TOPIC: Glassic guy gets a woodie!

GOT PICTURES TO LOAD BELOW A FEW POSTS DOWN! THANKS FOR THE HRLP.

Here is m y latest resto a 58 Hiliner with a 62 Merc 700 FGS. I also have a 58 Mark 78 for it but easier to drive with the 700.
Dad bought ours used in 60 with aMark 78 but switched ot the 700 FGS where they were so much easier to drive.
This was exactly like our family boat from 60 to 71. They only built 100 (maybe) boats a year so this one had to be made close to when ours was built. I was born in 58 so this was the boat of my childhood, my whole family learned to ski behind this etc. I had my 89 year old mother christen it last weekend.
Hiliners where built in Ipswich Massachusetts from about 1956 to 1963, the factory building is still standing and the marina that built them is still in business. I live one town over so not only does it have sentimental value it also is back in the neighbor hood where they were built. These are very well built for an outboard of that vintage, they have a double plywood bottom which was then factory fiberglassed to the waterline, and have 5 yes, 5 full length stringers with oak frames, very solid. The sides are mahogany plywood and the decking is all solid mahogany.
I found this particular boat about 12 years ago, a barn find, original owner, original condition, indoor storage always, just trailered and only 10 miles from home blah blah blah a perfect candidate for restoration, unbelievable... but, my brother talked me out of it...MISTAKE!
So,I kept looking for one...
Finally, I decided a year later to revisit the seller and see if he still had it and purchase it if he did, he did! BUT it was sold just the week before I arrived I got the new purchasers phone number from the seller and tried to buy it before they picked it up...no go, the boat went South the No Carolina.
So,I kept looking for one.....
A few years later I found one in Wisconsin, when I got pictures of it I realized it was the same boat! The price however was now prohibitive so I had to let it go once again.
So,I kept looking for one....
In the intervening years I restored many a Glassic and had moved onto a river that emptied into the ocean not far from where the boats where made. Still I was missing not having a woodie.
Last fall I was sitting on the couch thinking if I did not find one to restore soon it simply would not happen so I took out the ACBS directory and contacted everyone with a Hiliner listed. I got a few replies, one fellow from Maryland seemed particularlly interested in selling so we chatted and he sent me pictures..OMG!! THE SAME BOAT AGAIN!!! No motor but it had been mostly restored and was on a new trailer. I already had the 1962 700 and the 1958 Mark 78 ready to go so having no motor was perfect! I bought the boat and spent the summer getting it completed...a 12 year saga across the country only to come back to where it started.
WHEW!
Randy

Can't get pictures to go...Grrr.
Randy

Randy, great story, can't wait to see the pics. As you know make sure they're size is small enough.

Bob

Here is a picture

Oh well I thought there would be a picture. Can't seem to load a JPEG even though size is fine. I don't get an error message anywhere, I click browse on the "file n" line and it loads the box showing the file location but it does not show up anywhere???
SO I give up!
Randy

Don't click "Browse in the "file" click "browse (img)---image=picture.
Waiting to see the pics.

Don't give up! We need pics!

Trying again....

The smile on your face speaks volumes! What a great story, and a fine looking boat!

Shelby18 wrote:

The smile on your face speaks volumes! What a great story, and a fine looking boat!

X2, Randy. Looks like the wait was well worth it, looks awesome!

Randy, Great story about a great looking boat! I love the lines on that boat with the Merc on the stern. Can you tell me why the Merc 700 was easier to drive? I grew up on the Evinrude and Johnson side of life, so Mercs were what the neighbors had. Our neighbor had a Dockbuster, but it always worked well...
He never had any troubles when docking as he always came in low and slow. When he boat the Ski Dart inboard, he always came in a little hotter and hit reverse to suck the boat to port and the dock. lawyas a soft landing though!

Now that is one sharp looking boat.

would be a nice pic for the 2013 calendar...ron

Well worth the wait and patience, a great prize!

72hornet wrote:

Randy, Great story about a great looking boat! I love the lines on that boat with the Merc on the stern. Can you tell me why the Merc 700 was easier to drive? I grew up on the Evinrude and Johnson side of life, so Mercs were what the neighbors had. Our neighbor had a Dockbuster, but it always worked well...
He never had any troubles when docking as he always came in low and slow. When he boat the Ski Dart inboard, he always came in a little hotter and hit reverse to suck the boat to port and the dock. lawyas a soft landing though!

SO in reply as to why dad got he FGS as soon as he could:
First, I dock my inboard the same way taking advantage of the prop paddlewheel effect. The dockbuster is entirely different. Dad took the family skiing a lot and nothing is more of a pain than starting and stopping the motor repeatadly to go back and forth to maintain position and then when taking up slack, particularly to take it up gently, repeated start and stops are needed then at the "hit it" comand the motor must start and then throttle up, hard to do without delay. My brothers liked to do dock starts that made this timing even more critical. This is far more difficult with a motor constantly starting and stopping and reversing rotation than simply shifting back and forth while idling. I have experienced both motors and there is no comparison to ease of use. The DR was a bad idea although as an engineer, I think the solution is ingeneous, it just was not practical in use. I love using my DR but only use paddle power near the dock unless it is glass calm. I live on a river where currents can make docking interesting so rather than risk road rash on the varnish (or worse) I stuck the FGS on. I'll run the DR ocasionally because it is the same year as the boat ..and me!
and they look so retro, great styling on those motors.
R

Very nice Randy. And a black and white Merc too.

Beautiful boat!!!!!!!!!!!! Ron your right, that would be perfect for the calendar.

Bob

Awesome boat and great story, slow and steady persistence gets the prize !!!

63g3,

WOW!!!! PURTY BOAT.

yours, satx