1947 Chris Craft S 25 088 Sportsman Bottom Replacement Update 12 22 2023

Preservation of my 1947 25-foot Special Sportsman, the 88th of this series built, is making progress, bit by bit.
She is a saltwater boat, having “lived” in eastern Virginia and close to the Chesapeake Bay from her arrival from Algonac through last year when, with Matt Smith’s generous help, I was able to bring her to home and Lake Champlain.
Most of her soft brass fasteners are severely corroded, so much so that they snap under the gentlest pressure applied by a screw driver or another tool. And that means? Yes, we will remove/replace every single fastener in the entire hull.
Curious, however, while the salt water consumed her bottom, transom, and chine planking, all of which is/was below the waterline. The topsides and decks are sound. Yes, we will release every one of them, but none will be replaced.
The keel, as it sits deepmost in the boat had been reduced to the point that is served well for patterning, but nothing more. (I am not even sure it would make for a hot camp fire!) We are replacing all of it, including the stem using quarter-sawn white oak.
Finally, thank God for D&S Custom Metal Restoration! Jim did grouse quite a bit about all the green $#%^, but, as is typical of the shop, garbage went in and jewelry emerged from the other end. Thank you, Jim!
Onward….