TOPIC: Anybody familiar with a Dorsett Lexington?

There is a boat I may go and look at in the next few days. The pics look somewhat like a 1962 Dorsett Lexington, but the owner doesn't know anything except the emblem says Dorsett. May have original motor and trailer and looks in damn nice shape. If anyone is familiar with these, let me know. Not many Dorsetts in the northeast. Will keep you posted.

Don't know anything about the Lexington but my Catalina had a cored floor. All but 1 square foot was shot. It is a lot of work. Still worth it to me but I would have rather known before. Check that carefully as it can make a nice looking boat a huge project.

By "cored" do you mean plywood under glass or a sandwich type of construction? I plan on checking that and the transom (as always). I don't need or even have room for another boat, but if this is a turn key deal, I would think about it. I has been in use, but that doesn't mean much.

It could also be an El Ray, but I won't know more until I see it. Any hull numbers on older Dorsetts? Any idea what the sequence might mean?

Mine is cored with end cut balsa sheets sandwiched in the fiberglass. It was very difficult to see even when I was gutting the boat. It is very strong when good and less than mush when rotten. I don't know if the same tapping (like on the transom) works to determine if it good or not. Hopefully someone else can answer that.

I think the only way to effectively test for rotten balsa is to drill a small hole in the deck and take a core sample. This is how the the "Pro" boat survey/inspector guys do it. Somewhere aft, or just forward of the transom is a good place.

Cheers,
Andrew