Project: 1959 Chris Craft Constellation 35ft.

Technical Specifications

Jobs

1. Keel replacement
2. Some bottom planks replacement
3. Transom planks replacement
4. Some hull planks replacement
5. Engine rebuild
6. Dash rebuild
7. Electrical structure modernizing 
8. Interior upgrade
9. Cabin & Cockpit roof new cover
10. New paint all over
11. New varnish all over

Planning

Currently, I'm working on a new workshop. This boat gets her own place, so we can do all the required repairs, but also do maintenance whenever needed. When done, she will be surveyed, so she is safe, proud, reliable and compliant to current USCG regulations. This is necessary to have an old boat insured, which I think is worth the effort.

Actual planning

2023 March Entire clean-out of planks and keel, which needs replacement.

2023 April Disassemble Engines to see it's worth to be rebuild, Port is seized, Starboard is cranking, but did not run. I'm hopeful for starboard.

Journal

Subject: Au Secours! - Save Me! - Red Me! - Bitte Hilfe!

May 2020

When I visited her for the first time in Chattanooga, this boat was in decent shape at first sight, but also winking for serious help. The hull survived several storms and serious dock damage during the years.

She was in the water for more than 30 years, she got water in the bilge, but the bilge pumps took care, which was a usual sign for me.

As always, the price they asked for, was not in my range, since I was busy on other projects. 

Another year passed by, and at one day the current owner send me a S.O.S. on my phone, around May 2020. Please rescue this beauty from the burn pile, the marina wants to get rid of her, as newer boats like to have her "slip"......

We were in the middle of a Flu-Pandemic, and some things became really crazy, the outlook for work was decreasing rapidly around me.

Wow! This was my chance and as always at the wrong time, grrrrr!

My workshop was for sure not big enough to put her in, no big trailer, no big truck to tow, lots of paperwork for moving this boat from TN to GA, due to its size. Outstanding slip fees and how to get it out of the water?

Many things to figure out and from one point comes another right?

My wife had her doubts, which I understood, but our Labs loves water…:-). 

This boat was still pure, all her jewelry might need a rechrome, but original furniture, engines, you name it, was there. Everything on this boat was repairable or replaceable.


July 2020
I need a plan!

I invited my wife for an assessment weekend to Chattanooga, with our furry inspectors. We checked every corner and did a thorough inspection. We started cleaning, what was cleanable, and we both agreed that this old Lady has potential for one of our business plans. YES!

Damage Control?

Since this boat was sitting a longtime in the water, shipworm had a nice big meal.

Luckily the bottom was well painted once, so hopefully, the eating damage was not too bad. The bottom was soaked for sure, as the bilge was filled with water, coming in along the keel.

Knowing the Keel's condition, I was aware that Keel needs an entire replacement.

The planks adjacent to the Keel, needs to come out for inspection anyway. I had already planned, that the Keel and the Planks should get CPES, and some would need replacement. So what, every boat I have worked on, was always in need.

As soon the boat comes out of the water, I hope to see what the actual condition will look like. 

October 2020

Finally, we were ready to take the boat out of the water. Several negotiations and dollars later, a new 40ft custom built boat trailer and a rental truck on the front of it, was ready for this operation. Papers, Permits, Insurance, Equipment was organized and ready to make the trip! 

First, the boat had to be sailed to a public ramp, because the Lake’s water level was dropped due to maintenance.

The public ramp is longer and hopefully making the job easier to put it on the trailer, we thought. Well, it took hours and some old school tricks to get the boat on the trailer. One stage accomplished.

In between the rental car company was already closed and my 1500 was not suited to do the trip to South-Georgia. I had to postpone this trip with another week, to do the job right and once. 

I'd stayed overnight, which gave me the opportunity to prepare the boat transport next week. Now I could do a bottom survey, since the boat was on the trailer. Previous patches, bad repairs as usual, became visible. Okay, it is what it is…

To bring the beauty of this boat back as when it came from the factory, will need a lot of patience, care and my way of finish. My wife can explain what that means :-).

November 2020
The boat arrived safe in Vienna, GA according to plan.

The plan for restoration, renovation and USCG modernization, can be started now. However, winter had started in Georgia, so we decided to protect the old lady with tarps all over. Waiting for a better period.

January 2021

The pandemic was hitting hard my current job and in January 2021, I was laid off. Thanks for all your efforts, they said...

May 2021

The laid off had its marks and slowly but surely, I came back on my feet. Doing some study, writing some papers, and setting up a plan, decided us to set up a new building in our backyard. Well, long story short, we obtained half acre land, where we could build our little Boatyard.

In between, I could write down a plan to decide what and when to do. Budget and time were not unlimited,

Okay, what jobs need to be done? Let us start with the wood jobs:
Frame, Keel, Bottom, Hull, Transom, Bow, Deck, Floors, Hatch, Doors, Cabin, Rooftop, Furniture, Interior, Helm/Dash
That’s just wood...

August 2021
Yes, got a job, but the boat jobs have to wait a year. Working 12-hour nightshifts is rough, but there is a trade-off, the start for a boat building has begun. It will take a year plus likely, since the job brings not only several duties, but we decided to build the Boatyard by ourselves.

November 2021
Great! New job, daylight hours, but have to work Saturdays on and off. Not much time left anymore, but I can use the funds for getting the Boatyard building in shape, as I like to.

April 2022

Apart of the Constellation and the plans I had for a while, the Boatyard building is coming along. 40x36 foot construction and roof is set, now we have to start to enclose it.

November 2022

A very early and hot summer in may started. Our kids and grandkids came over from Europe, after not having seen them for three years, due to all the regulations regarding the pandemic. To get inspiration, we visited a wonderful boat event, " where it all begun - 100 years Chris Craft -, in Algonac, Michigan. In between, the walls, doors and boat entrance in the Boatyard are coming along. Our goal is to have the first building fully enclosed end of this year and have the basic construction for the second building in place! I need double workhours from now on :-).

December 2022

Climate change in Georgia? Well, it rained on and on, so I try to keep the gunpowder dry. Little progress but keep hope for better weather!

February 2023

The unavoidable had to happen, so I resigned my job. The weather is slowly improving, and my workshop needs to be finished before spring jumps in.

February 2023

It didn't take that long to find a new job, closer to home and more associated to what I like to do in my boat workshop. So, I'm now operating as a tech for the GM (Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, Corvette) club.

April 2023

Now the evenings are longer, I have back time to work on the new workshop.

Augustus 2023

Yep, years counting, became 60 and time for reflection. The workshop is coming along and in fall the roof construction should be done.