surv

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

BCMk31

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!

jaybyrd83ecu

They're just like a parker.

dmh22

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

CUTiger2011

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.

sealion2288

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.

sealion2288

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

surv

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.

sealion2288

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.

CUTiger2011

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?

surv

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

surv

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??

sealion2288

Rebuild it. It's worthy.

10knotsorless

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.

nc_robbie75

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

surv

A few more pics

surv

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.

pgkeating

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

Oh boy......

Tarbaby

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.

vabasscat

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