TOPIC: Greetings from the newest member

Hello everyone! I have been enjoying the reading and images of the classic, I mean glassic boats. What got me here is trying to figure out what the heck this thing down the road behind some barns was. Today I walked down with Buster and my camera and took some pics. I spent about 3 years repairing boats while stationed in Miami-- US Coast Guard. I was a damage controlman and grew up in Minnesota, so my heart has a very soft spot for old boats (and old trucks, I'm restoring a 49 GMC 1-ton dually).
Anyhow, can you folks help me identify this poor old thing? Its about a 21 footer, 7' beam. I might try to track down the owner to see if I can have it. The good things: hull, driveline is there, and it has a matching trailer mad e for the boat. The bad: just about everything else.
There is a pic of where the old badge/logo was, and I can't seem to find the make or year.
<a href=" s959.photobucket.com/albums/ae71/ridesapaint/old%20boat/?action=view&current=tug1.jpg " target="_blank"><img src=" i959.photobucket.com/albums/ae71/ridesapaint/old%20boat/tug1.jpg " border="0" alt="makers mark location"></a>
<a href=" s959.photobucket.com/albums/ae71/ridesapaint/old%20boat/?action=view&current=tug4.jpg " target="_blank"><img src=" i959.photobucket.com/albums/ae71/ridesapaint/old%20boat/tug4.jpg " border="0" alt="Profile"></a>
The roof is the easiest fix I can see
<a href=" s959.photobucket.com/albums/ae71/ridesapaint/old%20boat/?action=view&current=tug5.jpg " target="_blank"><img src=" i959.photobucket.com/albums/ae71/ridesapaint/old%20boat/tug5.jpg " border="0" alt="port bow"></a>
<a href=" s959.photobucket.com/albums/ae71/ridesapaint/old%20boat/?action=view&current=tug10.jpg " target="_blank"><img src=" i959.photobucket.com/albums/ae71/ridesapaint/old%20boat/tug10.jpg " border="0" alt="Starboard"></a>
<a href=" s959.photobucket.com/albums/ae71/ridesapaint/old%20boat/?action=view&current=tug8.jpg " target="_blank"><img src=" i959.photobucket.com/albums/ae71/ridesapaint/old%20boat/tug8.jpg " border="0" alt="V8"></a>
<a href=" s959.photobucket.com/albums/ae71/ridesapaint/old%20boat/?action=view&current=tug7.jpg " target="_blank"><img src=" i959.photobucket.com/albums/ae71/ridesapaint/old%20boat/tug7.jpg " border="0" alt="Engine"></a>
Any help identifying this would be very appreciated.

I tried to attach photos, let me try something else...

s959.photobucket.com/albums/ae71/ridesapaint/old%20boat/

This is a link to photo bucket pictures. I'll figure out how to post pics later.

Hi and welcome to FG ridesapaint,

It is a Dorsett and that is what I would call a Christine boat and the owner should pay you to haul it off but that's just my not so humble opinion. There is a load of trim missing and I'm sure with little effort and less expense in the long run you can find a more worthy candidate. Check out the library under Dorsett. Also on the main forum page scroll down to the SUPPORT thread and you will find instructions for posting photos.

Melanie

I agree with Melanie ...she is rough. That said I am the biggest fan of bringing old boats back from the dead.

It is certainly gonna take some serious commitment and expense if you should choose to save her. The trailer will be the easiest restore by far.

Good luck if you should choose to take it on.

Tim

ridesapaint,your a brave soul,but I believe I'd take these folk's advice and save some anguish for yourself. just my 2 cents.

WOW, I know that the coast guard can do all types of rescues, but this will be a real challange. If the hull is not soft or rotten it may be something to look at. This looks like a real big job, but there are plenty of members here that will help you out all they can. Skip.

Thanks everyone! I know, I know, I know... $$$$ and time. A lot of time and money. I like the model though, from '58 or '59. It would be more fun to find something that does not need a complete re building, and there are others more classic looking. It is a really cool hull design and with an open canvas as far as cabin design it would be fun re-designing the birth and cockpit/helm. what kind of engine is in it? Is it an old mercury v-8? Can I drop a chevy 350 into it with that old tranny or would it shake it apart? I have enough to do with my GMC project as it is, but (sniffle-sniffle) isn't it just an adorable little stray?
The fiberglass at the bottom has stagnant h2o and I am sure will need to be addressed. I think the entire hull would benefit from another layer of woven-cloth-mat, and there are a couple dozen places with cracks and holes. The window trim is missing, but isn't there a suitable replacement trim? There are not many old boats or parts in the New Mexico high country, so this one caught more than my eye. All your feedback has opened my brain, so thank you.
Jerry

That is a small block chevy most likely 283 so a 350 would work fine.Personally I prefer the 327's. If you were closer I would gift you a 1957 Bell Boy 17ft Express cruiser that I have squirrel away.

Melanie

Oceans2 hit it right there. Its a 283 chevy. Most likely toast by now. A 350 or 327 will bolt right up to the tranny in the boat. If the moter mount stringers are good you would have no problem mounting a newer engine. Check to see if the shaft is straight where it comes through the hull. That will tell you if it is really worth a rebuild. If the stuffing box is in good shape and the hull around it is ok it may be worth working on. If it is missing or all tore up I would say pas on it. It is not easy to repair them right. Nothing worse than rebuild done to find out you have a wicked vibration. Skip.

Those are very, very good points about the stuffing box and shaft being straight. I think I will go dig around the boat tomorrow with some poking and banging tools and see what I can figure out about the hull, transom, and stringers. I really like the idea of an inboard. The news about the SB chevy is really good, too, because I have a two year old GM 350 crate engine sitting in a 90 chev pickup that, well, the engine would be so much better used in a boat or other truck. The Alpine stereo will fit perfect in a boat as well.
Thanks Oceans2, or Melanie, for the gifting thing. I really love people with common interests and the fellowship that goes with it. The offer is most gracious.
And thanks everyone else for the kind and insightful welcome.
Ill figure out the picture thing, too. Different sites have different tech stuff.
Jerry

Yes, wecome to the site Jerry.
That old boat is a certainly a rare find, I've been searching for some info on it and haven't had any luck, but I believe that is one of the early 1955 or 1956 models, and it is a 283 or 265 Chevy motor, the trans is simply a forward/reverse friction clutch box, and that one is pushing a right hand rotation prop. The trans is driven off the front of the motor actually, and many of those motors were left hand rotation, easy enough to tell, the firing order is cast into the intake manifold right in front of the carb, or in this case, right behind the carborator, it is a standard rotation, the firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 and if it is a reverse rotation, it will be 2-7-5-6-3-4-8-1 and the gererator is driven by a belt off the flywheel, which is on the wrong end of the motor for "car" guys, and the front of the chankshaft in some of them, un-like a car or truck crank, has an oil passage drilled through the front of it to oil the trans, making it a marine only application. They were unique motors.

It would be a labor of love to bring that old baby back to life, but you would certainly have a rare one, I've never seen one just like that one before now, and I dought it even came with the distinct hardware we are used to seeing on the Dorsetts, thats an old one, in my opinion.

I was confused seeing the distributor in the front of carb. I am guessing the engine is toast like someone said. Does this mean my 350 would be difficult to attach to existing parts like tranny, manifolds, generator? I was hoping to use all newer parts like my alternator and water pump.
I am not afraid of the hull, it actually is a challenge as to my abilities. But I do want 12V power and wanted to use my 350 V8.
The owner also needs to be tracked down. We live just off old Route 66 so the boat may be one of the treasures from a local business doing well back then. There are a few people around yet that might know who owns it. The property is abandoned and used by Navajo hobos and kids partying.

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Congratulations!!!

Unless it is a new generation 350 the flywheel,harmonic balancer,manifolds should transfer over. I also consider myself a newbie to boating and from what I have read it is not recommended to use automotive electrical or some fuel system items such as fuel pump.Carburator fuel bowl vents are also a bit different from what I have seen in that it forms a "U" or "J" so that any fuel resulting from a backfire, and fumes/vapor I would imagine, are suck into the intake system.

Looking forward too hearing about your adventure.

Melanie

P.S. Areyou familiar with the book or movie Christine?

Your 350 will have to be coverted to a marine engine for wet exhaust,carb, flame arrester, wireing and a bunch of other things. Not hard, but it may cost $$$$. You may be able to use ome parts for the old engine. You can run the new style alt. with no problem. All your wiring will need to be marine wire. If you use standard auto wire it will corrode real fast. It needs to be tinned. I am not trying to put you off this project, just giving you a heads up on some of the fun things you are going to run into.If the hull is abandoned you may be able to pick it up from the town for free just to make the area look better. Good luck, Skip.

I found the owner. He is a 75 year old grouch and does not want to part with it. I just don't get that, but it is probably a blessing, because across the road from him I found a fairly nice condition 14' lone star Malibu with a merc on it. She basically needs new plywood and cushions, and maybe a new transom plywood replaced. It will polish out very nicely. $450 is so much more reasonable than completely restoring a cabin cruiser, even if it is rare and really cool.

Sometimes when things don't work out, it's for a reason. Glad you found something better, got a buddy with a LS Malibu, neat boat! Good luck with it Jerry, keep us posted and share some pics when you can.

That maybe better in the long run. At least you won't have to worry about if your engine will fit.Post some pic, we love them here. Skip.