McCall Boat Works: May 2010

Sunday, May 30, 2010

From TAHOE LAKE to REDFISH LAKE to PAYETTE LAKE ...........WOW

It's A New Woody Day!!
Okay................... I finally have more than a moment to actually sit down and get something "creative" done like this blog spot.
As you know, McCall Boat Works is getting ready to take TWO boats to the Concours d' Elegance in Tahoe June 18-20. This is the "top of the crop".
(As if the Cobra above is not enough to make you drool.............
they (Tahoe) really know how to advertise and get YOU THERE!! ugh!!!!!!!!)

I hear everyone talking about the "boat builders" and how they are scrambling to get the boats finished and how stressed they are ..........HELLOOOO!!!!!??
What about the "errand girl-wife" whom has been round-trip Fruitland-Boise (almost 300 miles) for the umteenth time this month for chrome, parts, glass, motors, Ryobi-what? and what size nut?? So.........See..........it even makes us woman crazy (ier), too!!
But, ya know...........we wouldn't trade it for anything. So...........HOLD ON..........

Here is Ben & Julie Wolff's Chris Craft Custom 20' JUSTICE . The boat is already heroic just like the real Justice Sr. whom it was named after.........

Water Lines, Caulk Lines, White Lines

SWEET

Polished Chrome, Ironed Flags, Perfect Varnishes

SWEET

NEXT...............

Here is the 1959 Chris Craft 21' Continental TWIN FINN

owned by Jim and Cyndi Atkinson.

TWIN FINN will be up against multiple Cobras in its' division at the Show...........ugh!!!!!!!!!! No stopping us now!!

Living, breathing and restoring wooden boats in Idaho is pretty nice.

However, I AM really looking forward to AFTER the Tahoe show

(please don't tell my husband..........)

This is what I dream about..............

Woody Boat Camping @ Redfish Lake Stanley, Idaho

Nothing more soothing than floating woodies and the Sawtooth mountains behind;

wake up to THIS and a have a cup of java............

Woody afternoon water skiing, crystal clear waters and below freezing temperatures AND friends..............

PRICELESS

Now home to Payette Lake McCall, Idaho

Glass waters, Gar Wood Speedsters

and the end to perfect woody days.............

and to looking forward to MORE

Wooden Boat Shows

and MORE

thanks to my husband for working so hard!

This place is great, beautiful, magical and magestic.

Thanks to to our customers whom have supported us in creating our dreams, sharing our dreams and being a part of our dreams; we are proud to be able to contribute, support and "restore" the woodies!!

THANKS!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

TWIN FINN's Water & Engine Test a SUCCESS!

It's A New Woody Day!!

For most of you woody boaters out there a water test is not a big deal before a June Show in Tahoe. However, in Idaho, it IS a big deal because the ice on the lake has not "transformed" into water.......
AND it is VERY difficult to get this thru the thick skull of your commando-officer/boat-owner/best-friend!!
So.....finally, the BIG day; the owner makes a special trip to FLY here to be WITH YOU on the test day (........ugh.......gee, THANKS)
The ice is actually off the lake (for ten days now (I think)) and the sun is actually shining; there is intermittent rain BUT NOT snow flurries; this is ALL good.
OKAY......here we go......
Car to storage. Boat trailer hooked to car. Transport to Marina. UGHhh........Is the water even high enough NOT to scrape that BRAND NEW BRASS PROP on the cement drop into the water???.... YES!!!!! Made it. Boat off trailer.
Owner happy. All is good.
Boat floating. This is good.
We wait, wait and wait some more........not a DROP of water thru that new 3M5200 bottom.......PERFECT!
Turn over.......come on........turn over........(engine has not been started in........almost...... two years)........Don acts teenage'ish and siphons (yes, that IS what I said) the gas (via mouth) into the line and VVVRRROOOMM!!!!!!! The blast of the Christ Craft motor!!
Again......all is PERFECT!! This is all good. Everyone HAPPY!
Here we go...........

SWEET!!

WOW!!!!!!!!!

Need I say More!!!!!!!?????????

See you in Tahoe!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

JUSTICE GOLD LEAF LETTERING & Noel Weber

It's A New Woody Day!!

WOW!!!!!!!!!

1946 CC Cust 20' JUSTICE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Getting Ready for Tahoe!

Noel Weber is the best when it comes to gold leaf lettering........

he has done plenty of transoms for McCall Boat Works.

I think JUSTICE and MISS PAYETTE are my favorite transoms.

He transforms the transom into another irreplaceable piece

for this 1946 Chris Craft Cust 20' 100% Restoration.

This transom "art" places the boat into/onto another level of

"Antique & Classic Boat History"........

ALL of the lettering is done free hand AND with REAL gold flakes.

what a gift!

THANKS, NOEL!!

Noel's JUSTICE templates

no........those are NOT polka dots on the transom;

he is mixing his paints on the "scrap templates"

STEADY!!

BEAUTIFUL!!

JUSTICE has a higher than average "gold" percent in the leafing mix, thus,

creating a very appealing "shine" to the gold leaf lettering

What a transom and what a varnish!!

Chris Craft gold leaf lettering

Washington numbers

BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AND

My other Favorite, Miss Payette.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Another Day Another 3M5200 Bottom!!

It's A New Woody Day!!

Another 3M5200 Bottom DAY!!
1958 Century Resorter 19'

First........ a little history.....
Nearly all the boat manufacturers from the 1920-1960s constructed their bottoms to last approximately six to eight boating seasons. Even with the best maintenance, thru time, most have lurking problems underneath the surface where it’s not visible to the naked eye.

McCall Boat Works has put on many bottoms. Time after time, upon first examination, all appears fairly well….............tight seams, good paint, no exposed fasteners, no cracks, soaks up in a couple of days, etc., etc. However, if one is willing to get a little dirty by climbing into the bilge with an ice pick and flashlight and do some serious poking around ................a whole new view point can be viewed...........ugh!!

Many bottoms' most prevalent problem areas are loosened, broke, or bent fasteners (they are after all, soft brass).

Other common areas of trouble are bottom plank cracks following the fastener lines where screwed into the frames…......again from the planks expanding and contracting over the years. Cracked and/or pushed out chines due to excess pounding and excess debris in the bilge, cracked bottom frames, and more often than not festering rot in the canvas between the inner and outer planking…where you can least likely see it.

The two areas most damage occurs is about 1/3 a mid ships (close to the front seat) where the boat takes most of the pounding, and again near the transom where water likes to sit and spore rot over time.

Unfortunateney, many of these boats have old, and incorrect remedies: caulk or linen to fill the plank seams in order to get a ‘tight’ fit and stop the water from coming in. Also used were hard epoxy products to fill the seams.

All that these ‘fixes’ do are create and many times enhance the current problems............. by furthering the expansion of planks against planks against very tired fasteners..............…resulting in an even worse bottom..........

But, ALL this remains hidden until the bottom planking is removed.
A NEW BOTTOM IS NEEDED
"Let's bring on the 5200 Bottom"
CPES sealer, the 3M5200 and the silicone bronzed fasteners....WHHAALLAA!!

It is put on like a thick like paste then spread to a consistent layer with a trowel. It remains flexible like rubber when cured. If done properly, the 5200 will ooze between each adjoining plank seam to make a watertight, yet flexible fit.
It is put on like a thick like paste then spread to a consistent layer with a trowel. It remains flexible like rubber when cured. If done properly, the 5200 will ooze between each adjoining plank seam to make a watertight, yet flexible fit. WOW!!

3M5200 applied to the planks

We had the pleasure of Mike Doughtery joining us for Bottom Day. THANKS, Mike!!
Mike is putting a new bottom on his barrell back and wanted a few tips!

This is it!! It’s hard and messy work, and takes a lot of time to do it correctly. When finished, though, you will have a bottom that will not leak and will out-live everyone involved!!

Baggy Wrapped and Perfect!

NOT BAD FOR A DAYs' WORK!!

Monday, May 3, 2010

Never Seen a Woodie? Come On!!

It's A New Woody Day!!

I had to post this; these people dropped by the shop last Friday..........
never seen a wooden boat??!! Excuse me??!!
What do you do in Kentucky anyways??
These nice people sent us a note that I had to share.

Hello Don and Molly,
My name is Tim Judd and my wife and I along with my cousin, whom is from Idaho, visited your shop a week or so ago. We are from Kentucky if you remember and you graciously invited us in on a lat evening just before you were going home. I think my cousin Gary spoke with you wife on the phone and gave us directions. We were out there visiting family and doing a road trip into norht Idaho and I insisted we try and fine your shop. We had seen it on Outdoor Idaho and I just love those wooden boats. My wife and I spend a lot of time on our local lake but have never seen an old wooden boat around here anywhere but I will be on the look out from now on. I just wanted to drop an line and say how much we apreciated the kindness of you and your wife. Allowing us to see your shop and talk for a while was one of the highlights of our trip. I would haved loved to have been there in summer time to see them on the water. I'll close by saying thanks once again for your kindness and willingness to take time for a couple from Kentucky.
Sincerely,
Tim Judd

These are the FIRST WOODIES that the Judd's laid eyes on in
McCall Boat Works, WOW! Bet you have the fever now!!