Restoring a '62 Chris Craft Sea Skiff

14483 Views 139 Replies 24 Participants Last post by Kenh3497, 1 mo ago

Kudzu

Discussion Starter · Feb 26, 2021 (Edited)

4

Busy restoring a 1962 Chris Craft Seas Skiff. Almost have the boats hull sealed but had to take a break from laying on my back replacing, repairing and swearing at wood screws. You can replace a 100 screws, stand back and look and get ZERO feeling of accomplishment. It just doesn't show. You know you worked hard because you shoulders and neck ache so bad, but it just not satisfying work.

I have to stop sometimes and do something that 'feels good" when you stand back and look. I am going to paint the inside of the boat and needed to get at least one coat of varnish on the bright work in case there is any over spray. It is SO much easier to strip a little varnish off of bare wood than paint is. So I always put at least a couple of coats of varnish on before painting anything adjacent to it.

First I have to remove all the gauges and switches.

Stripping the bulkhead was no picnick either. Need to sand with 220 and then it will be ready for a good cleaning and some varnish.

Next is filler stain and then Varnish.

See less See more

Reactions: 5

21 - 40 of 140 Posts

m.n.j.chell

· #21 · Apr 2, 2021

Kudzu said:
Someone sent me this video clip and is SO perfectly portrays how this project goes!

Changing a light bulb

I never watched the series ... but that skit is fantastic! We've all been there, I believe!
Thank you for the laugh!

Kudzu

Discussion Starter · #22 · Apr 6, 2021

I think I am going to be here... sanding.... forever!

See less See more

Reactions: 1

Kudzu

Discussion Starter · #23 · Apr 11, 2021 (Edited)

3

Not much to show this week. But was it A LOT of work!

First a simple one. I need to connect a ground or bonding wire to the gas tank to prevent static build up when fueling. Had to think on how to do that without modifying the gas tank. Then I came up with this idea.

Filler neck screws into the tank and then there is this aluminum lock nut that keeps it in place. So I drilled and tapped a #10 thread and I will attach the grounding wire to this. Easy Peasy (once I thought of it)

After hours of sanding... PAINT!
Just one side and still lots of sanding but it feels like progress.

Last thing is I bought a new trailer for the boat. Old one was the reason for a lot of the broken ribs in the boat. Have to do a lot of work to make it fit my boat. Not to mention a good power washing! But I am very happy with my purchase. Perfect lenght. Surge brakes with disks. Aluminum frame. Amazed I found such a perfect trailer and local!

See less See more

Reactions: 1

Kudzu

Discussion Starter · #24 · Apr 15, 2021

2

Was really wondering if I would ever get to the point!
1st coat of paint on the bilge and hull.

See less See more

Kenbo

· #25 · Apr 15, 2021

How on earth did I miss this thread. This is awesome. I'm looking forward to the rest of the project. Excellent work so far.

John Smith_inFL

· #26 · Apr 15, 2021

yeah, Jeff - it might be time to rename the thread to be more in tune to what you are doing.
you are probably missing out on a lot of traffic that would be truly interested in your project.

Kudzu

Discussion Starter · #27 · Apr 15, 2021 (Edited)

John Smith_inFL said:
yeah, Jeff - it might be time to rename the thread to be more in tune to what you are doing.
you are probably missing out on a lot of traffic that would be truly interested in your project.

I don't think I can change the Title on the original post. I tried and it wasn't something I could change do. I wish I could.

WRONG! I can change it but I would have sworn I tried and it wouldn't let me. If I had known it would have been changed weeks ago.

Kudzu

Discussion Starter · #28 · Apr 15, 2021

7

Editing the first post title I realized how much water there was under the bridge before I started posting here (again).

So here is a few photos in order of the work I have done.

Seeing these photos helps remind me how much I have done. Makes me smile too.

See less See more

Reactions: 3

John Smith_inFL

· #29 · Apr 15, 2021

very good !! and thanks for the additional photos.
that is a massive undertaking on an awesome project.

faith michel

· #30 · Apr 17, 2021

Good restoration.. she looks good.. we cant wait to see last pictures..

SM-J700F cihazımdan Tapatalk kullanılarak gönderildi

Rebelwork

· #31 · Apr 17, 2021

Sounds like fun. A little more than I have patience to tackle he's days. Too bad your not close so I could give you a hand...

Bob Bengal

· #32 · Apr 17, 2021

Thanks for posting photos, I've enjoyed watching your progress. One of those projects that is overwhelming at first. I guess you're over half way done? Or is a complete engine over haul next?

Kudzu said:
I don't think I can change the Title on the original post. I tried and it wasn't something I could change do. I wish I could.

WRONG! I can change it but I would have sworn I tried and it wouldn't let me. If I had known it would have been changed weeks ago.

I didn't know that is possible either. Found that is the 3 dots at upper right of the original post (not the upper right dots of the window). Clicking edit there lets you edit both the title and post, cool.

Kudzu

Discussion Starter · #33 · Apr 17, 2021

Bob Bengal said:
Thanks for posting photos, I've enjoyed watching your progress. One of those projects that is overwhelming at first. I guess you're over half way done? Or is a complete engine over haul next?

Well over half way done. BUT, once I get the deck on and it on the trailer I am going to have to stop.

We have bought land. Got to build a barn, get utilities set up and move my shop and the boat there. We are putting the house up for sale as soon as all that is done. All thid is going to put me out of business for a couple of months. If all goes well it might be on the water for the fall colors cruises.

The motor should be fine. It is low hours and ran perfect. Of course it has set up for quite a while so it could have problems. I don't expect any but if so I can fix that too. Cut my teeth on the small block Chevy.

Reactions: 2

_Ogre

· #34 · Apr 18, 2021

wood boats are a lot of work, but so satisfying to look at
my father was the manager of garwood industries
gar wood was a wood boat builder and racer
great stuff to read up on

Kudzu

Discussion Starter · #35 · Apr 18, 2021

Garwoods are not nearly as common as the Chris's are today for some reason. I guess they never produced the number of boats that Chris did? But Garwoods have a reputation as being high quality.

Kudzu

Discussion Starter · #36 · Apr 18, 2021

2

Crossed off another one!

See less See more

TomCT2

· #37 · Apr 18, 2021

wow. just wow. very good looking work!

I wonder tho, now that you've been down the path....would it have been easier to just build a new boat ala the design?

in the mid-Atlantic region we have a lot of fresh water lakes with some real zinger CC restores....

Kudzu

Discussion Starter · #38 · Apr 18, 2021

TomCT2 said:
I wonder tho, now that you've been down the path....would it have been easier to just build a new boat ala the design?

No. Building new is often easier than some of the repairs I did but there is a lot more hours in building a new one. A LOT more.

kwoodhands

· #39 · Apr 19, 2021

Tony B said:
Never really enjoyed working on boats except for maybe small projects. I used to be on a boating forum, 2 actually. I would see some guys by a hunk of crap with the hopes of restoring it and sail away. Most if not all cases, it never happened. I had one boat like that. Spent 4 years working on it and then finally sold it. Lost money is slip fees and materials. What I regret the most was not sailing for those 4 years.
After that experience, my attitude was that if you cant motor and sail it the day you buy it, dont buy it. Living aboard the boats at the time I was restoring it made it a lot easier. Yes, there was the mess to clean up every day, but when the mood hit me, I was already there.
BTW. yor boat looks great so far. Kep it up

My father-in-law tried to get me to buy a Grady White that had sunk at the dock. He said you can't go wrong for $1000.00
I saw the boat when it was raised and set on cribbing. I did not want anything to do with it. The transom was ripped off and the motors were laying on a pallet. For starters I worked as a carpenter full time and farmed part time.
Looked to me like a ten year job.
He got a friend from work to buy this boat in about 1970. I saw the boat about 15 years later and it still was not done.
My idea of working on boats is building stripper canoes. Built 5 all told. Enjoyable and made money doing it.
mike

Kudzu

Discussion Starter · #40 · Apr 23, 2021

7

Time for the Friday update. Best news is I am running out of things I can do till I move the boat. Next big project is rolling it over and staring to strip, fair and repaint the hull. I am excited but as I have said before, I have to build my new shop and then move my existing shop. That is not going to be fun.

But I started out the week by finishing the painting inside!!

Need to clean the tank before I repainted and installed. Filled it full of screws and then rolled it around with some water inside to break up any varnish that was in side. HOLY COW!! Could not believe how much trash came out of that tank!

About this much more was on the ground!

The tank was galvanized. Reading on how to paint it one thing I read several places was never use oil based paint. That is all I ever use so I had to find some acrylic latex. Local ACE has two rattle cans of blue, that was it. It had been on shelf for a long time too.

I figured that would be a good primer so I bought both cans. When I got them on I kept looking at the blue and really liked the color. Went well with the smoke grey and unless I show someone, they will never see it. So I decided to let Whimsy win out.

I made a couple of small pieces to replace old or damage stuff on the boat. The only real woodworking I did this week.

See less See more

Reactions: 1

21 - 40 of 140 Posts