Anyone familiar with jamestowner houseboats?

[birddseedd]

I'm hoping to look at a 1978 53 (or 55 I think) houseboat. But hoping I can find someone who is familiar with the construction and ill probably have to build a new hull for it. If it can't be repaired. My main questions revolve around gaining access to the frame and hull.

Is the floor removable without removing the cabin?
Can the boat be lifted by the deck?
would the cabin have to be lifted by a crane to gain access to the bolts holding the hull on?

thanks for the help.

 

[PAR]

There's not a lot of information available for Jamestown, before 1986 and I don't know of any 1978 models built. The company went belly up around 2004 after being poorly run for a few years, by the new owners, after the father and son team retired around the turn of the century.

Medaris Marine of Russell County were the builders of the popular Jamestowner Houseboats in southeast Kentucky. Dean Medaris was the owner and died a few years ago, though the family might still be of some help, especially the son and brother. Having lived in this area for a few years, I can tell you there's a crap load of houseboat builders and many of them will know of Jamestowners, probably having worked for or competed with them.

The hulls are aluminum and there should be access through the sole in a few locations. If not, it's not a difficult thing to make an access hatch. Making a new hull is a very expensive proposition. Why do you think you need to?

 

[Ike]

you might want to also post this question at: http://www.houseboatmagazine.com/forum/ The folks there are very familiar with Jamestowner houseboats.