1953 14ft Wooden Runabout Restoration

by Jeff V
(Dunnville, ON, Canada)

Hello,

I’m new to the forum and super-new to wooden boats.

I’m attempting a restoration of a 14ft runabout, hopefully not biting off more than I can chew.

I’m stumped on finding any information on this type of hull or how to repair it.

There is significant rot in the bottom rear of the hull, and the transom area in general will need a lot of work, if not a full replacement.

Looking at the top edge of the hull it definitely shows five 1/16” layers which to my limited knowledge could mean cold-molded but maybe it’s plywood?

With no frames or inner support structure I’m at a loss on how to replace the strips of veneer.

Any help or guidance at all would be greatly appreciated.

Comments for 1953 14ft Wooden Runabout Restoration

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Aug 11, 2022
 Runabout Hull Restoration
by: Clare Richmond

I have restored my dad's 1957 16' cold molded birch plywood (Husky) boat that has the same veneers (5, 1/16") thick.

It was a time consuming process where I router'd out one veneer at a time and increased the width of each layer as I progressed.
The inner and outer veneers were about a 3' width overall towards the stern of the boat.
I replaced the inner and two outer keels as part of the restoration and the transom.
I did the replacement of veneers and keels and transom done professionally.
I dry fitted all the veneers as I went along and used a marine epoxy on both new and old veneer surfaces (wet on wet) and stapled them down.
Once they were dry I would remove the staples.
I always had a minimum overlap of 3 or more inches. The more the better.
I did not encapsulate the inner our outer surfaces.

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