Boat Restoration and Repair

Doing boat restoration has become an ongoing hobby for me. Each project seems to be more complex than the last. I like that progression. It broadens my skill sets and prepares me for the next, which may be more difficult.

2005 Sea Boss Restoration

My last boat restoration involved a lot of wiring projects. I added a nice  sound system with a high power amp. I didn’t need to but I really wanted to make this boat stand out. To that end, I also added blue led interior lighting to it. In order to do that I had to add a lot of auxiliary wiring as well as switches and power panels. I also learned to leave drag string inside the hull for future wiring projects. I also learned a lot about fiberglass repair and gel coating. There was a large gash in the upper part if the boat. Thankfully, not in the hull.

Wahoo 18 CC Restoration

Before that I restored a Wahoo center console 180. That was really an education for me. I re-pwoered that boat with a used Mercury engine. It originally had an Evinrude. I learned the hard way that I had to run all new controls on that boat to match the engine. Here’s a link to that article. Wahoo Restoration

1966 Boston Whaler 13 Restoration

I’m on my third restoration project, a 1966 Boston Whaler 13. This one is going to be a challenge. The hull is in great condition. However, the inside shell needs a lot of work. There’s several layers of old paint as well as some fiberglass de-lamination that needs to be corrected. Not only that, but there are sections of the non-skid flooring that need to be repaired (ore entirely removed). On top of that, the engine, a 1988 Johnson 40HP hasn’t been run in over 20 years. I’ll be spending  a lot of time getting this seaworthy but am looking forward to the challenge!

Roll, Don’t Tip Two Part Polyurethane Boat Paint! – Boston Whaler Restoration – Part 14

I’ll be priming and finishing the hull in part 14 of this classic Boston Whaler 13 restoration. To get this hull to a perfect finish, I’ll be using TotalBoat two part epoxy barrier coat and Interlux perfection. Interlux is a two part polyurethane boat paint with a high reputation. Of course, there will be a …

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How to Fair and Prime a Hull with Epoxy Primer – Boston Whaler Restoration – part 13

The next step in restoring this Boston Whaler 13 is going to be fairing and prepping the hull for it’s final paint. Fairing is the process of creating a smooth surface in preparation for applying epoxy primer and final painting. The objective is to have the surface free of dips or bumps. I’ll be using …

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Damaged Hull Fiberglass Repair – Boston Whaler Restoration – Part 12

Hull Fiberglass Repair In this article I’ll cover a hull restoration . This involves a major hull fiberglass repair. I fixed the normal gelcoat and small fiberglass damage you would expect on an old Boston Whaler. But, I also found that the large chine on the port side had been compromised. Surprisingly, it was completely …

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Applying Spar Varnish to a Mahogany Interior – Boston Whaler 13 Restoration – Part 11

I bought this Whaler without an interior so had to buy one. Luckily, there’s a great craftsman in Haverhill MA who fabricates them out of real African Mahogany. Bob Latorelle put together a Super Sport interior for me at a fantastic price. The wood came unfinished so applying spar varnish was the first order of …

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Sealing the Boat Transom Fiberglass Repair – Boston Whaler 13 Restoration – Part 10

Now that the weather is warming up here in North Carolina, I can finally start working on the hull and the boat transom. The transom fiberglass repair will consist chiefly of patching in all of the holes with a permanent fix. The only holes I won’t fix are the ones for mounting the engine. This …

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