Plastic Classic Forum

My "new" boat arrived in RI today from Annapolis....didn't have much time to visit but got a few pics in the rain while running from work to class. It's a little early to seriously start projects but the trucker wanted to move her now so that's what we did! The boat sticks out like a sore thumb in the boatyard as she is pretty much the only uncovered boat in the yard at this point...

BTW I went with Stonington Marine Transport based on recommendations from folks here...Peter was fantastic! The broker at Crusader Yacht Sales (who, along with Port Annapolis Marina I can all highly recommend) emailed me yesterday to tell me that I had made a good choice of a hauler - his quote was "the guy knows boats!" Port Annapolis wrapped the rig up in both foam and shrink wrap...i think it could have fallen off the trailer with no ill effects.

Lots of projects to attend to - I will have PLENTY of questions for everyone once I get started. But for now here are some pics - not the best as it was raining and the boat is shoehorned in between two other boats with literally inches to spare.

Excellent news!

How nice to have her home where you can get your hands on her :) (Although, wow, pretty tight fit there!)

I'm glad to hear that the move went well. Pete and Wendy are fantastic, aren't they?

Let the reports and photos flow!

Rachel

It is a tight fit...I knew it was going to be when the yard called a couple days before the boat arrived and asked "so exactly how wide is the boat?" Buffing the topsides is going to be a challenge unless both the other boats move first. Also the boat is about as far from the water supply in the yard as she can possibly be, so once the yard opens up a bit I may ask them to move her a little closer, and also out from under the trees - once the pollen starts varnishing is going to be FUN...

Congrats! She is a mighty fine looking lady and looks to be in quite nice shape. :-) What year is she?

Oh, WOW! Brodie, she's a beauty. Appears to be well cared for, and would be hard to tell from a NEW boat. Congrats on your aquisition. All you need now is some spring weather and warmer temps to get started.

Well she's not quite indistinguishable from a new boat up close...but she is in very good shape. Mostly just needs a good cleaning, the varnish needs attention (peeling in some areas) and the topsides need compounding/waxing. The boat is very very original - pretty much exactly how she left the factory in 1984, the only additions being a VHF that no longer works, and a Loran which is a paperweight. So I have some updating to do, but on the flip side I don't have to undo anyone else's "good" ideas.

Looks to be in great condition. It hails from my town. I don't remember seeing it. Was it kept in Rockport Harbor?

Brodie wrote: So I have some updating to do, but on the flip side I don't have to undo anyone else's "good" ideas.

That in itself is absolutely huge!

It looks like you found a boat where most of what you have to do is the fun stuff. Pretty boat.

Tom the owner whom I bought her from had her in Annapolis since 2002 I believe. She never changed the name or hailing port over that time. I'm assuming for obvious reasons that the boat was in Maine prior to that...

Congratulations, Brodie, I think you have excellent taste in boats!

I was interested to see that the dimensions of your new boat are very close to those of a Cape Dory 30.

Some updates....weather has been torture but I am slowing making progress on the boat. Mast is being stepped on the 23rd and she is going in the water on the 31st.

That is a damn good-looking boat!!

How bout some interior shots?

I'll second Bill T's comments, she's sure lookin' good, Brodie.
I'm envious because, my project is on hold due to health problems.
But one must expect problems when one gets old ... but WHY ME?

She's been getting lots of compliments in the yard. Can't wait to get her out from between those two boats so I can see the whole boat!

I'll try and get some interior shots on Friday. It's been a work in progress down there between cleaning and oiling the teak, and tool/equipment storage for the other projects. Friday I am reassembling the rig which should be fun, I like doing that.

I'm curious as to the method and material you used to clean the dorade scoops. Mine are looking a little mildewy - they're some kind of soft vinyl or something, but it looks like someone painted them somewhere along the line. I'm thinking that if I try to strip the paint off and clean them, they never will look right.

Ours were pretty foul and would not stay clean. I started by ordinary cleaning sprays, Fantastic and similar; unsatisfying. Then I went to wiping them down with lacquer thinner which dissolves a bit of the surface of the vinyl: looked great for a year. I decided that the surface was degraded by sunlight and susceptible to collecting dirt. So, off to the local Pep Boys (auto parts) and bought spray paint made for vinyl seats, etc. cleaned again with lacquer thinner and then painted: looks great after two years. (I had painted vinyl seats from a junk yard, for a previous car, and it worked fine.)

You may find that they had indeed been painted. And perhaps with paint that's not really flexible enough. But you may also find after wiping down with lacquer thinner that the appearance is simply surface degradation.

I have heard that the paint sold for plastic outdoor furniture works well.
I believe Krylon and Rustoleum were both mentioned as giving good results that last well.

Went in the water today! First sail tomorrow - didn't want to tangle with the tornado warnings we had today....
She sits down by the bow, which bothers me, as it looks weird and also makes the rig look like it is raked forward. This isn't new, the brokerage photos of the boat showed the same thing. The water and holding tanks in the bow are empty, and I can't think of any other heavy weights up there - the anchor rode is mostly 3 strand with maybe 15 feet of chain. Not sure what I can move to the lazarette locker to try and even things out...

Very nice . . . I'm jealous! - - - Nice clean up work too.

I wouldn't worry too much about being down a little on the mooring although you do say the water and holding tanks which are in the forward end are all empty. - - - So what effect will it have when they are filled? - - - Have you loaded all your cruising gear aboard? - - - Also, how many people will normally be aboard? - - - In other words, will she settle on her lines when all is aboard? You'll have to load her up and have someone take another picture to see if she is levels out.

Congratulations on getting her into the water. She is a beautiful boat!

She looks great! It must be a great feeling!