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New to forum with old Roamer new to me

Discussion in 'Chris Craft Roamer Yacht' started by Little Rusty, Mar 6, 2006.

  1. Little Rusty, Mar 6, 2006
    #1
    Little Rusty

    Little Rusty New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2006
    Messages:
    3
    Location:
    Napa Valley Marina
    Hello All,
    I have been viewing as a guest for about 2 months now trying to gather info to help with decision to purchase Roamer. I would like to inform you guys you screwed up ( just kidding), and I now own one! 1963, 36ft, hull # 207R is the discription on the DMV title. " Free and Easy " out of Napa valley, Ca. and she's alittle rusty. She's a hard top with twin 430s and was last hauled in 99. I plan to have 'er hauled surveyed and plated so I can water ski behind her this summer. Just kidding, at my age water skiing and enimas are synonimous. Would like some good input as to the prefered, general practice, " nice job", " **** that looks good", kick ass methods for repair of the hull about 12" either side of the keel the complete length of the hull, and the stern about 18" forward of the transom.

    Question: Has any one done this kind of "!~#!" before?
    I have a plan and I do have skills, but what should I exspect from the boat yard if I have it done?

    Totally in love with boat.

    little rusty
  2. Yana, Mar 7, 2006
    #2
    Yana

    Yana New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2004
    Messages:
    47
    Location:
    Green Bay, Wisconsin
    Welcome!

    Welcome Little Rusty! Oh Boy, are you in for it! :eek: Glad you are in love with your boat (as we all are with ours), that love will hopefully carry you through all the trials and tribulations of owning such an animal. Are you keeping the name? Or putting a new one on? Which by the way, is perfectly okay as long as you have a proper re-christening, and make the necessary sacrifices to the appropriate Gods. I won't even touch the "what to expect from the Yard" question, because some are good, some are great, some suck, but they ALL cost a lot of money. Your surveyor will probably hate the boat, especially because you already bought it. Be prepared for Doom and Gloom. Hey, that'd be a great name for a survey company...Ha Ha....D&G Boat Surveyors....Wally, another chapter!!!!! We need another armored division against the evil Sea Ray fleet! This time on the West Coast!!! (You'll hear from Wally, he's our resident action-adventure novelist):)
  3. Little Rusty, Mar 7, 2006
    #3
    Little Rusty

    Little Rusty New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2006
    Messages:
    3
    Location:
    Napa Valley Marina
    Thanks Yana, you are right about the name. "Free and Easy" ? I wish. I think I'll do the re-CHRIStening and sacrifices to the Gods. I know it's a project and my surveyor already thinks I'm nuts after the first boat I had him look at. A 1928, 34' Stephens woodie. Even though I am a carpenter and a contractor I am betting on the steel hull being easier to rebuild the bottom on than the woodie.
    The bildge is at least dry, but right down the keel there is flaky rust with some deposits of minerals or salts and moisture. I am confident it can be repaired and fairly sure it has been done before by others. I would like to know the accepted method of restoration. I don't want it to look like some hack with a welder and a can of bondo played a bad joke on the boat.
    My first thought is to overlay the keel exterior with 1/8th inch steel plate. Then fair this into the rest of the hull with epoxy. Then remove the rust and scale at the interior and replace the ribs and stiffeners as needed.

    West Coast 1st armored division
  4. wdrzal, Mar 8, 2006
    #4
    wdrzal

    wdrzal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 6, 2006
    Messages:
    414
    Location:
    Allegheny Mountains of Western Pa
    I don't know how the pro's would do it but in my opinion their is no better way to determine the extent of damage than to use a pressure sandblaster on it. Its much better and faster than grinding or using a needle scaler,especially around ribs and stringers.You need to determine the extent of damage before you can plan the attack. On the inside you would have to contain the sand and dust or it will be everywhere.Take the time to securely plastic off where you don't want the sand to go. Be sure to you a good respirator as silica dust is bad for the lungs.

    You should have seen the inside of my freinds house after I talked him into sandblasting it:eek: He purchased a old natural stone farm house ,but his wife didn't like the old looking stone inside. After sandblasting it the walls became its outstanding feature. Cleaning up over 3 tons of sand is a whole another story. lol
  5. alloyed2sea, Mar 14, 2006
    #5
    alloyed2sea

    alloyed2sea Moderator

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2004
    Messages:
    872
    Location:
    Alex, VA
    WEST COAST "ROAMER" Armd Div

    Little Rusty -
    You are now certified as an official Roamer Division Cdr in the West Coast theater of operations - thanx for the hull#. :rolleyes:
    Jim Wick at LPX (http://www.chrisparts.com/) Phone/Fax (941) 795-0292 -- may be (maybe?) able to help you - he built them for CC.
    Ed Scott also know the joys of steel hull restoration backwards and forwards:
    http://mywebpages.comcast.net/ejscott/index.html
    Keep the name - unless of course you repower substantially upwards (ditching the 430s in lieu of the omni-present 454s/ie cheap parts - will only hurt at first $/:p ) -- in which case, the name "Old Fooler" springs to mind.
    Hope this heps - keep up the gud werkz.
    Cheers!
    Eric
    Webmaster, CC Roamers
    "Tin Tonic"
    1967 CCR Riviera 37' (AL)
    Last edited: Mar 22, 2006
  6. Little Rusty, Mar 16, 2006
    #6
    Little Rusty

    Little Rusty New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2006
    Messages:
    3
    Location:
    Napa Valley Marina
    Update West Coast Armored Div.

    Thanks to All who replied to post,
    Yes! Ed Scott was the man! He documented exactly the information I needed.
    I emailed Ed to thank him not expecting a reply and he returned it almost immediately. My skills as a fabricater and welder are moderate, but after visiting
    Ed's website I now have the confidence to tackle my own repairs. The good news is the boat does not leak. I also found howardclassicboats.com where a 1962 36' Roamer can be viewed restored. A beauty! Now I am really inspired. I think I will keep the 430 Linclons for now. One is rebuilt and the other I have a good short block for I only have to swicth out hte parts. Thanks again to all.
    Little Rusty