37' CC Roamer sinker Project

.


A few more pictures of the Stargazer.




















Dont ya just love old boat pics? More to come, Kiwi

That Roamer is one beautiful lady. I can't wait to see pictures of after. Hope you have some one to help with the wood restoration? No, I am not offering!!! the hatt Trick keeps me busy enough. ppat

So My first question would be "How'd Ya sink Her?" Well friends, We'll get to that.

My second question would be, "Why have You let it sit for 6-7 years?"

The problem is, I feel that Seafarer beat Me/Us, and that....Really bugs Me.

Seafarer has sat for last 6 years since the sinking (in My daily view) because in certain circles, She is considered to have a "negative energy". Call it what You will but don't judge it untill You've heard the whole story.

We bought Her from the Widow of a man who spent the last few years of His life preparing the "Seafarer" for His retirement plan, which was to traverse the inland waterways of America with His wife of many years.

From all accounts, He was a hardworking, self made man who made His living in **** ranching. From the same accounts He had been known to funnel His "play" money into the refurb of the "Seafarer", unbeknownst to His wife it was said. Unfortunatley, a few weeks after the boat was completed, He had a heart attack and died.


I spotted Her on a "for sale" dock in My summer travels of 03', and instantly fell in love. We were already halfass looking for another boat to go south in that upcoming winter, so I called the broker and found the asking price was $22,500. I was already familiar with Roamers and knew that in the right place this boat was worth $10000 more if I wanted to resell, as long as She was, what She appeared to be.

For some strange reason...I already knew We'd own Her and probably never sell. It was very strange but I do remember that feeling. Anyway I called the broker back an hour later, and arranged for a seatrial, a few days later.


Late Summer, 03'. was waning fast, a lot boats had already been pulled and winterized. My good friend Mike and I meet the broker at the Minnesota marina that I saw the Seafarer at, the week before. The broker is a very likeable character called, ******. Not carsalesmen likeable but a guy You'd sit down and drink with likeable. With an earring in His ear, He began to tell us the story about the widowed owner and how she justs wants the boat to go away, so she can get on with her life. We were also told that in their conversation, she asked the broker to price it low, for a quick sale. I've heard this line quite a few times in the past....But for once, I actually believed it.


The three of us walk over to the boat for an inspection and water test. Onboard the Seafarer for the water test, the boat performs flawlessly. Every control works as it should and I'm hard pressed to find anything wrong with it, other then a fine vibe coming from the port motor which I attribute to a bit of propshaft whipping from bad motor alingment or a bad coupler setup. I already know that We're buying this boat, We just have to get thru the BS of purchase.


On the water test the 427's run Strong.





Time capsule cabin.





Captin Mike, playin with the controls as usual.









After We get back ashore, the broker takes Us over to the marina office where the propieter, We'll call him Joel, produces some $40k + worth of reciepts for work done in the last year.
Joel, also produces one of the most heartwrenching stories that I've ever heard, about a boat and her proud owner, a story about a man who comes so close to the fruition of a lifetime of labor....That simply ran out of time and His widow that was understandably, beside herself.

We're all close to tears, when I realize that Joel and the broker are double teaming us, it was like they also wanted the boat and the story to go away. At the same time, I realize, that they think they have Mike and I just where they wanted us, the fact was, they did. I also knew with certainty, without even speaking to Him, that Mike and I were thinking the same thing, We'd take this boat on the trip that She was destined for.

After looking closely at the reciepts Joel had handed over, I see some $6000 for plate work to the bottom of the boat and ask for some detail of the job. Joel tells Us that He hired a local professional welder, that used several hundred pounds of wire and several sheets of the proper steel, to overplate some pinholed steel. We agreed to buy the boat pending repair of the vibe on the port motor at owners expense and a good survey of the boat, paying attention to the bottom work, at our expense.

The Seafarer is hauled and a few weeks later, the survey comes back good with few exceptions (factory 2 conductor 120v wiring etc.), the marina tech replaces the port prop, money changes hands and the deal is done. Except for one last detail, the widow would like to get a few personal belongings off the boat, but she lives a few hundred miles down river. We tell Her about our plan of taking Seafarer to Ketucky Lake and agree to meet Her at a marina down river near Her home.



Next, the Trojan.



Kiwi

Here are a few pics before and during My Trojan refurb, they dont show how bad it really was. They were taken after a lot of cleanup with the hotsy/steamjenny. You can still see the oil/water line on the cabinet.

















I replaced the rotten inboard motor stringers









Here I am installing some fresh iron, the starboard motor needed a crank cut and shells, bored cyls, pistons and a simple valve job. In the port motor I kept the sunken shortblock as it was except for seals. The heads were junk except for the castings. Believe it or not, the B&W Velvetdrives never had any water intrusion after a about 4 days underwater, I changed the oil in them and ran em, no problems.

I'm sporting the latest in protective eyeware, as I had just lost My right eyes lens from an air hammer accident, about a month before. Yes, I learn everything the hard way.