Help Identify this boat

Discussion in 'Wooden Boat Building and Restoration' started by Rickfabio, Nov 6, 2007.

  1. skipjackbj
    Joined: Oct 2007
    Posts: 26
    Likes: 2, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 19
    Location: portland oregon

    skipjackbj Junior Member

    It is a Crusader. It may even run.

    Be sure to take the water pump apart. They get stuck sometimes. This is a fresh water system. You will find an inlet on the bottom that looks like a screen, has slots.
    The water pumps out thru the manifold and exhaust system.
     
  2. skipjackbj
    Joined: Oct 2007
    Posts: 26
    Likes: 2, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 19
    Location: portland oregon

    skipjackbj Junior Member

    I just looked again. The tranny is a Borg Warner "Velvet Drive" it even has the original metalic paint.
    They are simple with a fluid drive shift.
    Paragons have a band that comes on around a capital gear for reverse.
    Paragon trivia..lol

    The velvet drive in good condition is worth $1,200 used.
     
    1 person likes this.
  3. charmc
    Joined: Jan 2007
    Posts: 2,391
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    Location: FL, USA

    charmc Senior Member

    Apart from the oil or transmission fluid cooler at the front, I don't see any heat exchanger. My guess is that it is a raw water cooled system, common for boats used on fresh water. I don't know where you are in SA, but if you plan to use her in any tidal waters, I'd recommend converting the cooling system to what I call fresh water cooled, i.e with a water to coolant heat exchanger so no brackish or salt water gets inside the block or manifolds.

    Engine work could be the subject of an entire separate thread. For now, it might be helpful to pull the plugs and spray liberal amounts of fogging oil into the cylinders. Penetrating oil working for a few weeks or months will help dissolve any rust bonds between the pistons, rings, and cylinder walls, making it easier and less damaging to turn it over.

    Skipjackbj had a good point about studying several books on wood hull restoration, then practicing on some old piece of junk or scrap wood. I had to spend extra money and do some work over again several times after I messed up some beautiful mahogany planking on the first boat I restored. Better to screw up on practice wood; cheaper, too! :)
     
  4. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
    Posts: 19,126
    Likes: 498, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 3967
    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Remove the engine and "pickle it". Remove the dip stick, spark plugs and carb, then using used motor oil (every body has a 5 gallon bucket of it around somewhere) start filling the engine from the breather holes in the valve covers. It will soon be coming out of the dip stick tube, when it does, use a golf tee to plug the tube tight. Continue filling until it starts coming out some of the spark plug holes.. The ones it's coming out of, just put an old plug back in. The ones it not coming out of, pour some oil directly into each hole, then replace the plug. Continue filling from the intake manifold, until it flush. You've just pickled your first engine. Wrap it up in a big trash bag and put it in a safe place.

    The oil will keep things from rusting and barring any major rear main or timing cover leaks (typical locations on a small block Chevy), it'll remain in this state for many years. When it's time to rebuild the old girl (doesn't even think about anything else) you drain the oil and dissemble.

    In my opinion Skipjackbj, you should read the thread before posting, though your advise on reading is a very good idea. I've never seen plywood with an even number of veneers, certanly not marine grade anyway.
     
  5. Rickfabio
    Joined: Nov 2007
    Posts: 8
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    Location: South Africa

    Rickfabio Junior Member

    Thanks guys

    Well the folks at Boesch have given me all the details about the boat (isnt much) from the h.i.n...
    "your BOESCH is almost definitely a 510 Waterski Special, built in 1969
    and delivered to Jo'burg SA the same year. It was equipped with a 250 HP
    Boesch Marine."

    And thats it apart from the original brochure...i've attached it.
    Thanks for all the tips, im amazed how well you know your boats and motors...you've all been pretty much spot on with your guesstimates.

    i've ordered:
    1.Restore Your Wooden Boat: How to Do It by Those Who've Done It by Stan Grayson
    2.Wooden Boat Renovation: New Life for Old Boats Using Modern Methods by Jim Trefethen
    3.How to Restore Your Wooden Runabout by Don Danenberg
    4.Wooden Boat Restoration and Repair by Gougeon

    Untill i get them, i'll start building some kind of overhead structure with block and tackle hoists, just wondering what the best idea would be so as to cover engine removal and the eventual lifting and turning over of the hull. What weight should i engineer the system to handle, would 2tons be sufficient and how many hoist points would be the most practical and efficient?
    Untill then, is there anything i can look for on the engine thats accessible to positively identify the engine model so i can source a manual or specifications for an overhaul/rebuild? This also applies to the tranny, and i was wondering if there's any way to tell if there's a reverse gear and if not is it possible to implement one?
    I'm probably getting way ahead of myself and should probably wait on the books i ordered, but im so excited about this i want to get started asap.....so....i think for now i need to get details on how and what to build over and around the boat to prepare for engine removal and hull manouverability.
    Again thanks for all the great input...keep it coming.
    Regards
    Rick
     

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  6. charmc
    Joined: Jan 2007
    Posts: 2,391
    Likes: 78, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 840
    Location: FL, USA

    charmc Senior Member

    Rick,

    OK, the brochure answers a small but persistent question I had in my mind, as your interior photos showed a lot less interior finish than I would have expected from a prominent builder of high end luxury runabouts. You have the stripped down competition version, but the difference is only in things like inner liners and upholstery, the hull is the same.

    If you go back over earlier posts, there were a few answers to your questions on ID of the engine and transmission. There probably is a reverse gear, but I'm not the transmission expert here. PAR and Skipjackbj should know more.

    On the subject of pickling; after reading PAR's post, I agree that pickling, i.e. covering the entire interior of the engine with oil, is better than just spraying oil in the top of the cylinders, considering how long it's been out of service. I would spend some extra money, though and do it with new oil mixed 1:1 with Rislone engine treatment or a similar product with deposit dissolving properties. Used oil won't hurt and will preserve things as they are, but the extra cost of new oil and Rislone or a similar product will begin to clean up the engine's innards. I stored one engine for 7 months of the year for 12 years this way. When the boat was sold the heads were pulled; the report said the engine looked like new.
     
  7. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
    Posts: 19,126
    Likes: 498, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 3967
    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    I pickled a 426 hemi (yep, a real 1970 hemi) after the number 7 piston ate the two exhaust valves (literally). She sat on a pallet for 6 years this way, until I sold her, with the valves still in the number 7 slug. It was as fine as the day I blew it up 6 years earlier.

    Without the engine/transmission combination, the boat will weigh around a half a ton, with the engine in place about a full ton.

    A sling and a healthy come-a-long will hoist her, but it's often troublesome this way. The structure looks as if it could be weakened somewhat, so yanking out the engine (with trans attached) is a good idea. A handy tree branch could serve both the engine pull and the boat hoisting duties and is a trick I use all the time. I've had quite large boats hanging from trees in my yard many times.

    The engine is a snap, if you're mechanically inclined. The engine mounts have 3 bolts on each holding it to the block. Remove these and don't worry, the engine will just sit on them and not go anywhere. The trans will have 4 bolts (2 on each side) holding onto a bracket. Place a wedge under the trans on the keel and give it a good whack to dog her in, then remove the trany bolts. The trany and engine will want to rotate back, against the wedge, which is why you put the wedge there, rather then let it drop down and mash the keel or your fingers, if your luck is like mine.

    This assumes you've removed the hose to the raw water inlet, throttle and shift cables, wiring and other assorted attachments. The engine removal process, including detaching everything so you can lift her out should only take a couple of hours, including beer and cigarette breaks.

    You have a front lifting eye (mounted behind the thermostat housing) and there's usually another lifting eye at the back of the block, most times on one of the intake manifold bolts. If not use the oil filter bracket, which is normally a hefty piece of 1/4" plate steel. Crusader usually has a big hole which you can stick a hook into, on one of the brackets at the back of the engine. Very often, you'll want to remove the carb and distributor. The reason is most folks don't have one of those fancy engine tilting rack and pinion thingies and just use a length of chain to form a bridle, from which you hook your hoisting gear to. If using a chain bridle (like most do) the distributor and/or the carb may be in the way and get crunched as things get taunt. Hoist her up a few inches and look for things you may have forgotten to detach, if all is good snatch it clear of the boat.

    If the boat is on a trailer, you can tow the boat out from under the dangling engine. You can then lower the engine into a pickup bed or whatever you'll use to transport the engine to it's storage or rebuilding place.

    At this point the boat doesn't weigh a bunch and a few well fed friends, can easy flip her onto something so you can start removing finish. The tree and a sling can get it done too.

    Having access to a front end loader, backhoe or fork lift can make hoisting the engine and flipping the boat a pretty easy day, if you have that luxury. You may also be able to rent something suitable to lift the engine or the boat.
     

  8. Frosty

    Frosty Previous Member


    Ive never seen one with metalic paint? Did they do a metalic paint?
     
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