Shop Blog

March 10-14, 2025

3/13/2025

1950 Riviera

The guys got this engine running this week.

1947 Chris Craft Deluxe Runabout

Jack spent a lot of time cleaning the bottom planks on this boat this week. He's finished installing the plywood bottom and he's working on getting the planks installed now.

Carolina Flats Boat

The first coat of paint is on the deck! It looks so crisp and clean already!

U-18

Gary picked this engine up in Georgia yesterday and brought it back to the shop, where Jack has been cleaning it and starting on a general inspection and tune up.

Swim Platform

Gary's getting the varnish on this swim platform he's been restoring.

March 3-7, 2025

3/7/2025

1959 Chris Craft Continental

The guys took the '59 to the lake for a sea trial. They determined that the bed log needed to be rebedded, and they got that done this week, too.

Garwood

Jack fixed the seized throttle cable, installed a new battery switch, and reinstalled the newly covered floorboards and seats. All that is left is detailing!

Riviera

Jack rebuilt the fuel pump after last week's engine test.

1935 ElectriCraft

The guys flipped the boat, Jack cleaned it up, and Shane prepped and started fiberglassing the keel.

February 24-28, 2025

2/28/2025

Concordia Sloop

Gary has finished pounding cotton into the seams on one side of the boat and caulked them. He's started working on the other side now.

Cruising Sailboat

Shane has been repairing the centerboard and varnishing the mast this week.

Carolina Flats Boat

Shane has been working on the insets for the flush mount hatches and starting the first coat of deck paint.

Lyman Islander

Gary turned a new handle for the steering wheel and restored the steering assembly.

1946 Garwood

Jack is installing a new fuel filter and tuning up the engine. It was the perfect day to take this boat out in the yard and run it! We're getting it ready for a boat show in March!

1956 Continental

The guys took the 1956 Continental out to the lake for a sea trial!

Week of February 17-21, 2025

2/21/2025

Lyman Islander

Hawke did some interior painting on the boat before we lifted it up high so Jack could take a look at the bottom. There was flaking and peeling paint there too, so Jack has been using the heat gun and scraping to remove that.

1957 Chris Craft Continental

Jack installed new seat frames and a battery box, ran new battery cable, and then screwed down the floors and installed all the baseboard trim. He also milled, cut, and fit a new quarter round rear deck trim. Shane has been working on the engine box.

Concordia Sloop

Gary is back from his adventures in Maine and he's packing cotton caulking in the seams of the sloop.

Carolina Flats Boat

Shane has been grinding the fiberglass edges here in preparation for installing the hatches on the deck.

February 10-14, 2025

2/12/2025

Welcome, Hawke!

This week we welcomed Hawke to the crew! He's contracted to work in the shop with us for awhile. It'll be nice to have another skilled set of hands!

1959 Chris Craft Continental

Jack reassembled the trailer and got the boat settled back on it. Hawke helped him reinstall the rudder and strut.

Lyman Islander

Jack pulled the bed log and found some damaged wood underneath. After some grinding and cleaning, it's ready to be installed once the damage is mitigated.

Hawke has been sanding and prepping for paint in the interior of the boat.

1947 Deluxe Runabout

Jack has been prepping these pieces so they can be reattached to the frames. Next, the outside of the boat will be sanded and refinished.

1965 Chris Craft Super Sport

Shane has been working hard on these frames this week.

1950 Chris Craft Riviera

Shane also got the front seat reinstalled on this gorgeous boat.

Gary's Adventures in Maine

Meanwhile, Gary left us to our own devices in the shop to enjoy some real snow and family time in Maine.

February 1-7, 2025

2/7/2025

This week's gorgeous weather has us itching to get some boats out on the water!

1947 Deluxe Runabout

Jack has worked hard this week to fit all the pieces of the sub bottom on this boat. It looks amazing!

Super Sport

Shane has spent a lot of time working on the transom of the Super Sport this week.

1959 Chris Craft Continental

Shane has put hours into perfecting the caulk in these bottom seams.

Jack has worked on welding repairs and repainting the trailer.

January 27-31, 2025

1/31/2025

1947 Chris Craft Deluxe Runabout

Jack worked hard on this boat this week. In the first picture, he fitted the new and repairs battens to the transom. Then he glued up the gripe and stem and permanently attached them to the boat. In the third picture, the two pieces of the new keel are being laminated together while attached to the boat. He used the strut and old keel to drill the shaft hole in the new keel. Check out the video below for more about that! He also e fitted fresh plywood pieces in for the sub-bottom and worked on replicating the cut out for the bed log on the keel.

Meanwhile, Shane has been working on a bunch of boats! He's installed the battery box and back seat on a 1950 Chris Craft Riviera, finished caulking the seams and bottom of a 1959 Chris Craft Continental, added a cheek block to the gripe of a Super Sport, and worked on finishing the varnish on a Carolina Flats skiff. We're glad for warmer weather to keep the shop temperate and help varnish and caulk cure properly!

January 20-24, 2025 - Arctic Blast Edition

1/24/2025

It's been too cold in the shop to work on paint and varnish this week, so the guys have found plenty of other tasks to occupy their time!

Cruiser

Gary has been removing hardware and sanding the mast in preparation for fresh varnish when the weather warms up a bit.

After a mighty multi-day struggle, the guys managed to remove the centerboard and have it hung to dry. Gary gets to use his very cool moisture meter to make sure it's improving.

1950 Chris Craft Riviera

It's an under the dash kind of week. Shane is installing and wiring the search light. He has also made brackets for the battery box and installed that in the engine compartment. He's been working on fitting and installing the newly finished seats and flooring.

1957 Chris Craft Continental

Jack is also working on electrical wiring under the dash! The horn works now! Beep beep!

Jack has also finished installing the fittings and exhaust in preparation for installing the fuel tank, installed the fuel tank and hoses, worked on the last bits of interior upholstery, and milled some new wood for the rear seat frames. He has also tested all the electronics and gauges and everything works!

January 13-17, 2025

1/17/2025

Concordia Sloop

Jack helped Gary get a piece of hardware off the transom of the Concordia Sloop. While he was under there, he spent some time investigating the inside of the boat.

Gary has been working on repairing and sanding the centerboard and now it's ready for a fresh coat of paint.

Lyman Islander

Jack installed the new exhaust hose and cut, polished, and permanently mounted a new stainless steel exhaust tip. He cleaned up and painted the steering pulleys and mounted them on new blocks inside the transom. Everything looks so nice and clean!

1959 Chris Craft Continental

Gary is installing a new cutlass bearing inside the propeller strut.

Week of January 6-10, 2025 - Snow Day Edition

1/10/2025

Gary has been repairing the centerboard for the Concordia Sloop.

Jack helped unload a brand new Yamaha outboard engine for the Flats boat.

Gary and Shane have been working on fiberglassing the floorboards for the Flats boat.

This week on the '57 Continental, Jack installed the engine after making modifcations to the motor mounts and reinstalled the strut, prop shaft and propeller, and rudder. He got everything hooked up to the engine including wiring and hoses and finally installed the new dashboard and gauges, switches, and steering box. He also installed the thru-hulls for the drain plug, tank vent, and both bilge pumps. He removed the old, rotten battery box and replaced it with new wooden framing. Next, we'll install the fuel tank and start putting the interior together!

Shane has milled the wood for and made the final two frame replacements and is continuing to work on replacing rotten framing on the transom on the SuperSport.