Need HELP ON AQUIRED WOODEN BOAT

[JOHN P.]

I recently aquired a wooden boat. It has been built to a blueprint that I'm trying to get a hold of. It's 19' long and a beam of about 6 1/2 feet. The keel, and ribs are white oak. The transom is two laminated layers of marine plywood. The hull is pine with one layer of fiberglass and West Systems. All fasteners are silicon bronze.

I feel the guy that built it did a beautiful job. He's a true craftsman. He isn't going to have time to finish it and offered it to me. I would like to complete this project by adding a floor, and small center console.

Where do I go from here? Do I need another layer of glass and West Systems?
What would you build the console from?
What do I do for a floor?
How do you determine the required HP to push this boat along?
Should I paint the outside or is there something else I could use?

I will post a picture in the near future.

Thank you for the help.

[yokebutt]

No such thing as a free boat.

Yokebutt.

[PAR]

First, get a hold of the builder and drag all the information he has available on the design, any changes he's made, the logic behind these changes and any other issues he thinks, could need further review. Then go over the plans until you are as aware of them as he was.

Next setup a dry, clean work area for the boat with several feet all around, under cover. Prepare you budget (BOAT stands for Bring Over Another Thousand) and your work schedule. Assemble a priority list of the tasks you (in concert with the builder if possible) need to get working on.

Before long you'll wish like hell, you'd never met this guy, the other half is threatening to kill you over it, money is falling into the bilge like a good summer squall drops rain, but you'll be in love with the damn boat and you're screwed, just like the rest of us.

Good Luck,

[cyclops]

I can' t see any difference between a boat and a mistress.

[Florida_mariner]

that's what my wife says...

she got the double whammy when I told her my next project boat would be named after her and she said I would be cheating on her with her...

[CRS]

I recently acquired a free boat and before I got it home had spent $1,000 just to transport it and get it secured! I have big plans but also try and be realistic about what the plan is. Recently I attended The Classic Yacht Symposium at the Herreshoff Marine Museum in Bristol , R.I. and got some input on building and / or restoring . Research was the first step followed by having a plan otherwise you could end up with a project out of control , I recommend going to the next event in Bristol in 07.