Macatawa Bay Boat Works Premium Restoration

1936 Gar Wood 20' Utility

COMPLETE AND DELIVERED!

This rare Gar Wood is one of only 20 produced and possibly the last one that remains or one of only a handful still in existence.  Macatawa Bay Boat Works will do a complete restoration of the boat including new bottom, strip and refinish of the decks, hull sides and interior, repair to covering boards, new MBBW Spanish Red Leather interior, rebuilt original motor, show quality finish and a custom MBBW Classic Trail inboard trailer.

The has come Macatawa Bay Boat Works for a new 3M-5200 no soak bottom.  The original bottom caused the boat to sink so many times that the previous owner had the name "Murphy's Law" applied to the transom upside down!

Interior stripped, it is time for the engine removal

We rolled the boat over and then began pulling hundreds of screws to remove the old tired bottom.

Years of "band-aid" repairs kept this Gar Wood afloat (most of the time) but now it is time to do things the right way and repair the structural members for years to come.

Improper storage on a bad trailer or possibly a rack did not adequately support the bottom of the boat and as a result the keel had a major dent formed in it, the bottom was mushroomed outward at the point causing cracks in both port and starboard chine.  Both chines and most of the keel will be replaced.  When completed, this boat will go on a MBBW Classic Trail custom inboard trailer that is custom made to fit the hull and fully bunk supported so the new bottom will hold its proper shape.

MBBW will replace or repair as needed frames, knees and frame ties and realigned to get a straight running surface.

Laminating new chines and keel, repairing the stem

With all new frames, two new chines, most of the keel and stem replaced, all new batons, the boat is ready for the inner ply and the structure is now "straight as an arrow" as compared to our aluminum I-beam straight edge above.

The inner ply being dry fit.

The outer planking begins ...

Final plank row pair being installed in place ...

grinding the bottom into fair makes much dust and applying putty to the screw holes is a team effort as seen below

bottom paint and drilling the shaft log hole

the roll over!

Refinishing of the interior parts has begun...

Transom removed, the bilge and back sides of the hull planks are sealed up and painted correct Gar Wood bilge color

new ship side panels being dry fit

new covering boards being dry fit below

new sub inner decks made from marine plywood add strength and stability and will minimize expansion and contraction of the new deck planks at the seams

Below, the new ship side planks are sanded and in stain

The original hullsides are stripped and longboard sanded to bring into fair.

Decks and covering boards installed and starting to get bunged,

Hullsides in stain

Boat getting in stain

Re-appling the original transom name in gold leaf.  The name, "Murphy's Law" assigned by the previous owner and applied upside down after the boat sank for the third time and was found lying belly up on the bottom of the lake.  With its new MBBW no-soak double bottom, this will no longer be a problem, but the current owner is retaining the name.

10-12 coats of varnish to show quality

Final varnish above and assemble boat below.

New MBBW Spanish Red leather interior in the correct diamond button pattern with kapock and horsehair stuffing for the correct period look.

This project is complete and delivered to the customer in May of 2008.  Please click here to see more photos of the delivery and completed boat.  Contact us today to see how we can help you with your project.

Macatawa Bay Boat Works
297 S. Maple Street  Saugatuck, Michigan 49453
Phone:  (269) 857-4556  Fax: (269) 857-4218
e-mail:  sales@mbbw.com

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