Is it time to retire my skiff? (Not sailing related)

SVDistantStar · #1 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008

Well ive been useing this skiff for years now and its a little worse for the wear. I pulled it out of the water a few days ago to clean the bottom and wile i was doing that i found that some of the old patches were starting to come off. Maybe its time to put the old girl out to sea for one last time. Its been a good boat, but it needs work. the rails around the edges are gone and there is loads of fibreglass damage on the bow from docks. I put a quicky coat of bottom paint on it since i has to be back in the water tomorrow. If i want to fix it i know its at least a weeks worth of all day work. It need the whole bottom taken down to bare glass and a new layer of glass put down. The transom is solid, but the front deck leaves a little to be desired. It was wood with glass over it, but the wood rotted out. I removed all that and glassed on a solid fibreglass deck from another boat like it that i cut up. It still needs work though, i was being rushed on that too.

Im thinking maybe its time to find another RIB or maybe another boat like this one in better shape.

Its a 1973 Mustang, made in Hollywood SC, only about 10 miles from my home. Its got a 1973 Johnson 9-1/2 outboard that runs great on it.

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008

Get a Porta-Bote.

lharmon · #3 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008

No way. It's not time to retire that beauty.

Make the sucker sink or fold in half under you. That boat has nice lines. It needs a little TLC. So what, Our Dyer dink was sinking daily last summer- had to bail a lot. It is getting fixed as we speak before we splash the bigger boat. Duct tape it, limp to cold weather then fix it. It will give you something to do.

Besides it sure looks a lot better line wise than any RIB I have seen. It is a very nice looking skiff.

Be sleezy, fix it up.

LH

SVDistantStar · #4 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008

I used to have an Avon RIB, i liked it alot. I sold it to buy the outboard for the skiff.

I cant find anything that i like enough to replace it. I found another just like it that is the same year, but has never seen water other than rain. Its 90% perfect, but the guy wont sell it. Says he cant sell it since it doesnt have a title.

Its a good boat that can haul alot. Ive had 4 8D batteries loaded into it before.

SVDistantStar · #5 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008

This was my Avon RIB. I never used anything more than a 3hp motor on it.