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| Newbie looking for advice |
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Message |
    
capecodtodd
New member
Username: capecodtodd
Post Number: 1
Registered: 10-2009
| | Posted on Saturday, October 03, 2009 - 10:11 pm: | 
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Hello All
I'm new to this forum and have a question about old boats and engines specifically an antique emmons engine. Long story short I have an antique E Gerry Emmons launch I believe it to be 19' long that has been in the family for over 100 years. From my understanding the boat has not seen water since 1938. I have a picture postcard of the boat and my great grandfather as a boy at the rudder postmarked 1905. The boat is in need of restoration (many years of old paint etc...) but seems to be very solid otherwise. The engine was removed and sold to an antique dealer in the 60's. The shaft, prop and motor mounts are still there. Through research I found that the E Gerry Emmons Corp. of Swampscott Ma. manufactured their own engines back in the day. It has always been a dream of mine to restore this boat and actually get it back to the water. I wonder how hard would it be to find an Emmons engine for this boat that is not in pieces. The boat will need to be moved very soon due to much needed repairs of the barn it is in and I am going back and forth whether it would be better to sell the boat or to restore it.
Any thoughts?
Thanks
Todd |
billschaller
Senior Member
Username: billschaller
Post Number: 296
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, October 03, 2009 - 10:30 pm: |
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Todd, please post the picture, and if you don't know how, email it to me, and I will post it. If it was my boat, I would keep it. Once it is sold, it is no longer a family heirloom. I can't help you with the motor, I am in Minnesota, but even if you can't find an Emmons, another motor like it surely can be located, and you will have a family treasure. there are some great people on this site that should be able to help you out. |
richarddurgee
Senior Member
Username: richarddurgee
Post Number: 2195
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, October 03, 2009 - 11:17 pm: |
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1905
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keith
Senior Member
Username: keith
Post Number: 261
Registered: 02-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, October 04, 2009 - 06:47 pm: |
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Todd,
If you do a search of this site for Emmons you will find several post. One of which shows a high quality restoration of an Emmons by Tom Stranko. It seems that Stanley may have made the motors for E. Gerry Emmons. |
miro
Senior Member
Username: miro
Post Number: 394
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, October 04, 2009 - 10:16 pm: |
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Todd, believe it or not, the restoration of a small wooden boat ain't that difficult to do.
There's a lot of mis-information and mystery about wooden boats, but the facts of the matter are, there are made with simple tools ( plane, hammer, saw, chisel) and simple fasteners (nails, screws).
The tricky bit is to understand that every part that you remove is the pattern for its replacement, so be careful when you take it out.
AS for techniques, - practice on scrap wood and make kindling until you've got some confidence - you know the old saying - fail early and fail often.
Mistakes are your teacher.
I am a rank amateur and I'm now working on my 4th wooden boat.
I guarantee you'll enjoy the experience of learning some techniques eg steam bending the ribs,
but the best thing of all is the feeling of launching the boat and it doesn't sink ( at least not right away) .
Depending on where you live there may be a local chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society and there are lots of folks like me - amateurs who have the advantage that we don't want to make a living off repairing the boat.
miro |
capecodtodd
New member
Username: capecodtodd
Post Number: 2
Registered: 10-2009
| | Posted on Sunday, October 04, 2009 - 11:18 pm: |
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Hello
I will try to get the old photo on next week. The boat is over an hour away from me so I can't just snap some new pictures. It wasn't until the start of summer that the barn was cleared enough to get a good look at the "Minnet" Besides a lot of dust from the last 70 years or so, alot of paint and lack of an engine the boat looks to be ready for the water so hopefully I won't need to be bending any wood. I think a good cleaning and sanding will really bring it along. From the photo it looks as if it was painted white it is now silver with a green bottom. I am rather handy with tools and actually built a FFR Cobra car 10 years ago. I'm really kicking myself that I didn't save a pile of wood that was probably as old as the boat when another building was taken down on the property. I could have used it if there are some bad spots.
I like that brochure AD cover from back in 1905 $150 bucks was alot to spend for a boat. Thanks.
This will be a long road to just getting this boat restoration started. Due to lack of time and a proper place to work on it now. I'm just feeling it out right now I think the really hard and expensive part will be in finding a working engine for it.
I'm sure I will have more questions in the near future as more decisions are made about this relic or as Bill called it a family heirloom.
Todd |
ernie
Senior Member
Username: ernie
Post Number: 1064
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Monday, October 05, 2009 - 09:52 am: |
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Todd,
I am in Taunton so feel free to give a hollar. You are also welcome to come look at all my old stuff. My fantail launch is put away for the winter but everything else is in the garage and easily seen.
Click my name on the left for my e-mail
Ernie |
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