Recent content by Fernhopper

Now we’re caught up. This week I picked up all the random little stuff you need before a shakedown run. Spare plugs, fuel filter, anchor rope, fuel tank and lines. Last night I finished installing the fuel lines, fixed the anchor box, and strapped my fuel tank down. It’s ready for a shakedown to...

At this point I felt comfortable calling it a boat again, and every boat needs a trailer! I started looking into the cost of rebuilding the current one. Prices for trailer parts were absolutely horrendous. It would’ve cost almost double the price of a new EZ loader to rebuild the old trailer...

Forgot to mention the “mill finish” diamond plate I bought was surprisingly shiny, so I ran some Brillo pads over it to dull it up a bit. One season and it’ll be weathered in nice. At some point in between all those projects I had purchased a “rebuilt” mercury 25/18 after I decided the...

The plastidip has been on a few months now while I’ve been clambering in and out, dropping tools and dragging extension cords and it has held up fine so far. One thing I overlooked in my research and a great tip if you ever plastidip something. DO. NOT. dip multiple layers on the same masking...

After I finished stripping life got in the way and I had to move my belongings from another state. Progress was stalled for a little bit but picked back up in my new place. Like the sandblasting predicament- I wanted to have the inside zolatoned but it was cost prohibitive and I‘m sure finding a...

I tore all the hardware and what was left of the floor out and started stripping the hull. I wanted to have it sandblasted inside, but A. The cost was high, and B. None of the sandblasting shops around here would return my calls. So I bought a sander and started on the inside shooting for a...

Here is how it sat when I tracked it down. Rattle canned blue, plywood floor was rotten, trailer rusted apart, motor had been ran dry so the impeller and housing was shot. The hull was in surprisingly good shape. Still no dents or cracked welds after 50 years.

Catching salmon was a blast in this little guy!

A few more old pics. The boat is 12’ long, 44” bottom, 64” beam, powered by a 79 Evinrude 25/18 and as you can see used to have a pretty sweet paint job.

Hello everyone! New member here (also new to online forums, really) so please bear with me while I try to figure out posting and photos. Some backstory- In 1970 my grandpa purchased a “mini sled” that was part of a custom run of four boats based on a wood design. My dad, uncle, cousins and I...