| I've lived and worked on the Great Lakes all my | | | | restoration myself. |
| adult life. I've never done an aluminum boat | | | | So later, after we'd finished unloading, and were |
| restoration, or any other type of boat restoration. | | | | out on Lake Erie headed for Detroit, I got to |
| But I've admired all types of small pleasure craft | | | | talking to my Wheelsman about the boat I saw at |
| from the deck of the Great Lakes Bulk Freighters | | | | the marina in Buffalo, and about my idea of doing |
| I've worked on since I was fresh out of high | | | | a boat restoration. He had seen the boat too. |
| school. | | | | My wheelsman had grown up on Harsens Island in |
| Though I'm a US Coast Guard Licensed Great | | | | Michigan, and had worked at a marina while he |
| Lakes Pilot of Motor Vessels of Any Gross Tons, | | | | was in high school. He pointed out to me that the |
| or more simply said; "A ship's pilot"... I've never | | | | boat we had both seen was actually built of |
| even been at the wheel of a small pleasure boat. | | | | aluminum. |
| But I've always admired the lines of motor boats, | | | | I was truly amazed. To begin with; I didn't realize |
| or motor yachts as they are sometimes called. | | | | that large cabin cruisers had been built that early |
| I've wondered, as we've maneuvered our large | | | | using aluminum. And I certainly would have never |
| commercial ships through harbors in ports on the | | | | though an aluminum boat could have such fine |
| Great Lakes; how much work and dedication it | | | | lines. |
| would take to restore a fine old yacht. | | | | So I started researching aluminum yachts, and |
| Although in my boat restoration day dreams, I've | | | | specifically Marinette aluminum yachts, which my |
| always thought it would be incredible to restore | | | | wheelsman said was the manufacturer of the |
| an old wooden craft built in about the 1950's, I've | | | | yacht that we had both been admiring. |
| never made the decision to do it. | | | | Well, one thing led to another and I began to |
| The old Cris Craft type wooden yachts I had | | | | realize that an aluminum boat restoration would be |
| seen throughout the Great Lakes had such | | | | the only thing that would make sense for me. |
| nostalgic lines, and seemed like such sturdy and | | | | - Aluminum boats are strong and Marinette boats |
| well designed boats after being restored by a | | | | are, according to their owners; "built like a tank"... |
| dedicated and talented craftsman. | | | | - Marinette Aluminum boats are easy to come by, |
| These old wooden boats are certainly beautiful | | | | and are a greater value in comparison to even a |
| when restored, and the thought of owning and | | | | fiberglass boat of similar size. |
| restoring one myself seemed like a very noble | | | | - Aluminum retains it's strength far longer than |
| thing to do... | | | | does wood or fiberglass, and aluminum doesn't |
| But here is how I decided to do an aluminum boat | | | | corrode or rot. |
| restoration instead. | | | | - The hull of an aluminum boat, irregardless of |
| Like I said before, I've worked on ships all my | | | | age, will almost always be in fairly good shape, |
| adult life and I have a very intimate understanding | | | | with little need of repair of the hull itself. |
| of water craft. But, I have a very limited | | | | - Aluminum power boats and cabin cruisers usually |
| knowledge of wood working, and wood finishing, | | | | will realize better fuel economy than a wooden or |
| etc. | | | | fiberglass boat of the same size. |
| However, I do have quite a bit of knowledge | | | | And the list of good reasons to consider an |
| concerning steel, and the other metal alloys that | | | | aluminum boat restoration more practical goes on |
| go into ships. | | | | and on. |
| It was just a stroke of luck or coincidence, that | | | | So that was the day I decided to undertake an |
| made me see I could have an old yacht, fully | | | | aluminum boat restoration. My decision was made |
| restored and like new, without knowing much | | | | within 24 hours. |
| about wood working at all. | | | | At the time of writing this article it has been less |
| Like I said; we were unloading grain at the General | | | | than a week since I made up my mind to be the |
| Mills dock in Buffalo, NY; | | | | owner of a restorable old yacht built of aluminum. |
| I spotted a boat that looked quite a bit like one of | | | | But the more research I do, the more my mind's |
| those old Chris Craft "type" wooden boats, | | | | made up... I'm going to take an old and once |
| docked at a marina across from the General Mills | | | | beautiful aluminum boat, and make it new again. |
| dock. | | | | And I'm certain I'll be rewarded with a boat that |
| Even though I admired that boat for several | | | | will provide fun and excitement for myself and |
| hours while on watch that afternoon, it never | | | | family for many years to come. All for a price far |
| occurred to me that it was built of something | | | | less than it would be for a comparable new boat. |
| other than wood. | | | | Plus the boat restoration itself will hopefully |
| I decided right then and there, while looking at the | | | | provide many hours of pleasure and bonding for |
| fine lines of that 32 foot cruiser, (that I thought | | | | my wife, and son and I. |
| was built of wood), that I was going to do a boat | | | | |