Downeaster boat project
 

I found a junk boat with a motor and transom bracket on craigslist so I bought it for the motor and bracket. Turns out its a good looking boat. Its a 19' Downeaster CC with a 130hp Johnson. The floor is shot and the stringer too but it looks like the hull would be worth repairing.
Does anyone have some experience with this boat or with the 130 Johnson that's on it? I would like to hear what you think of them. Thanks

Cool looking project. I've had experience with a similar johnson 150, it was reliable. Good luck on your project and post a lot of pics!

They're just like a parker.

I like it. I dont know anything about them, but I like the lines.

I have looked at a few to buy. Pretty sweet inshore/bay boat IMO, and a heck of a beam for a boat that size. The ones I looked at were all rotten too though, floor and stringers.

***disclaimer: info below is regurgitation of what I learned about them here on THT while trying to research Downeaster boats***

I believe they were built by Keith Willis in Marshallberg, NC. Southern Skimmer bought the mold(s) when the Downeaster brand died and built the Lookout 18.

This. I have an 18' Lookout with a Yamaha 115C. Rides good, handles well-I do have trim tabs, and is positively the wettest boat I have ever been on. Very solid.

They are like the old Parker Sou'westers. Not much much similar to more current Parkers.

Thanks for the comments. Did anyone notice how flat bottom the boat is? You can see it in the second pic, its not completely flat but almost. With the wide beam and flat bottom i bet it is a very stable boat like sealion2288 metioned.

I bought the boat for the transom bracket and motor. The blue and white boat in the background of the third picture is what i plan on using it for. I am really having some second thoughts on robbing the motor and bracket though. I think the boat is setup well and would be a sweet boat if it was put back together.

It is very stable and runs and drafts really shallow. I can effectively fish water as shallow as I did in the 18' Hancock (flatbottom) skiff I had previous.

I've never seen one with a bracket. They made a few with a inboard/tunnel. My brother-in-law had one. It was a wallowing pig of a boat. It seemed like it had potential, but didn't really work well.

One of the ones I looked at was a full transom with a Sea Drive on it. What years are the boat and motor? Possible repower from an original sea drive? The other I looked at was a standard notched transom.

It's definitely a hull worth rebuilding IMO...but, if you already have the at least one project boat in the background, do you really want to take on the time and expense of totally gutting and rebuilding a second project boat?

That's funny, "wallowing pig of a boat" lol

I was told by the man I bought it from that his brother in-law ordered this boat new and had them build it with a full transom and bracket.

I'm not really looking for two projects, this one was supposed to be so I could put the other one together. Now that I have the Downeaster I don't want to junk it. What to do??

Rebuild it. It's worthy.

I'd be interested in taking it off your hands if you want to get rid of it. PM me.


I have no interest in the motor and i would be converting it to a notched transom so I wouldnt want the bracket either.

I like it and think its worth a redo, if not I don't think it would be hard to sell it.....

A few more pics

Well, it looks like Im going to get started on this boat sooner than expected. I haven't finished my Anacapri yet but I had an accident with my Skeeter (primary fishing boat) and its more less totaled. This boat will take much less effort to get back in the water so im putting my other project on hold and hope to get this one in the water soon.

Right now I'm throwing around ideas for a quick and dirty stringer/ deck replacement. I'm considering a fiberglass box type stringer filled with foam but i may go with marine plywood like my other project.

" I'm throwing around ideas for a quick and dirty stringer/ deck replacement."

Oh boy......

I'll give you a dollar two ninety eight and you can be done with it. Great boats. Do it right and breath some new life in her for another 25 years of life.

Please keep us up to date on the build. Great looking boat and well worth the effort.

Please deliver said unwanted hull to Baytown TX, will provide BBQ and beer for the evening, and maybe $20 in gas money if you don't drink too much.


Very nice lines, I would have to keep it.

[QUOTE=surv;7317175]I'm not really looking for two projects, this one was supposed to be so I could put the other one together. Now that I have the Downeaster I don't want to junk it. What to do??[/QUOTE]


Please deliver said unwanted hull to Baytown TX, will provide BBQ and beer for the evening, and maybe $20 in gas money if you don't drink too much.


Very nice lines, I would have to keep it.

[QUOTE=surv;7317175]I was told by the man I bought it from that his brother in-law ordered this boat new and had them build it with a full transom and bracket.

I'm not really looking for two projects, this one was supposed to be so I could put the other one together. Now that I have the Downeaster I don't want to junk it. What to do??[/QUOTE]


Please deliver said unwanted hull to Baytown TX, will provide BBQ and beer for the evening, and maybe $20 in gas money if you don't drink too much.


Very nice lines, I would have to keep it.

Downeaster boat prodject
 

I bought a 17 in 88. Made by Kieth Willis of Marshalberg. 100% hand laid. A lot of them especially the 25s were used by commercial fishermen. Tough as nails! Bumpy wet ride but would go anywhere. Had 12 fun years in that boat and was in great shape when I sold it. Good luck with the restore!

Subscribed.

Thanks for all the support everyone!

When I said quick and dirty I didn't mean poor quality. I plan on building it with good materials and sound construction methods, I just want to get a good turn over time on it and not spend to much time fairing and finishing an old fishing boat.

I haven't decided on the stringers but the deck will be marine ply with glass on both sides. Then a good quality topside paint rolled and or brushed with some non skid on the decks.

I would like to hear anyone's suggestions on stringer construction.

Yesterday I cleaned it out. It didn't take long because it was so rotten, sure was a lot easier than tearing one apart that's still solid.

What do you all think about the transom bracket?

I'm considering notching the transom for a 25"shaft and building in a splash well. I like a full closed transom but don't know how its going to act on a 19' boat.

The BBQ and beer sounds good but now this extra hull is going to replace my primary boat. :thumbsup:

I don't know why you would want to lose deck space by notching the transom. If the bracket is in good shape, definitely keep it IMO. Didn't you buy the boat because of the bracket?

I bought it to rob the bracket for a different boat.

I don't know how it will effect the boat. It just seems like having a 24" setback on a 18' 3" boat may have a negative effect on it.;?

Here are a few picks of the molds for fiberglass stringers. They are 6" wide at the top, 10" wide at the bottom and app 11" high. I have a few more pieces to make then take them out of the boat and cover them with fiberglass.

Its unreal how much faster it is to build them like this. I spent a little more than a year on my Anacapri to get the stringers in and they still aren't finished. Two good afternoons and these are already about to shape.

Once I get them fiberglassed and pop them off the mold ill tab them in, or cover them completely depending on how ridged they are, then fill them with polyurethane foam.

Wow! Looking good. Keep the pictures coming.

Starting to take spape.

I need to build the bulkheads from the stringers out to the chine but I think ill have to after I get the permanent structure made and put back in. Without removing the cap I dont think I can pick it up with the side bulkheads built.

The fuel tank is 25 gal, it came with the boat. I would like to have about 40 but I think it will be fine. This is a bay boat not offshore, thoughts?

If you are gonna use a carbed 2 stroke for power, I'd look for a 40-60 gallon tank.

Very nice work on the stringer molds surv!

I like the nice wide footprint at the base where stringers meet the hull. With this type of system what is the recommended laminate thickness?

You got me thinking......maybe I should go this route on my project. I could lay those up with ISO then tab in with epoxy. This would minimize the expensive epoxy and marine ply I had planned.....hmmmm
D

I'm going to use the Johnson 130 that was on it. I was estimating 2 mpg so approximately 50 mile range. Does that sound like its in the ball park?

Thanks CheifD,
I have been following your build, nice work. I'm glad you found my project.

I'm planning on using 12 oz uni-glass and mat to build up a thickness of about 3/8" thick. Then tab them in with a few layers of woven roven and mat. To be honest with you I don't know how thick they need to be just shooting off the hip a little bit. If they feels flimsy then ill add more glass. I'll also pour them full of foam so that should make them more ridged.

I have an old Skeeter with similar construction and it doesn't have more than 1/4" thick glass on the stringers so I think 3/8" will be plenty thick.

2 mpg is a probably close. I had a 140 omc 2 stroke on a 21 privateer for years and got a little better fuel burn than that. I had a 60 ish gallon capacity and never once wished for less capacity. I think a 25 gallon tank would eliminate a lot of potential fishing trips unless you carried extra fuel on the deck.

What area of the country will it be fished?

That old big block V-4 Johnson will roll. Rework her and name her Alexis just for kicks.

The NC coast, mainly around Wilmington or Morehead city.