thompsondockside.com

Anyonbe working on any fun projects? OR is everyone hunkered down because of the COLD weather?

I am hunkered down, waiting for it to warm up a bit. I will start work on a 1961 Thompson (Peshtigo) 17 ft. Sea Lancer soon. She needs a new windsheild frame and I'll replace the deck. Also strip down the hull paint and start fresh. Probably new floor boards too.

Andreas in chilly Minneapolis

Andreas:

I hope to be starting a 1700 XL this summer, trying to finish a 63 Chevy first. But I was wondering if anyone new where to purchase the vinyl covering for the decks? I thought of vinyl top material for cars, but trying to match patterns will be tough, I can dye for coloring that is needed.

Thanks

Darrell

One of my winter projects.....
I am currently refastening screws/bolts on laps under the waterline on my 20' Cruisers Inc. 570 Seacamper. She was taking on a little water at launch and i could see it was all coming from laps right at midship where the hull takes the most pounding. I had no leaks aft of these areas so I have concentrated my efforts here.
I first sanded to expose screw heads. I found that a flat blade bit in an drill will knock out old putty a lot easier than digging them out with an icepick!
[img][img]http://img02.picoodle.com/img/img02/7/2/9/f_uncoverfastm_70d277c.jpg[/img][/img]
I then tightened all srews into ribs and lap bolts then marked each as I snugged them up
[img][img]http://img01.picoodle.com/img/img01/7/2/9/f_securedandmm_c0f9784.jpg[/img][/img]
I fared with a marine filler
[img][img]http://img02.picoodle.com/img/img02/7/2/9/f_faringholesm_c3fb6fe.jpg[/img][/img]
Then sanded to a smooth finish
[img][img]http://img02.picoodle.com/img/img02/7/2/9/f_sandedm_3911174.jpg[/img][/img]
I then primed and am currently awaiting several coats of hull paint to complete.
[img][img]http://img01.picoodle.com/img/img01/7/2/9/f_primedm_6057bd0.jpg[/img][/img]

I am hoping this will stop the little bit of water I had coming in at launch. What I found interesting was in the area where the hull takes most of the wave pounding most all the screws were 1/2 to a full turn loose. Screws that attach to ribs were also as loose all turned snug into good wood. As i reached farther aft all screws were tight.
After 40 years of use the areas that recieved the most pressure and force were the areas needing the most attention.
This is a great indoor winter time project that should make the hull tighter and safer.

This is my next project>>>>>
Drove 100 miles west of Fort Worth today to retieve a 1965 Cruisers Inc. 16 foot. A recent aquaintence had started restoration on this boat about six years ago and had lost interest. My new best friend just wanted it to go to someone who would finish it and not let his hard work go for naught.

He had dissasembled the interior and windshield then cleaned sanded and applied 6 coats of varnish to interior. He bagged and labeled all parts then flipped her over and refastened all screws and bolts, then fared and added two coats of primer. she is ready for finish faring and final hull paint. And as you can see a new keel cap as well. Wow!!! a hull with all the hard work done!!!

All the seats and bright work from topside is in excellent condition and only needs a fresh coat of varnish. I filled my Tahoe with boxes of chrome, seats, floors, and a 25 hp Johnson to boot. All hardware, gauges, cleets, and controls are there.

I have not gotten a chance to start on this hull but I did crawl under her and WOW , now I am anxious to get her in the shop and paint her heull so I can flip her.
Here I am ready to haul her home.
[/img]
Interior ready for reassembly
[/img]
here is the front bench just needs a fresh coat of varnish

I got a whole pile of chrome, windshield parts and all the trimmings!
[/img]
Awaiting hull paint
[/img]

She came with a Johnson 25, not much of a sking motor, I will probably find something a bit larger. She only awaits some room in my shop. Should be a lot of fun with all the hard work done

I am finishing replacing the floor and transom on my 85 Rinker V170. All that is left is to install the carpet and reassemble the deck to the hull and reintall the interior. When this is finished I will have the room to start restoring my sea lancer which needs a complete refinishing and all the screws tighten. Here are some pics of the rinker.

Daryl,
I got all my vinyl through West Marine, they carry nautalux and several other manufacturers. They will send you a catalog if there is not one near you.
Dan

Dan - that is a great boat you've scored - warms my heart to know it went to someone that knows what it is and how to care for it. Best of luck, looking forward to the pics!

Well, I started to work on the '61 Peshtigo Sea Lancer a couple of days ago. So far I removed the hardware, seats, and floorboards. I have removed most of the goofy fasteners that attached a large metal plate anode to the bottom of the hull - talk about corrosion! Uff da! Found I will have to replace a few ribs at that area. I'll start striping the paint in the bilge so I can get a good look at the condition of the wood.

I also picked up on Wednesday my newest "find," a 1956 or 1957 Glasspar Club Lido 14 ft. runabout!

Andreas

I got my 16' Cruisers hull into the shop this week and have begun to sand and fair the hull. Since it is upside down on the trailer, this is the first time I have had a chance to work on one this way, it has been enjoyable to sand as opposed to laying on my back under a hull.
The previous owner had done such a good job tightening and preping that all I'm having to do is is a final of tiny nics and prep for paint with 220.
I have decieded to paint it Sandtone by Easypoxy, this is an original color and it goes so well with the bright work. I sanded transom to bare wood and found several indents with original stain color- the same as my 20' Seacamper. Should be staining transom Saturday.
Hope to start rolling and tipping some paint by Sunday. Will post some inprogess photos later.

I want to thank you guys for all of the pictures of your project boats... I have shown these to my wife to make sure she sees that it is perfectly normal to have a boat being worked on in a garage, which also contains a project car like a mustang or beetle, PLUS a motorcycle here and there. I also think it is important for her to understand that it is not unusual to have more than one boat.....

Although she did mention again to me, that she thought there should be a 'wife's of Thompson owners' forum, so there could be communications of a different sort (I took that as commisserating).

I do feel a little sorry, though, for you guys in Texas.... I just got back from an hour snowshoeing with my wife... beautiful sunny blue sky, fluffy 'whiter than white' snow about 2' or so deep.... (Minnesota)

Actually, I do have a boat question.... I noticed in Dan's Crusiers, that there are flat 1x3"'s across the stringers and keelson... That looks like a real smart structural tie, that I don't have in my 1960 Seacoaster... I suppose that the hardwood flooring serves a similar purpose, but I wonder why there weren't crosspieces on all these boats....

Any thoughts??

Thanks.

John.

All the Thompson (Peshtigo) Sea Lancer boats that I have worked upon (1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, and 1965) have had similar support - ties. They are to support the floor boards. I am sure they also add rigidity to the hull framing. They go from stringer to stringer and some connect to the keelson as well. They do not go outwards to the floor risers at the chine, like on Dan's Cruisers, Inc. pictured.

I must have a "Lancer obsession"

Andreas

Well John you can tell your wife to rest assured that it can always be worse. I could show pictures of the entire shop which has alot more than what is shown in my pictures. My list of projects includes the Rinker in the picture, the 68 Mustang next to it, the 75 F250 High Boy behind it, on the other side is a 70 Cutlass convertable and a IMCA modified that my brother races on dirt. Not to mention the various lathes and tubing benders, welders and other steel working tools around the shop. My Thompson is still sitting in my fathers garage because I need to finish the Rinker first to make room. So it could always be worse!!!! Shaun

Does anyone with a 1959 through 1961 Seacoaster have the cross pieces we have been describing....? Perhaps mine had them, and I didn't realize that they had been discarded by a former owner....

John.

John,
All my Cruiseres Incs large and small have had similar floor supports, yes they are about 1x3.