Cruiser Inc 202 Restoration

txcaptdan · Post by **txcaptdan** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 9:29 am

The forward part of the hull on most of these boats is the deepest and where water will collect. There are cross over holes normally in Keelson, did you plug them or replace inner keelson? I this is original keelson then you may be able to find them with a piece of softwire probing.
The other bilge option is a remote pump with hoses that run to shallow pick ups, My 20'er had that but pump was seized and I have not gotten around to replaceing that system yet and the current system has same problem of not being able to completely drain bilge.

thegammas · Post by **thegammas** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 7:44 am

Check out the way the Cortland boats were built (at least mine). It allows water to flow unhindered the full length of the boat. But, as noted above, she still has the condition of the lowest point being at the gripe. So when she sits, water pools at the front away from the bilge pumps. My issue is that the hull drain is about two feet forward of the transom, thought the hull, vs. at the stern, through the transom. So even though I can move all the water to the back, I still end up with sitting water cause the pump cant pick up that last half inch. I was thinking of drilling a drain hold through the transom board (the thick piece at the botton, see the last pic) to allow me to fully drain out the water.

Apologies to the folks whome have seen these pics a dozen times:

Michael J. Seiber · Post by **Michael J. Seiber** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 7:20 pm

Dan, You were correct. There are crossover holes. I would never thought they would be that small. It makes me wonder how much epoxy I did or didn't get in them. I'll check all of them. Looks like it's time to design a foward bilge pump system!
Peter, Thanks for the pictures. That's the first thing I said about my boat. The only place for the water to get to the back of the boat is over the ribs or under the first lap. Another reason for the foward pump.

Michael J. Seiber · Post by **Michael J. Seiber** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 6:28 pm

Finally got the color on the boat.

A little design change on the splash well. I used a piece of aluminum so that the wood wont be laying in water.

This is the splash well completed.

This is the back seat layout.

I solved the bilge pump problem.
I'll post some more details later.

txcaptdan · Post by **txcaptdan** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:35 am

Michael, Thanks for the pics of your rear seat, I think I am going to try and make on similar for my 202. I lucked out the other day and got a piece of 1"x18"x6' mahogany off a burn boat at the local marina, what a piece of wood. should make a great seat.
Your splash well shot are aslo helpful as I am getting ready to rebuild the one on my 20'er.
I am interested on how the blocks that you added to top of keel to support floor board work, If you have ever ridden in one of these hulls without a floor you would be amazed at how much the keel flexs under way. I think the original design not to touch the keel had a purpose, so that the movement was not transfered to the floor. None of my boats have ever had that support.
Good luck Great job

thegammas · Post by **thegammas** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 9:07 am

Dan - My sea lancer has a fold up rear seat - if you are interested, when I get back from travel for work I can snap some pics for you. What I like about it is you can fold the seat away if the extra floor space is needed.

What I like about Michaels configuration is that it gives you storage, yet access to the space under the splash well.

Michael J. Seiber · Post by **Michael J. Seiber** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 7:44 pm

Dan, I'm sure that the keel will flex. If it transfers to the floor to much I can remove them fairly easy. I made the back seat to come out without any tools. If I ever need to get to the aft bilge pump or anything else back there I can unfasten it and move it in about thrity seconds. The front seat is the same way. It would take a little longer but not much. Originally it was attached to the floor from underneath. I made it so it fastens from the top so all you need to do is remove the part you sit on and unscrew it. I changed the splash well a little. I noticed from this boat and some of the others that I have seen on the internet that it tends to go bad where it meets the transom. Not all the water can drain. A little would always be left there so I used a piece of alumimum there so that any water that lays there is not touching the wood. I have pictures I will post in the next couple of days.

Michael J. Seiber · Post by **Michael J. Seiber** » Fri May 16, 2008 7:12 pm

Sorry it took so long to post this. Finally got the boat and trailer almost done. Finished the back seat so it can taken out easily. Also some other pictures of the interior.

This is the next project. Its the orignal Tee Nee trailer.

Heres the rest of the pictures with the boat completed.

By Marinermikes

The trailer took me awhile to get done. I sandblasted the whole thing, removed the rollers and replaced them with skid pads. Nicest riding trailer I Ihave ever pulled. I can't believe the condition of the custions. They are the originals. One little place on the front passenger custion where a mouse chewed the edge. The engine came with it when I bought it. It's a 1977 75 HP Evinrude. It can't have fifty hours on it. I have a little work to do on the hood.

The boat rides like a dream and the motor pushes it around 37 miles per hour. It leaked about a cup of water right at the back around the plug hole. I think the transom wood shrunk from around the brass hole while it was in the shop. It doesn't leak anywhere else. I still need a couple of parts for it. The side emblems are missing the INC on the end of Cruisers inc. They are missing on both sides. I know that there are other members of this forum also looking for them. I'm also looking for a anchor light. I have the base but no pole and I can't get the tach to work.
I'm having the top made but the local canvas guy who does it is booked till mid June so I'll have to wait for it.

thegammas · Post by **thegammas** » Mon May 19, 2008 4:47 am

Michael, she looks great - I especially like how you matched the trailer paint to the bottom paint - makes it look like a complete package.

I do have a question for you - In a post in this stream back in January you showed a picture of how you reinforced the framing structure - My question - the two curved outside pieces that follow the floor risers; What are they attached to and did you steam bend them or were you able to dry bend them into that curve?

Michael J. Seiber · Post by **Michael J. Seiber** » Mon May 19, 2008 5:22 am

When I first painted the boat I used an anti fouling bottom paint. I wasn't real thrilled with it when I put it on and after I had the boat on the water I made up my mind I was going to remove it and paint it with the same paint I used on the trailer. This meant lifting the boat back off the trailer and redoing the bottom side. Pain in the rear but when I was done I was satisfied. The two new stringers I put in the bottom were made out of white oak. I went to the local amish saw mill and bought all the pieces I needed for the boat. It was green as grass when I got it. I cut those two pieces out right away, bent them to the curve they needed and left them dry that way.

Michael J. Seiber · Post by **Michael J. Seiber** » Mon May 19, 2008 6:34 am

Also. The two peices that you see were replacements for the ones that were originaly in the boat. They had some cracks in them and since I had enough oak I replaced them. They are screwed to the ribs at every other rib. You just need to make sure that the screws you use are not to long. The ends of the boards that the floorboards attach to sit on them.

thegammas · Post by **thegammas** » Mon May 19, 2008 7:41 am

Cool thanks - I am considering ways to strengthen my boat as well, especially against twisting. My ribs are nice an solid at the location of the floor risers, so was thinking of doing the same thing you did, only using my original floor risers.

Michael J. Seiber · Post by **Michael J. Seiber** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 7:23 am

Well I put the boat through a very rigorous test today. I had it out on the Ohio river with thirty mile an hour winds and two to three foot waves. I pounded the boat pretty hard off the waves and I was real happy with it's performance. I didn't notice any unusual floor movement from the extra blocks in the floor. Then what I was worried about the most happened. I was cruising along at twenty five MPH on a smoother part of the river and hit a hidden log. It shudder the whole boat!. I turned around and went back while opening the floor hatch to make sure I wasn't going down and found what I had hit. It was a log about a foot in diameter and two and one half feet long, just even with the surface. The boat wasn't taking on any water so I made my way back to the ramp. After I trailered it I did an inspection. It had hit square on the stem and took a little of the paint off of the aluminum strip that covers it. It made me so glad that I took the time to make the new stem the way I did. If it would have hit left or right a little it may have punched a whole in the plywood. No more river boating for that boat!

thegammas · Post by **thegammas** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 8:46 am

Glad to here it worked out - both the wave test, and the impact test! The river I use alot has countless floaters, so I know your concern.

John Hart · Post by **John Hart** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 8:41 am

I have heard people over time talking obout how well a wooden boat rides... like you can't beat a wooden boat, and it rides so much smoother than fiberglass or aluminum.

I am interested in comments regarding what is considered the key differences with a wood boat from others that have Thompsons/Cruisers.

Michael mentions that he pounded the boat pretty hard on the waves.

I don't have many hours on my Seacoaster, but plan to get out more this summer. The few times I have had it out, it seemed to be a fairly bumpy ride.. Now this was on a somewhat choppy lake, maybe 10" to 15" waves... Seemed to me to be a little hard as the bow clackity clacked into the chop. It also was fairly tight running across the bay at the last Thompson Picnic in Marinette. I am not sure how the stem and front of the keel would be much different than any other boat. They are pretty hard structures.

I did notice that going 32+ was a lot smoother from jolting around than at 25-28, as we seemed to skip across the water like a stone.

I am interested this year in going on smoother or more gentle waves, to see if gentle rollers allow the boat to flex a little in the frames, and the laps have a chance to catch and release the water to cushion the ride.

Just thought I would get the opinion of others.... It also could be that my Seacoaster at 15'8" is a little small to get the real effect of the wooden boat construction.

Any comments would be appreciated.

John.