TOPIC: Skagit...now it's mine!

I was looking for a good bow light with a flag staff hole for our boat project, and found a boat on CL that was destined to be scrapped. I worked out a deal with the guy that I would take the boat, strip it, and take it to my local landfill. I can dispose of it for about $20. He can't dump it at his local landfill ( 1 1/2 hour a way).
We plan to do the pick up this weekend. Today he told me a guy wants it for some kind of demolition derby. For some reason, it made me anxious. What a stupid addiction this is. Here I am, planning on taking it to the dump, and I can't stand the thought of it being smashed up for recreation.

I guess a tiny part of me wants to know if it might be salvageable. I know Skagit only made about 1000 boats, and I can't find another one like this, even at the classicboat site, where most of the Skagit fans get together. I am trying to register for that site, but it is taking time. It looks like most of the boats they made were the Express model. I wonder if this one might be rare?

So I offered him my Glastron that is 100% destined for the landfill. He can give that to his demo guy, and I'll take the Skagit. And now I'm tossing a tiny amount of $$ into the deal.

I'd feel better if everyone jumped up and down and said THIS IS THE WORST BOAT EVER MADE!!
or
YOU FOUND THE HOLY GRAIL!

Know what I mean?

It would be a keeper in my book , just my opinion !!!! Just a cool looking !!

I don't have any actual knowledge of the Skagit in question but I do know that other models are highly collectable. Personally I find the design similar to the Avalon, Dorsett and many others of this vintage. If you can put the deal together I'd definitely vote for the Skagit over the Glastron. Its just cool looking. Just my 2cents worth.

Trailer is also cool.

Took my motorhome to a local guy who does rv and boat work the other day and he had a 1959 Skagit in damned near new condition sitting in the garage. Pink color. beautiful boat. He is working on it for a customer. Really all it needs is cleaning and a new windshield. I vote for the skagit.

So I'm driving 1 1/2 hours to get this boat on Saturday. The trailer, to clarify, is not part of the deal. I am stripping my old Glastron V156 and either taking it to the dump Friday or dropping it off for the guy that wants to demolish it Saturday morning. We will meet at the boat launch and float it onto my trailer.

$20.

No title. If by some crazy reason I decide to restore this one, I will track down a title. What a silly addiction.

Drb007 if you had taken that boat to the landfill, I might have cried a little. I have also seen that one on craigslist as well , and would have snapped it up but the wife has told me under no circumstance am I to bring another one home. That boat is pretty rare to find in this part of the country, it is in my eyes a very nice score!

Work hard to get the trailer even it means you trading a marginal trailer for it. It is the right vintage and appears to be in great condition.

Huh, I hadn't really thought about the trailer. The one I have is a very nice American trailer with 14 or 15" wheels and new lights, jack, crank, bearings, etc. It is actually a very nice trailer. That I have no use for...so maybe he would trade! We could just swap it out on land!
Thanks for the idea!

I've met this guy several years ago when Rawhide used to have on site auctions. He buys junkers for a few hundred bucks and does the demo derby in a figure 8. It's a business for him so whatever gets pulled behind the demo car is of no significance.
I think you have the right idea of a swap. Strip down your donor and give him that, take the Skagit home. Registrations are easy here in WI, no title needed under 16'. Get a bill of sale for $20 with his name, address, etc. As long as there is a WI number on the hull you're good to go.
You can download and print registration/transfer papers from the DNR on line to fill out and mail in.

I'll get the bill of sale, but this will take more work, as it is a 17 foot boat and should be titled. The guy I'm getting it from I don't think ever titled it. I can work on tracking down the last known titled owner and go from there. Maybe I'll get some history on it at the same time!

Looks like a clean and neat design. I'd grab it then my wife would grab me (around the neck)

That's a 1960 Skimaster. It may be an inboard, it's difficult to tell from the photo. The 1960 models were hit & miss on construction. Apparently Skagit was desperately trying to save on production costs, and they skimped by making some of the decks VERY thin. I've had a 1960 inboard, and the deck was paper thin. The hull was fine, but the deck was just ridiculous. Skagit just couldn't compete with Bell Boy's production numbers.

If you get it and need side emblems - I have a good set available

I'm attaching a picture of my '59 hard top - the photo was taken in 2003 0r 2004

It's an outboard. He bought it for the motor, which he put on his boat. I'll let you know what the stringer system looks like. The floor/deck is ripped out already. I'll post more pictures once I have it in my driveway...

Did you all see that it is a left hand drive? I can't find anything anywhere showing a left hand drive. Anyone know anything about that?

Port helm isnt uncommon in vintage boats

Heading down in the morning to shuffle the boats. We have a tentative agreement to just trade my trailer for his boat and trailer. He says his is a Shoreline. Mine is an American.
Is Shoreline likely to be the original trailer to a 1960 boat?

Well, it is officially mine. We had a nice drive down this morning, 48 degrees in December.
Really nice guy, Matt is. He took the 100 Tower of Power Merc off of the Skagit for his Glastron/Carlson. I am pretty sure the Skagit is only rated for 80hp, and the transom is in need of replacement. Looks like someone did a 6" paint brush job on it. There are enough blemishes in the fiberglass that a full restoration would be required. The good news is a decent list:
The trim is all there. The original seats are missing. The emblems are there and in excellent shape. The fiber glass stringer system is very impressive. I have been warned that they may be paper thin...not the case. They are extremely heavy and solid. The flooring is there in pieces that I can use as a template. The trailer is actually nicer than my American, a very heavy duty Shoreland'r in excellent shape.
The lines on this boat are better in person. It is really sexy. I can imagine what the inboard version must look like!
I will get this cleaned out and scrubbed a bit, and then likely take it to the farm for winter keeping. Once we are done with Alaina's Larson I may bring this back up to work on it. I think it'll be a keeper.

Anyone know what these things are for? There are two on each side...I would imagine something adjustable clamped onto them, but what?

Those are bases for rod holders. At one time there were some pretty fancy chrome adjustable holders that just screwed into them. If I remember correctly there is probably about a 1" hole under each one. Can easily be glassed in.
This would be something similar.

Well, great news! I have spent a bit of time tracking down the last titled owner of the Skagit, as I did not get a title with the boat. Heck of a nice guy. He had it for a couple of years, and enjoyed it when he used it. He then sold it to a guy who never paid him. I assume that is the guy that sold it to the guy I bought it from. The titled owner even has a video of it in the water he is going to send me!
He was on his way home from work and was going to contact the DNR to get the title replaced (he lost the original in a house fire). So, I got lucky and found a good guy who is willing to help me out. Can't wait to see the video!

Half a decade later...I have stored this gem in the haymow and realize I'm not going to get around to doing anything with the Skagit.
I'll be posting in the for sale section.