TOPIC: 1958 Dorsett for the new guy

Hello to you all! I stumbled upon this site while searching for info on a purchase I recently made. I hope to find out and/ or get help from, all you "veterans" of fiberglass boats. This 1958 Dorset Cabin Cruiser is my first boat and have a ton of work to do and learn. I mostley deal with vintage travel trailers and vehicles. So I'm hoping to expand my knowhow of vintage restorations. I hope to post more pics real soon!

Thanks a bunch in advance!

Bill

wildbill1,

WELCOME to the forum.

pictures would help the "experts" here & we have MANY experts on the old hulls.

yours, satx

wildbill1,

WELCOME to the forum.

pictures would help the "experts" here & we have MANY experts on the old hulls.

yours, satx

Welcome : I know a little about Dorsett's and have a few parts here and there. Just bought a vintage trailer as my next project so maybe we can share some info ?

hi wildbill1,,,,
i,m also a new guy here and also needed help and we got it right away with a warm welcome ,,,good luck with your new dorsett ,,, we also have a 58 and really dig it take care d&c

Ha, im no expert but i sure have a keen eye, look forward to some pictures.

Thanks to everybody for the warm welcome. I think I'll stick around a while! Hahaha

I tried to upload a pic of the Dorset the other day, but it didn't come through. Hopefully this time. Not much to go on from just one pic, but you get the idea. Since I do a ton of business from my "dumbphone", this is the only pic I have right now. More to come!

Bill

nice boat glad to see boat gor saved and i to live in colorado you should join the acbs we are rocky mountain classic chapter and i will have questions as i start restoring my rainbow caned ham

always thad

Is that an old Coast Guard boat?

Hi Bill, congrats on your newly aquired cruiser. Love them Dorsett cabin cruiser especially this model. I have the smaller version, the Catalina '60 model. Your Dorsett however is not a '58. Dorsett didn't make San Juan models in '58. They first came out in '59. The '59 models had a few distinctive features. The storage compartments on the rear deck, step on the gunhwales aft, and the big bow trim piece. It's a '60 at the earliest and maybe a year or two later. Can't see a top windshield or top of the cabin. That would determine what year it is. If the top of the cabin has a ridge where the windshield would rest against then it's a '60 maybe a '61. If there isn't any ridge, flat on top, then it's a '62 or 63. Your model is a 19' San Juan. Good luck with her.

Eduardo

That is a wonderful looking project.

I agree it's a San Juan w/o windshield or Mast, Need some inside shots or the cockpit to give more information

hey that's cool! I also have a '58 Dorsett. ours is the smaller boat tho.

Anybody know where to get or how to make a windsheild for it?

Larry

Hey there guys! The windshield is down inside the boat, its just not in place. Also, the canopy is there as well. I did manage to take a "boatload" of pics over the course of the long weekend will get more posted on Wednesday. I did find something rather strange! While snapping pics of the right side, in very faint lettering was the word, "Gaurd". So I asked my stepdad, who happened to be a chief petty officer, what his thoughts were. He in fact told me this Dorsett was a "Auxillary" boat u sed by the Coast Gaurd. Pretty cool eh'?

Like I said, I will get pics posted tomarrow. Stay tuned!

Bill

I have one that i am starting to restore now and this is my last classic boat and planning to keep her.the boat is all gutted now it was set up for an inboard but i cut the transom so i can make it fit my engine that i have for her[engine-1976 Merc 1500 less then 40hrs of use since new].i hope i can do a good job and it will look nice when she is all done.I think i am going to paint it black and white this time i started on 1 side and board it down and found afew high and low spot but up until today the other side is spray also.here is pic

Ok guys, heres the pics you've all been waiting for. Read my last post as there is a bit of info for ya. Hope the pics come through ok! Any and all comments are greatly accepted!

One question though. The brass tag on the back, I decipher like this...INZ= Indiana...00058= year built...D292= October 2, 1992. Now if im wrong, somebody slap me, because as far as I know, boats were'nt required to have tags until 1972. Which means this pig sat for umpteen years in somebodys barn or something until 1992 when it was sold to the next guy that actually registered it! I seriously doubt the Coast Gaurd would let it slip by. Or else it would be INZ00058D272. But Im pretty sure the Coast Gaurd started doing it way before.

Anyway, Im sort of rambling on. So, I guess what Id like to know, since Im new to boats, is..What year, model, etc, is this? One thing in my favor is that there is more like it. Unlike my 65' travel trailer. The company that built it washed down the South Platte River in Denver in 1965 and Ive got nothing to go on except my imagination! Great little Kustom Koach by the way!

Thanks for reading and looking!

Bill

Im really starting to dislike "copy & paste"! hahaha

I cant figure out how to post multiple pics!

Bill

Heres another one!

Heres another one!

Oh Bill Bill Bill Bill, what have you gotten yourself into
There is this desease/virus going around on this site that is very catchy and me thinks you picked up a strain called glassicitis dorsettus. There is a cure but it only comes when your wallet is empty, your lungs are full of fiberglass and paint fumes and you wash the whole shebang down with a few cold ones on the evening breeze of a calm lake in your new Dorsett.
I'm a little late to the party like always but welcome aboard.
Is that a Volvo outdrive on that? If so what kind. I'm looking at a 60's something Lugar that has the Volvo I/O, just waiting for the price to stabilize if you know what I mean. We'll compare notes as you go along with your project.
PS. Price stabilization interpretation....permission from the wife.
Cal

Multiple pics are made by making your post and after it is on the site click the "edit" button and add another pic. Do it over and over for lots of pics.

Cal, this virus you speak of is sort of like the one I got when I picked up my travel trailer. I think its called, "Poorisus Bastardtitus"! Haha. The pics really make it more of a basket case than it really is. In fact, its in better shape than my camper when I bought it. Its one of those can't pass up deals. Its a Volvo/ Penta engine and outdrive. Not sure of the type of out drive though. Hey thanks for the tip on posting of pics. Will try again tomarrow!

Thanks,

Bill