Del's boat yard ...................

[67Dart273]

Wx is FINALLY starting to warm up, although a few days ago it was below 28F at 7AM when I got breakfast.

The object is to get the so called "new boat" (dirty aluminum about 63 Sea King 14ft in good enough shape to be safe, and get it on the water to find if it handles and has the speed I expect, or look for something better. I did decide to cut a new dash, and lay it over the old wood one, which, while ugly, was sound. The support braces under the bow deck were FLAT layed 1 x 4" unfinished!!! pine boards. The center one, under the holes for the horn/ bow light/ etc leaked and it was rotten. I used aluminum under there, so no wood.

I got some white oak and got the transom done earlier this winter, it will go in tomorrow, I hope. Still need to string steering cables and install remote throttle/ shifter which won't take much.

Today I junked out the Sea King trailer which came under the "new" boat as it was in bad shape. I did score some useable rollers off it and little else. It was old and rusted, and I don't need it.

The trailer under the "new" boat is likely built for a 16', and came under a junker, last year it carried the 12' Crestliner. The trailer NOW under the Crestliner came with the 2 boats, 2 trailers, and 2 motors that encompassed the "new boat" deal. One glass boat of that 2 went to the dump. Put new lights on the "old" trailer, and need to do same to the "new" trailer. Tonight I finished up reworking the rollers and getting both trailers adjusted to both boats.

I might just have these ready before "the weather" gets here

 

[67Dart273]

The original "2 boat deal"

The red glass boat went to the dump, and that trailer is now carrying the 12' Crestliner. The blue aluminum boat is the "new" boat and that trailer got junked.

In fact, I've lost track, but "I believe" the steering wheel/ unit in the "new" boat is actually the one out of the junk glass boat. The wheel in the "new" boat is in bad shape

 

[fishmens67]

I vision you on CDA lake in one of them 35 ' wooden boats, you know, those fancy old ones.
A sailor should be using a sail not an engine. lol
It was just a vision, I think it is my dream.

 

[67Dart273]

I don't have that kind of money LOL. Or time. Or a big boathouse!!!! Tell ya tho, I sure had some fun with that little 12' Crestliner last year. I was actually hoping to land a good deal on a 14 or so aluminum in better shape a "good buy." This Covid thing put the brakes on that

 

[fishmens67]

I'm in the same boat, a little money, no time.
Do you put the boat in at Hayden, you probably do , a lot safer than the big lake.
When I hit the big lake I stay on the south side, the last time I was near the resort I about got waked over in my 20 footer. lol

 

[67Dart273]

I'm in the same boat, a little money, no time.
Do you put the boat in at Hayden, you probably do , a lot safer than the big lake.
When I hit the big lake I stay on the south side, the last time I was near the resort I about got waked over in my 20 footer. lol

I haven't yet been to Hayden. I was out on Lake Fernan several times, (mostly to do testing and iron it out), I was on Lake CDA a couple times, up to Spirit Lake, and at least twice went down to Rose Lake and put in on the river. One time there, I went down and through the canal to Lake ?? McClarney?? or whatever it's called. And I went up to Sandpoint an old friend and neighbor and I had a great breakfast out at the little cafe across from Cocolalla lake at Westmond, then tore around that lake for awhile. That was the first time I'd been on that water since 68, when my then widowed Gramps was seeing a woman who was also a widow, and had a place on the lake. "The View" cafe has been redone, fairly new owner, and is a great little place to eat. Unfortunately, LOLOL, the trees have grown up and you can now longer really "view" the lake!!!

I DAMN near got swamped by a blasted wake boat just out of Delavan Marina, over there at "Booths Park." There's no dock there, you have to wade LOL

 

[fishmens67]

I forgot about Fernan. the chain lakes are nice, but it can get a little rough when the big boats are coming out into CDA lake.
The last time I was at Cocolalla was 1978, same goes for Hayden and Fernan. Those are some nice little lakes.

 

[67Dart273]

Fernan is a mess. Heavy I guess algae growth. It's "OK" though for testing, and fun to just cruise around a bit. Shady in warm wx over on the side opposite the road

Today I made more progress, got the new transom in. It will ? maybe ? come back out if I keep this, paint it, whatever, and I hope to make a stern splash well. . .. ... .. .. .. .out of a truck bed toolbox yet LOL

I did not cut the transom notch, measurements show it might be fine uncut. "Internet wisdom" seems to think running the outboard a bit "tall" improves speed We'll see. I can notch it later. I need to modify the outer pad, and make an aluminum filler shim. This is white oak, cost me a bit 'o money The "old" photo shows how bad it was. This is right after I dragged 'er home last fall and cleaned out the worst of the junk

 

[67Dart273]

Predicted 66F Sun, 71 Mon, 70 Tues. Cooling off again, Wed-Thu. WITH ANY LUCK I might go for a ride about Tues?? Showers Wed-Thu, looks like spotty, 63, 66 Fri Sat partly cloudy

Cut some of the scrap aluminum, same piece I made the dash from, and made a new reinforcement plate for the stern. This used to be 1/4/ 3/8 plywood, and since I left the stern "high" and uncut, it won't fit. The motor, when mounted, seems to be 1-1 1/2" too high, "we will see." I may have to cut it 1" but I don't think it needs to come down as far as original.

Got the remote shifter / throttle mounted, even though the stern is much wider than the Crestliner, the position of the steering anchor and pulleys puts the cables in the road of the clamps for the emergency electric motor. I'm thinking of building a simple "jack" bracket to mount it, we'll see

Still need to finish up the steering cable which is mostly why I mounted the 35 hp, but as close as I'm getting, and with the couple nice days, "I'm hopin."

Still need to mount a seat. This is a piece of cedar plank which someone had bolted to the trailer I junked for a "gangplank" to keep out of the water when launching/ recovering. I threw some varnish at it, and will mount a bucket on that

It's near 5:30 and just now sprinkling, overcast now. Nice day mostly

 

[fishmens67]

do you fish ? you have nice boats for fishing on small lakes.

 

[67Dart273]

Long story, but no, or at least "not yet." I have not fished since before I was in the Navy, so before '68 LOL This all got started partly because I like "old stuff." I grew up in a small town up N of here a bit, and my Dad worked for the NAPA store, which although not a marina, held the Johnson outboard franchise, and Dad was the mechanic, they sold new, used, and traded, also traded "odd" motors like Elgin, Scott Atwater, etc

So I've always had a bit of a "spot" for the old things. I still have my Dad's LT-37 Johnson, a 1937 4. something hp twin. Cool as hell, exposed flywheel. It would run, but the gearbox needs work