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.
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.
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
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!
If you love old boats and outboards, you’ll eventually have to replace a fuel pump. OEM replacements can be expensive. The outboard fuel pump I’m rebuilding here has an OEM cost of about $75! Before buying a replacement, you should consider an outboard fuel pump rebuild. Outboard Fuel Pump Rebuild Kits You can buy an …
Johnson / Evinrude Small Outboard Fuel Pump Rebuild Read More »
If you do boat restorations, you’ll eventually have to get the boat off a trailer and onto boat stands. Moreover, you’ll probably have to flip it over as well. I’m restoring this Boston Whaler 13 and have finished the interior. I have to get this boat off the trailer and onto boat stands. That way, …
How to Lift a Boat off a Trailer – Boston Whaler 13 Restoration – Part 9 Read More »
I finally have the topside finished! Watch as I go through entire process of getting the topcoat of polyurethane boat paint on. I used Total Boat Topside WetEdge in Classic Boston Whaler Blue. It’s a single part polyurethane marine paint and simple to use. Most of this was rolled on but for the most obvious …
How to Roll and Tip Topside Boat Paint – Boston Whaler 13 Restoration – Part 8 Read More »
Getting the interior of this Boston whaler ready for a finish coat of fiberglass paint has been a challenge. There was a lot more defects that really were unnoticeable until you started Digging in. The first hurdles were the large hole in the anchor locker, rebuilding the transom and the delamination in the bow . …
Fiberglass Paint Primer and Sanding – Boston Whaler 13 Restoration – Part 7 Read More »
While grinding out a few larger cracks, I discovered that what I thought was a large crack on the bulkhead was actually a large chunk of fiberglass and gelcoat that had been glued back in. So It looked like I needed to do a gelcoat repair. This isn’t necessarily complicated or hard. There are several …
I’ll be writing about how to do a clean transom repair. A previous owner modified the transom so that a steering rod on a newer motor would work correctly. These old (1966) Whaler 13’s had a lowered (15″) transom. A pulley and cable system originally steered the boat. When past owners upgraded their engines, one …
Fiberglass Transom Repair – Boston Whaler 13 Restoration – Part 5 Read More »
If you restore fiberglass boats, fiberglass hole repair is going to be one of the tasks you face. Many folks will just fill in the hole, sand it smooth and call it a day. The problem with that is that those plugs will eventually work themselves loose. Think about the vibrations a boat hull is …
Small Fiberglass Hole Repair – Boston Whaler 13 Restoration – Part 4 Read More »
One aspect of this Whaler 13 restoration that I’ve been anticipating is repairing the large hole in the anchor locker. This is a medium to large endeavor in fiberglass repair. I’ll be using epoxy resin to lay down the fiberglass mats. I’ve also already used “excess” epoxy resin from other repairs to create a solid …
Anchor Locker Fiberglass Repair – Boston Whaler 13 Restoration – Part 3 Read More »
This old Boston whaler has some severe fiberglass delamination on the bow. There are a number of techniques that can be used to do a delamination fiberglass repair. I decided to go with injecting an epoxy based resin. Identifying the obvious spots is pretty easy. But, you also have to take the time to find …
Delamination Fiberglass Repair – Boston Whaler 13 Restoration- Part 2 Read More »
I’m getting ready to start the hull and interior renovation on my 1966 13′ Boston Whaler. My plan is to start with the interior, which needs the most work. Before I get started with that, I want to remove the Whaler norman pins. This will give me access to the fiberglass and gel coat that …
Boston Whaler 13 Restoration – Norman Pins (Cleats) Part 1 Read More »
