TOPIC: First Boat!

While taking a short drive after Breakfast I made an off-hand comment that the Marine Foundation in our County has a few new boats for sale. Fast forward 30 minutes and my wife buys our first boat, a 1962 MFG Niagara.



The project list is growing by the hour as she surfs the internet. She is a little frustrated by the lack of MFG info in general and Niagara info in particular out there.

First will be getting the '69 Johnson 55 off the transom and obtaining a more reasonable motor. I am planning that a transom re-do will be in the offing and the 55 on a lady rated for 45 isn't good for her.



Second will be getting her red pretty.



I saw that the cleats are powder coated cast aluminum. Has anyone had luck getting them stripped and refinished?



How about the steering wheel?

Is that black dash cluster correct?



The seats will be getting re-done. Thinking a red and white pleather like I saw on a Westboro here on the forum.



Do you think this Nav light is correct?



Thanks in advance. You will probably see both of us posting on here as the more answers we find the more questions we have.

Mike (and Jo)

Nice Find! My cousin has a similar model and his wife loves it. She prefers it to their newer boats.

Nice boat you got there. cool!!

Congratulations - you have a real find. It's hard to a good red one.

I grew up with four MFGs over the years and own two, a 1966 Niagara and a red one like yours, only the larger Edinboro model. See attached photos. I also plan on re-coating the hardware soon.

I have tons of info on MFGs, to the point I eventually plan to write a book and start a marque club. I'm also active in both the Antique and Classic Boat Society (ACBS) and the Antique Outboard Motor Club (AOMCI).

Thanks all.

I just bought a '62 Johnson 40hp today...

That Johnson is perfect for that boat.

Congrats!

This is the "Jo" half replying... I am dying over those red/white seats and can't wait to get mine redone. The more I see, the deeper it gets. There's really not much out there regrading the Niagara.

well i know how you feel i brought my first and only one home 10 years ago. 1960 sea cruiser. a lot of work but i am proud of myself for what i have accomplished.. i know you will have a smile from ear to ear when you sail on your maiden voyage. anybody can go to the dealer and buy a cookie cutter boat but these were made when boat building was a craft. not an assembly line. so a lot of pictures and keep some for yourself to look back on .. billy