TOPIC: First post! Can anyone identify this?

Hello, everyone. I’m new here. Always have liked old boats.. (And we get a lot of them up here in Maine) never owned one though. (Besides some unnamed 50’s 14’ Aluminum.) I’ve been around old machinery all my life, restoring tractors, snowmobiles and old hit and miss engines, to 20’s table fans. Recently on a back trail at a friend’s house, I stumbled across an old boat, and this seems to be just the place to ask about it. Look forward to being here!
So.. my first post! I was out trail bashing at my friend’s house, rounded a corner, and there sat this thing. I’m now wishing I had actually measured it and gotten proper pictures. I’ve passed it twice in two weeks now .. maybe next time I’ll remember. It’s got a Mercury 880? Maybe 860, I can’t quite read it, outboard. The lower unit is gone. As for the boat, it has only one identifier I can find. A letter “W” on the side trim. I can not find a single other name. It seems like it was either black and red, or black and blue. Spent a while on google looking, I couldn’t find anything quite like it. I don’t know the first thing about working on boats. I know they float .. well, they’re supposed to. However, it seems that despite it’s condition, it was only put there because the lower unit failed. I can’t see any holes in it. And it holds water whenever it rains.. but I don’t know.. could make a fun project. Does anyone know who built this beauty? I may just try and save it if I can find a trailer and convince my parents.

P.S. Sorry for the repetitive posts. I can't figure out how to post multiple images at once.)

Here's the dash. I love the way it looks .. bet it once looked nicer though!

The only identifier I can find.

1960 Wizard Bolero. Great looking boat. It would make a nice project. Check out the Wizard section in the fiberglassics library.

Stepney,

WELCOME ABOARD. - NICE find, too.

yours, satx

S, WELCOME,,,, If the Merc is orig, possible white in color , six cyl and model 800,,,, If it is possible in the 1980's should be Black and read 850,
for 85 hp .
.Our son lives in central Maine, Buckfield , with a machinery dealership , near Streaked Mtn, if you look him up ...All the engines you mentioned , snowmobiles, tractors,,etc..... Prior employee of OMC.

Well, I'm glad to finally know what it is! Thanks a lot! Looking up pictures makes me like it even more.. I honestly don't know the first thing about working on a boat like this.. but I think I'm going to try and save it. It's been full of water for many years so I'm quite certain it's rotted out.. but maybe luck will be on my side.. from what I hear they are a bit of a shoddy boat though. Shame the trailer was cut up, or I'd move it out of there. I'll probably be back up there soon, so I'll get some better pictures and look it over more. From what I saw when I walked up to it.. there's fish living in it somehow..

S,,,, Multiple pics can be included under one post by using the bottom right corner tool bar for "EDIT " After one posts the 1st pic, click on EDIT , add the 2nd pic , SUBMIT,,,,, go back to EDIT to add each other pic. Can type another line to describe pic.

Stepney,

Pardon me for pointing that ALL of those >6 decade old boats are a MESS but yours appears to be "all there" (including a windshield) & at least you aren't trying to figure out what the seating originally looked like, so that they can be duplicated!
(I've been looking for even a good CLOSE-up photo of the seats in mine, as the seats are G-O-N-E & all that I have is pictures.)

Furthermore, it is my OPINION that a "typical mess" that is ORIGIONAL is really NO more trouble to restore than a "re-muddling" that was "half-done" by another owner.
(For example, a guy over on the Southside of SA is trying to remove the rotten indoor/outdoor carpet that some nitwit glued down all over the inside of a REALLY RARE early-1950s seventeen foot "tin boat"& Carlos is removing the mess, a postage-stamp piece at a time, as he cannot remove it any other way.)

yours, satx

The engine is a Merc. 850. Supposedly it may still run. Heading up there Friday, I'll get some pictures then.

I immediately recognized the "Wizard-Winner" styling.

Check BOTH the Wizard and Winner sections in the Glassic Library here.

Andreas

It is absolutely a Wizard

Does the small marlin emblem on the dash say "Marlin"?

Went back out yesterday, yep, she's a Marlin! I don't know how I missed so much detail last time.. there's 3x more water in it now! The Mer-Control is still there, as is the tank, steering cables, horns, and numerous little bits. I couldn't find a drain plug.. does it have one? Heading up there armed with a mid-20's Gould pump to bail it out. Found the seats to be from a Caddi Cimeron.. remember those? Might try to fire the engine today if all checks out.
Also noticed a rip on the inside of the hull.. that doesn't start my feeling off well.. supposedly it was well covered until 2 years ago.. so maybe it's not quite so bad.. we'll see.

Well don't try running the motor. It doesn't have the lower unit attached. At least you can see if it will turn over. Probably the lower unit was removed for shift or water intrusion problems. Speaking of water, the boat likely will need the plywood in the floor and transom replaced if water has been sitting in it for a long time. There should be a drain plug somewhere on the bottom edge of the transom. While you are there, check for softness in the transom and floor. Likely will be a bigger project than you think.