Below are several of our slideshow presentations of our antique and classic wooden boat restorations from the last 40 years. I have made sure to take a photographic record of each stage of restoration. While I am not a professional photographer, I think the photos will show enough detail to see the many stages of the restoration. Hope you enjoy! Below the slide shows are some individual before and after photos of Wooden Boat Repairs and Restorations done by Sacramento Boat Repair DBA Classic Craft ®.
1922 37′ Elco Restoration
“Shelly R”
This antique wood boat restoration was completed in 1992.
This is a very early planning hull launch. Original speeds to 37 MPH.
Entered Tahoe Concourse De Elegance 1992
Won 6 trophies in single showing.
- Quite and elegant lady.
- The awards speak for themselves at 1992 Tahoe Concourse De Elegance.
- Back in the Sacramento River, Sacramento Yacht Club.
- Full speed ahead.
- Almost ready for the show.
- Parting the waves.
- On the water again after 30 years in dry dock.
- New 1/4 sawn mahogany transom
- Final coat of varnish being brushed on by Master Boatwright.
- Twent four carat gold leaf name being protected by a very carefully applied varnish.
- Prepping for final paint.
- First day in over thirty years back on the water again. 1992 Tahoe Concourse De Elegance
- Removable hardtop completed and being installed.
- Name glistens.
- Removable cabin top.
- Coach canvas being added.
- Deck frames and supports completed.
- New framework and bottom look great.
- Needs a few new deck ribs.
- Shaping with a ship axe. Beats using a grinder for true fairness.
- How many ribs left to go.
- New ribs and ribbands installed and faired.
- Origninal ribs rotted out severly.
- A true diamond in the rough
- HMM! Think of the possibilities!
- Thirty years of abandonment on the St. Lawernce Sea Way
- Sides redone with two layers of planking.
- Rolling the boat back upright.
- Original artist rendition of Elco Commuter
- Wedding Ceremony 1997
- Three layer cold mold bottom planking applied to ribs
1957 18′ Chris Craft Holiday Restoration
“SLEIPNIR”
This classic Chris Craft Holiday Restoration was completed in 2018
1946 19′ Mercury Restoration
“PERSISTENCE”
This basket case classic wood boat restoration was completed in 2008.
- 1946 Mercury Custom Runabout built in Piru, Ca as a racing ski boat. Original wood trailer.
- Now that is what I call a barrel transom.
- Dash with a pull handle for gear shift. Throttle in middle of steering wheel.
- Gray Miarine Fireball 160 a factory built 6 cylinder 160 hp 244 cubic in racing motor
- An estimate of 14 screws per square foot.
- Now this is bare bones.
- Replacing ribs a pair at a time.
- Fairing the ribs.
- Replacing the bottoms inner planking.
- Replacing the outer planks.
- Bottom prefinished as per original color.
- Rolling the boat upright.
- Now let's replace the transom and hull sides.
- New wood looks nice. And now to sand the boat fair.
- All the deck fitting holes drilled.
- Sanding almost done.
- Carefully sanding out the deck seams.
- Beautiful 1/4 sawn mahogany.
- Getting ready for stain.
- Hmm, I think we have seen this one before.
- The boat will be two colors. So taping off for the first color is necessary.
- Bright red stain on the deck and transom.
- Another view of the staining process.
- Boat stained red mahogany and dark walnut with the first coat of varnish.
- What. No worries mate. We will get her done.
- More varnish.
- Front view.
- Engine rebuilt and being carefully reassembled.
- Final varnish. 20 coats
- 24 Karat gold leaf name.
- Waterline stripe.
- Gold leaf hull ID numbers
- Three hours to white stripe all that deck
- Building the front seat back support.
- Ceiling boards being installed.
- Dash holes cut out.
- Dash holes cut out.
- Original horn rebuilt and painted.
- Engine Rebuilt and Painted Fireball Red
- Cloth covered electrical wire carefully replaced.
- Distributor reconditioned.
- Original generator reconditioned.
- Carefully dropping the engine in.
- Cockpit crash pad being installed.
- Engine is show ready
- Boat launched at Tahoe Concourse De Elegance.
- First Place in Class Trophy
- Proud Owner.
- First Place in Class Trophy
1928 27′ Hacker Craft Restoration
“Wiffenpoof”
This antique boat restoration completed 1987.
Placed in Tahoe Concourse De Elegance 1988
Won “Best Engine of Show” and
“First Place in Over 23 foot Class”
- This boat is Definitely a diamond in the rough.
- Once we got the Hacker Craft turned over it was time to remove the bottom planks and acess the ribs.
- OK. I think we need all new deck planks too
- Why the Zebra stripe steering wheel.
- Nothing like new deck wood.
- 150Hp Hall Scott looks a bit under the weather.
- Boil out the engine and paint.
- Six cylinder engine with 12 spark plugs.
- Detailed and ready to go back into the boat.
- Doesn't that steering wheel look better.
- 24 Karat gold leaf name.
- Compare this after picture.
- Awarded Best Engine of Show
- This Hacker Craft boat is ready for the water again
1965 20′ Riva Super Florida
“La Ultra Donna”
This classic Riva boat had a bad freeway accident totaling the hull. After major restoration the boat is again seeing service.
A 1961 Classic Mercury 16 foot Saber in bad need of a full wood boat restoration.
- this classic mahogany boat had definitely seen better days.
- A view of the deck before restoration.
- Another deck view showing the deterioration of the dash and wood
- Close up of the deteriorated wood and varnish.
- Photo of the hull after restoration
- Starting to put on the hardware.
- The deck with 13 coats of varnish on the mahogany
- Great after restoration comparison
- Vinyl side panels were original.
- Six cylinder Gray Marine was rebuilt and the boat water tested.
- Going to the 1981 Tahoe Concourse De Elegance Show.
- Details paid off with a second place trophy.