Cape Cod Catboat Restoration Diary--page 1

History:

This Cat Boat was abandoned by a non-profit organization after donation. It seems they determined they did not have the skills to fix her. She seems to have been built between 1950 and 1965----but...? She seems to have been in the Essex CT area much of her life---there is more history and pictures of her racing, but I do not have them yet.

Condition:

She is cedar batten seam on oak steam bent frames with bronze fastenings. The deck is sound and glass over ply---this saved much of her structure. Below deck, she will sleep two on nice yellow pine bunk strakes. The cabin is made of ply cover in glass. It could use replacing on the lower section of the bulkhead to the cockpit and refinishing remainder. The cockpit is in good shape (bulkhead to cabin shot though), but needs 10% replacement of sides and refinishing/painting. The cockpit combing is cedar and is complete and glassed. She is in need of a new stem and knee, refinishing the deck and planking-, and some of her frames amidships and in cockpit may need replacing. With this work and a striping and repainting this cat will be just great.

Reality:
She has good sails, and spars. She is easily repairable as a winter garage project by a careful and skilled person, or someone just wanting to learn. This boat is worth the effort, maybe in conjunction with a Mystic seaport or similar Wooden Boat Repair Course. I will throw in some great pieces of black locust for the stem, knee and…

Current Care:
Currently she is stored out in the open and uncovered, but she will be moved indoors for a short period and then housed outside---with a cover

Nothing like a 4:00 AM boathouse structural 'intervention' to get the old ticker (and morning) going! Hope yours is OK too. (BIG WIND STORM)
Scott

Yaaawn - at least it's not driving all the way to a farm airstrip in a thunderstorm to make sure there isn't an oak laying across your new airplane. Been there, done that.

PS: Found an old Yanmar YSM8 7 hp diesel in NJ that was taken out for a leaky transmission seal. By the time the boatyard got the engine back, the owners had panicked at losing the whole sailing season (I presume it was last summer) and had them put in a new 8 Yanmar. They wanted $1000, but the marina operator said to offer them $600. I think it's a 70's vintage engine, but I can't find anything on it yet. Richard said to try and find a 1/2 Atomic 4, but this is the same size range and diesel to boot.

01/21/05

Bruce-

2) Fixed the frozen valve on pressure washer - no worries, mate.
3) Is it ok to wait until next week's non-sub zero weather to use it?
I'll return it if you need it, but it's safe and sound in my heated basement workshop right now.
4) Richard said the diesel is about half as high as the Bluebird because the cylinders lie flat instead of straight up. He's pretty excited about it as a match for the boat, so I guess I need to drive to NJ.
5) Weather and you schedule and now the forecasted snow have conspired against me in getting the wood milling finished and out of your hair. I left my plank as hostage for the pressure washer. (BLACK LOCUST AND ALASKA MILL FOR KEEL AND STEM WORK)
6) Hope all is well
Scott

01/30/05

Pressure Washer

Bruce, this thing (washer) is the greatest boat restoration tool since the crowbar! Bleach, Blast, Vacuum bilge with wet-vac, repeat. I'll load it up and drop it off at your place some time this week after work one day.
Picked up the Yanmar diesel in NJ on Friday and drove it home. The owner of the marina and I hit it off and he gave me aprop shaft from the shop free, then found a nice bronze stuffing box on Ebay for $30 for me to buy to match.

Scott

02/12/05

I love my new (new?!) Yanmar! Thanks to Don for helping seal the deal. Sorry about the bandwidth, and it's obviously true that the camera adds
15 pounds to my ordinarily svelte physique.

Scott

PS: Thanks to ALL you guys for the help, support and materials to make getting this old girl back where she belongs.