FeatherCraft RESTORATION!

[flyfshr]

Hey Axel. So good to hear from you. Yea, I have been following this thread with great interest so much so, in fact, I frequently watch CL for any interesting ones here in central AZ. Got any pictures of this Boston Whaler of yours? Sounds like a fun project. Love the mahogany on the interior of my AS so I imagine I'd love it on a vintage boat as well.

Brad
FF

[Julison]

Originally Posted by A-Merry-Can

if anyone has any Qs, let me know! I love to Inform, Inspire, and Infect! hehe!

Well, If it wasn't evident before it is now - Aluminitis is contagious and crosses the Airstream / Boat barrier. I just bought an old (1950 something) Feathercraft Ranger III. Very similar looking to your Vagabond as it too is annodized blue - although the annonidization is the first of 7 colours put on the boat. Looking forward to getting down to raw aluminum and buffing to a shine.

The sad part of the purchase was that the PO's dad had bought the boat as a project boat for him and his son. He managed to remove ALL the fittings, pulleys, name plates, and lights etc and then passed away. The son sold his dad's farm along with the box of parts - but kept the boat thinking he would eventually restore it. Years later he sold it to me as he had never found time to bring it to the point he and his dad had envisioned.

I plan to get this to the point they had envisioned....but will need to scour ebay and elsewhere for parts.

If anyone has pointers on how to proceed (like how to remove all that paint) send me an post.

thanks

[clancy_boy]

Originally Posted by A-Merry-Can

if anyone has any Qs, let me know! I love to Inform, Inspire, and Infect! hehe!

Originally Posted by Julison

He managed to remove ALL the fittings, pulleys, name plates, and lights etc and then passed away. The son sold his dad's farm along with the box of parts

Any chance you could ask the son where the farm was? A little research and a visit. Some people don't throw away anything and the box may still be there. Worth a try. Easier than trying to finda piece at a time on eBay.

[utee94]

Originally Posted by Julison

Well, If it wasn't evident before it is now - Aluminitis is contagious and crosses the Airstream / Boat barrier. I just bought an old (1950 something) Feathercraft Ranger III. Very similar looking to your Vagabond as it too is annodized blue - although the annonidization is the first of 7 colours put on the boat. Looking forward to getting down to raw aluminum and buffing to a shine.

The sad part of the purchase was that the PO's dad had bought the boat as a project boat for him and his son. He managed to remove ALL the fittings, pulleys, name plates, and lights etc and then passed away. The son sold his dad's farm along with the box of parts - but kept the boat thinking he would eventually restore it. Years later he sold it to me as he had never found time to bring it to the point he and his dad had envisioned.

I plan to get this to the point they had envisioned....but will need to scour ebay and elsewhere for parts.

If anyone has pointers on how to proceed (like how to remove all that paint) send me an post.

thanks

Good luck on your project. As an Airstreamer and a boater, I too dream of restoring an old aluminum Feathercraft (or Texas-made Lone Star) boat somedeay.

To remove the paint, I'd use something like Aircraft Remover, an intense paint stripper that you can typically find at the paint stores that sell to auto body repoair shops.

To remove the anodization, I've heard that oven cleaner will work. I think that might even be what JP did on this very project, four years ago.

Good luck, if you want to start your own thread about your restoration I'm sure lots of folks would love to follow it.

-Marcus

[A-Merry-Can]

If you can't get aircraft stripper, get the Ace HEAVY DUTY stuff... it's the best I've found over the counter... don't waste any money on the crap home depot and lowes sells.

Once you get the paint off, I think you'll find that boat doesn't have an anodized surface.. That will save you weeks of work. I don't think they started anodizing them until the wider arm rests came in (but I could be wrong)...

Now, before anyone asks... no, I STILL haven't gotten my boat back in the lake since the flywheel incident of a few years ago... I promised myself I'd do it this year, and got too busy with work... sad doesn't even begin to describe it....

[Phrunes]

The aircraft stripper is available at most O' Reily automotive stores, in the bondo isle.

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by A-Merry-Can

Now, before anyone asks... no, I STILL haven't gotten my boat back in the lake since the flywheel incident of a few years ago... I promised myself I'd do it this year, and got too busy with work... sad doesn't even begin to describe it....

Yours looks cool wherever it sits. Even in a garage. Unlike Thunderbird which looks abandoned when in it's cave.

[utee94]

Originally Posted by A-Merry-Can

If you can't get aircraft stripper, get the Ace HEAVY DUTY stuff... it's the best I've found over the counter... don't waste any money on the crap home depot and lowes sells.

Once you get the paint off, I think you'll find that boat doesn't have an anodized surface.. That will save you weeks of work. I don't think they started anodizing them until the wider arm rests came in (but I could be wrong)...

Now, before anyone asks... no, I STILL haven't gotten my boat back in the lake since the flywheel incident of a few years ago... I promised myself I'd do it this year, and got too busy with work... sad doesn't even begin to describe it....

Great to see a post from you, I hope all is well with you and yours. Any momentum on the "new" trailer or has work grounded all projects? (Not such a bad thing in this economy).

-Marcus

[ROBERT CROSS]

Been into boating longer than Streaming.....

Thought 'yall might enjoy this, FeatherCraft one of the class winners...
Tunnel Boat Racing in the 1970s: 1949 Albany to New York Powerboat Race




Bob

[pullswitha40]

I just found this old video.....it's great

Thanks for sharing

[Julison]

Thought I'd update with a link to the video of my finished restoration.

Twas a lot of work.

This summer is time for upholstery.

Feathercraft Restoration - YouTube

Enjoy

[Stonesrus]

Big Thanks.. looking good. Thank for sending it to me... Gerry[emoji41]

[Ameneon]

Mine has the aluminum seats, only with a fishing boat seat on top.
That has to go!

Undecided on the floor boards...solid or planks.
No floatation found yet.
Thinking of adding some under floor and maybe a fuel tank up front for balance.

[Cindi57103]

Hello
My husband inherited a Featherlcraft aluminum boat. It needs to be re riveted but have had no luck finding someone who does this kind of thing.
It would be nice to get it done...we can take it almost anywhere ???? For repairs.
Can anyone help me?
Thanks
Cindi57103

[flyfshr]

Originally Posted by Cindi57103

Hello
My husband inherited a Featherlcraft aluminum boat. It needs to be re riveted but have had no luck finding someone who does this kind of thing.
It would be nice to get it done...we can take it almost anywhere ???? For repairs.
Can anyone help me?
Thanks
Cindi57103

Hi Cindi ~


If you are in area with an airport, there will be some aircraft mechanics who could put in some rivets but if you are at all handy, you could do this yourself. It shouldn't be very complicated.


Brad
FF

[Slimpockets]

Cherry max rivets work well when installed in a properly sized hole. I didn’t know if anyone had brought them up yet.

[Cindi57103]

Thank ypu for info

[Cindi57103]

This is a great idea ty