Runabout Repairs - Dillabaugh

[David G]

Here's a few fotos of the repair work I'm doing on a 1950's Dillabaugh Rocket kit boat. Fotos are not up to date, but I had to make room on my camera for more, so here's what I've got so far. I like these little boats. Nothing fancy, but capable and long-lived:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/arbordg...7628105203101/

[David G]

Hmmm... no interest in saving modest, vintage, plywood runabouts eh?

Here's another teaser:

[flyinwall]

id love to see more pics of these boats

[MiddleAgesMan]

Based on the first photo that boat is shaped a lot like the Simmons' 18-footers. The stern, too. Deep Vee forward transitioning to almost flat aft.

[sti4fun2]

David: Just discovered this thread and found that someone was restoring one of these Dillabaugh's interesting. My dad built these boats from kits, first one was titled in March of 1960 so construction must have been previous to that. As I remember it, construction took over a year; dad didn't do anything fast, however the #4 boat took just nine days. He had a boat moorage on the Siletez river in Oregon [just south of Lincoln City today, In 1960 it was Taft] and rented fishing boats. In those days most people did not own their own boats. The boats he had were mostly plank construction, today I would say they looked most like a pram, 14 to 16 feet, and his customers were looking for nicer boats. Somehow he discovered the Dillabaugh kit boats and bought one of them. Dad was handy with wood and had the clamps, saws, planes, and every thing else to complete the construction. I was only 10 at this time, but enjoyed helping dad after school and any other time he worked on it. These kits came in a large wooden box that served as a base for the construction. There were cross boards that the frames were attached to and mounts for the transom and stem were attached to it. This was to assure proper alignment and spacing of the structural components. The instructions consisted of a few typewritten pages that mostly detailed screw spacing. Dad assembled 5 of these kits, the last one was titled in May of 1962. Four of these five boats are still preserved. One, the #4 boat has been restored by my younger brother and is once again used for fishing and crabbing on the Siletz by his family. In 1960 dad had a 1955 10hp Johnson that was used as a work motor and it would get the Dillabaugh up on plane and scoot right along. The older brother has a 18hp Johnson and that really moves it along. Today a 20hp Honda powers it and it is just as much fun today as it was when I was a kid. Dad bought 5 more of these kits, but had made a deal that he did not need the box and he hauled them home as just loose components. Dad started construction on the #6 boat, but it never got past being framed, the next step was to put the plywood skin on. Dad's interest moved on. This project still exists and has not been worked on since 1963. The components to finish the boat are also still preserved. The younger brother says when he retires he will finish it. Although the kits could be had in either 14 or 16 foot, dad only bought the 14 footers.

That boat that is shown being restored has to be around the 1962-3 year. Anything earlier than that had a narrower transom cutout and anything after that had a double knee to support the transom. Hope the owner has a much fun with it as I did as a kid. Oh, us kids were only 12, 11, and 9 at this time.

I will find some pictures and post them.

[David G]

I've worked on a few of them, and had a buddy who used to track them down and restore them. Nice little boats. Look forward to seeing your fotos.

[sti4fun2]

Not having much luck attaching photos. Instructions?

[David G]

Not having much luck attaching photos. Instructions?

I'm the wrong person to ask. I know how to do it using the flickr hosting service. Maybe this thread will help...

http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthre...ghlight=photos

[Breakaway]

Not having much luck attaching photos. Instructions?

Just click the photo icon in the toolbar. Then follow the prompts to allow access to your computer and simply upload.

kevin

[sti4fun2]

IMG_2216.jpgIMG_2214.jpgIMG_2217.jpgIMG_2222.jpgIMG_2223.jpg
Thanks Breakaway, got it. (took a second try) Here are some pics taken the day we first took it to the water. Except for the bottom paint which was Pettit racing bronze (do not believe you can even buy it today), the boat is painted and numbered just the way it was when built. We even had the original Pettit paint in cans that was still usable, unbelievable. Dad numbered them as built, this was number 4. And the moorage was Riverside Boathouse.

And I also wanted to tell you that I am one of those wooden boat nuts, no use for plastic or aluminum. I have a 1970, 33 ft Chris Craft Sea Skiff that has to be one of the last wooden CC built as they were already into plastic. My wife and I restored this boat in a period of time around 1990 and I also have a 1965 14ft Chris Craft Cavalier Ski boat that I am working on. What is interesting is that if you set the CC and the Dillabaugh side by side the construction is amazingly similar. I think it would be a safe bet that since the Dillabaugh Rocket was built before this period of time, CC got a lot of the design from this boat. Would sure be interesting to know. One of the major differences is that CC put motor bed stringers in and installed a flywheel forward 283 Chevy V-8, rudder, and controls. Since the boat was so short, 14ft, the angle of the motor is quite steep, CC not only had to build a custom intake manifold and oil pan, but also put a wedge under the carburetor to get it level enough to run. What CC then had was a 14 ft Dillabaugh with a lot of power and speed. Hope to get this boat in the water before I die.

David: That boat under restoration has a MAA registration. Was it originally in Marion County, Or? A single A would be a for sure but not sure about double A's. And is also only the second boat I have seen with less than 3 or 4 numbers. The other one is a single digit, OR 6 WA, belongs to my father in law. Dad had some fairly low numbers as he could not put off registering all his boats when first required in Oregon. As an aside, we still have all the original titles to these Dillabaughs. $2.00 title fee then, want to guess what it is today?

Is that boat 14 or 16ft?

Sure am windy, snow day so am inside, will go now.

[pcford]

Here's a few fotos of the repair work I'm doing on a 1950's Dillabaugh Rocket kit boat. Fotos are not up to date, but I had to make room on my camera for more, so here's what I've got so far. I like these little boats. Nothing fancy, but capable and long-lived:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/arbordg...7628105203101/

Looks like a real boatshop. Surprisingly clean too. But why isn't that guy wearing a shop apron?

[David G]

Pat - it's all CGI. That lad is just a stock 'millennial woodworker wannabee' image...

[sti4fun2]

Does anyone have or know where I could get a copy of the original build instructions for the Rocket?