Being a boat it also provided many memories of days that didn't turn out quite as planned, such as my older sisters 8th birthday. An ill advised water skiing run by my mother became an "I told you so" when we broke down in the middle of the bay and by time we got towed in, my sisters party was in full swing without the guest of honor. I think she still holds it against me but hey, we needed an observer. Of course you can never forget the sanding, scraping, painting and varnishing that was my after school routine every day in spring.
Dad always had a soft spot in his heart and a hole in his wallet for that boat.
In September 1984 I left for the Army. (I ended up settling in California only returning to Long Island once a year or so for a visit.) That November the boat was taken out of the water with a blown exhaust manifold and she sat in a cradle in the backyard ever since. Dad still had other boats to keep him happy on the water but he always said someday he was gonna get her back in shape. Over the years he would start working on her only to get sidetracked and end up putting the winter cover back on. For years my mother threatened to fill it with dirt and make a planter out of it.
Fast forward to this October. As did everyone in the area, my parents got hit pretty hard by Sandy. 3 feet of water in the house, 5 feet in the garage. The boat was lifted off its cradle and came to rest up against the garage.. Dad joked that she was still seaworthy after all these years and again pledged to get her going someday
Herein lies the dilemma.
This isn't a question of whether she is worth restoring. (I know it will cost more than it would ever be worth.) But more of how to go about it. Do I have someone do the work out there or have it shipped out here and do it myself. Rebuild the engine or replace. At this point I don't even know how much work is required. I do know that Dad has all the pieces and a lot of extras. As a kit boat it should be easy to do since it's plywood and I dont have to worry about "As delivered from the factory." Dad is 86 now and I'd love to see him at the helm of this classic again.
