrude and homemade trailer. Now that I have opened her up and stripped her down to her bones she needs a keel and keelson and 80% of her ribs are rotten at the keel. I am questioning my sanity at this point. Found some fiberglassing over the rottin ribs too. What to do? I have just completed a restoration of a 14 ft Thompson this spring......well we really have not had a spring here in Michigans Upper Peninsula as yet but thats another story. Rather than just restore the boat to its original layout I made a center console out of it. Call it the Wooden Whaler now. I was motivated to try this idea after reading an article in WoodenBoat, some time ago. about a guy that converted a Grady White Skiff to a center console. So far I am really pleased with the changes. I have pictures that I wish I could post but have not figured out how to do it. I could email them to you and maybe you could post them for all to critique... Good Luck

[Roger Stouff]

Quk, send them along, I'll be glad to.

Oyster: Yea, yea, and yea. smile.gif

Thanks all for your thoughts. I'm sure I'll have LOTS more questions. But you know, I'm really looking forward to trying my hand a restoration. No, really I am. Honest. I mean it. smile.gif

R

[Mr. Know It All]

Roger...... Wooden boat restoration is NOT building. It's dirty, nasty, stinky, dusty work. Mine was infested with these huge spiders after being in the barn for so many years. It's harder in some ways and easier in others.Everyone should try both. When I manage to launch this Lyman I'm working on, I'm gonna try to build a plywood sailboat. Guess I'll have to wait and see what "free" boats come my way first...lol.
peace----> Kevin in Ohio

[Hugh Paterson]

Ohhhhhhhhhh thats nice, whos a lucky fella then?

Shug.

[gary porter]

Roger, you definately have run into some luck. This boat will make for a great project and alot of fun. You have your great runabout so its not as if you have to be in a hurry to get on the water. Might make for an interesting article in Wooden Boat someday. Take lots of pics along the journey. good luck and have fun, Gary

[Tom Dugan]

Watch out, Roger! I suspect this is the way a guy here in Maryland started out. I have the only ad he put in MAIB (last May) hanging here on my office wall - 5 restored 14'-19'ers dating from 1951 to 1961, and 15 "Restorable Beauties" from a 1929 :eek: Hickman Sea Sled to a '67 17' Century Resorter. Not to mention the 20 restored 1950's Evinrudes...

You may be next down the slippery slope.

-T

[Roger Stouff]

Bringing her home Sat. morning. I can't wait. smile.gif

[Wayne Jeffers]

We'll be expecting regular progress reports, Roger. :D

Wayne

[KimApel]

I belong to a 12-step program for people who obsess on wooden boats. We meet weekly and repeat aloud our mantra of core beliefs, which includes one that may be of some help to Roger and others: "Lord, remaind me daily that I can't afford any more free boats." This I believe. Of course I still am subject to lapses, like yesterday I brought home a cold-molded 14'-9" Finn-class single-handed sailing dinghy, reportedly built for the Dutch team at the 1952 Helsinki Olmpics. It's in sailable condition. I drove about 2,000 miles round trip to get it, to the disbelief/amusement/comtempt of some of my family/acquaintances -- and to the everlasting envy of some of my 12-step buddies.