Help in CT!

[Kelsey]

I have been searching high and low for someone to help me with projects beyond my skills on my 1957 Chris Craft Sea Skiff...anybody know where I would begin to look for someone in Southern CT? It seems good wooden boat craftsmen are hard to find...or are they?

[bob goeckel]

look up the local chapter of the ACBS [URL=http://www.acbs.org] and JOIN. should be lots of help in your area for this.

[ 12-20-2002, 10:38 PM: Message edited by: bob goeckel ]

[Mr. Know It All]

Brian......I'm sure someone will check in with more experience and knowledge about the CT area, but in the meantime, you might want to try contacting some of the members of the New England Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society. Their website is here--->

http://www.necacbs.org/

Your 57 CC Sea Skiff is lapstrake constructed.....right? Got any pictures?
What kind of work does the boat need? What size motor, dimensions, etc...... Detail man I need details.
Peace---> Kevin in Ohio

P.S. Welcome to the Forum

[ 12-20-2002, 11:22 PM: Message edited by: Mr. Know It All ]

[Mrleft8]

What are you paying? :D

[Kelsey]

For anyone intrested, it's a twin screw (flathead six's), plywood lapstrake hull with a white oak frame. It's in Stratford, CT under a "house", made out of 2x4's, then shrink wrapped...it's great to work on over the winter. Pictures soon to follow. If anyohe is intrested in some work, let me know. I would like to learn from you though, as the work gets done. I am handling all of joinery work on the inside..stripping all the paint down to the mahogany, and adding a mahogany plank ceiling, new head, etc. Contaqct me at jbkbounce@aol.com. And it's great to be a part of such a helpful forum, you guys rock!

[ishmael]

What work is planned? How big a Sea Skiff? I grew up with one of these, just a year older. 26' witha a single flathead six.

I wager it's a 26-30 foot, with those engines.

I loved that boat so much, and circumstances took it away, so I really want to hear about your project.

Hull work should be quite straight forward; there is little bevel in most of the planking, and our boat at least was quite open. Finding good fir ply planking stock could be a different matter.

[ 12-21-2002, 10:18 AM: Message edited by: ishmael ]

[Kelsey]

Yup, you got it...it's 26' feet. The only hull repair, was to about 3 planks that were rotted..right under the forward aft cabin window..I felt it was beyond my scope, so I hired a pro to replace the planks and one frame. I am keeping the basic interior layout the same, but just removing everything, and re-doing it all bright. I am going to also put teak down on the foredeck. My big problem, is both cabin sides around the windows are completely rotted, and need to be replaced - as does the cabin front, containing the portlights...I can handle that, but the sides look difficult. It's so much fun though!

[Mrleft8]

Like I said before.... What are you paying? Is it worth it for me to drive down from Guilford?

[Kelsey]

Mrleft8,
I can discuss this on the phone if you'd like, or e-mail directly at jbkbounce@aol.com. I am sure we could work someting out to make it worth your while to drive down to Stratford. What backround do you have? I have worked with 2 other wooden boat pros, but they're not available again until early summer. Please e-mail me, and we'll talk.

[Figment]

phew! when I saw the title of the thread and first began reading the initial post, I thought this was about that poor boat that's being butchered at City Island right now.

Want a good cry? get off the I-95 south exit 44. look right just under the bridge. A gutwrenching moment in my daily commute.

[Classic Boatworks - Maine]

Sometime an old wooden boat is just that. We looked at one at that marina about 1 1/2 years ago. It would have cost more than it was worth to repair.
They have to be kept up. You can't wait until all you have is a pile of rotten splinters to decide to fix it.
This is one reason this forum is so great. All of us trying to help one another to keep great boats going!!