#Trailering an old wood runabout install#

Jacques has been building and designing boats for most of his life. The Runabout 14 (RB14) designed by Jacques Mertens-Goossens of is one such craft. Obtaining a genuine classic isn’t going to be in the cards for everyone, but there is an alternative that blends their style with modern affordable construction and just the right amount of whimsy. I'm sure the vision will continue to evolve as I go but it's a great learning process.There is something magical about the classic styling of decked runabouts that ushers us back to an earlier, more elegant era. I plan on painting her classic yellow (like the jaguar pic I've attached), which I think will look great with the wood.

#Trailering an old wood runabout install#

Of course I'll install the seating first then install the tiles around it since they can be easily cut to fit. With a nice steering wheel it should look pretty spiffy.Īttached is a projection I've done over my boat of a few different types of deck tiles, as well as a boat with the kind of deck I'd like to simulate. For the dashboard I may just paint it a different colour from the bow and install some sharp looking chrome rings around the dials. I'll likely make an insert for the sides of the boat that either looks like wood or is covered in formica, as you mentioned. They're available in teak and Ipe woods, both of which are durable, outdoor woods. Also, that way the water runs right through to the fibreglass floor and out the back of the boat, and I can take them up at will to refinish or reseal them over the years. I've been looking around more and came across wood decking tiles, which I thought would be a beautiful, affordable, and practical way to give myself the wood deck I wanted. I think you're right in scaling my vision back. Not as classy as real wood and not cheap, but there's no sealing required and no maintenance worries. It's obviously as durable as kitchen counter-tops that last through many years of abuse. In the pictures below, all the wood grain that you see is Formica. If this will be a family boat that'll carry water skiis and boards or even tackle boxes, I think you'd be better off with something more durable, such as Formica that I used in my restore of an aluminum boat. Classy looking wood surfaces have to be protected from impacts and surface scratches. Moisture and sunlight destroy wood, so your sealant must be excellent and never get penetrated. Real wood is heavy unless you're able to add a wood veneer to an existing surface.Ī boat that's put to good use is frequently exposed to the elements. If on the other hand, you're trying to improve the appearance of a 'plain looking' interior of a non-descript boat, then I suggest that you consider using a 'wood-look' product instead of real wood.

If you're looking to spend a lot of time crafting woodwork, I'd start by either building a wood boat from scratch or re-building a classic. Hi zoe, I think you need to make some decisions about what you'll enjoy working at the most. Re: Installing wood interior in old fibreglass runabout? I couldn't find that boat that'd been redone w/ a wood cap & interior, but I'll keep looking. Start looking around for possible project candidates, and be patient. Which prices it out of his comfort zone, since it'd be trip each way. In fact, if he waits long enough, I probably have a spare 1960 Glastron FireFlite hull he can have for the cost of dragging it home. Pretty much any boat w/ a remotely similar hull will work. The cap won't be used, so the rougher the project boat is to start the cheaper it'll be, so all the better. It's likely to be VERY rough.īecause WOG has a specific boat he'd like to recreate, he's really only looking for a hull. It's likely to be a $100-500 boat that's been sitting around somewhere outside, neglected & forgotten. Sure some are, but you wouldn't be considering this work on a boat that's already 'worth' $10K. Old boats are like most old cars: just old, not rare, vintage collectibles. I wouldn't consider the impact to future restoration efforts. If you decide to sell this boat, it'll be to someone else who LIKES what you've done to it, and will plan to leave it that way. If you do an exceptional job, using exceptional materials, they are still going to be attached to a vintage boat that has little collector value.

It likely won't do much for the resale value of the boat.

I think you need to plan to do this for a boat that suits your vision & wants.