1992 26’ John Hacker Gentleman's Racer, John Ford Built 11 11 2020 Snake Mountain Boatworks LLC

Miss Packard was built in 1992 for the Robert Evanger family of Brevard, NC by John Ford using John Hacker plans. Ford sent the completed hull to Gary Sherb in Florida who did the finish work & installed the power. I purchased her from Robert Evanger in December 2019, and hope to have her on Lake Champlain by June 2021.
According to his obituary, John Ford was born in 1945, lived in Union Springs, NY, and passed away in 2019. John was the owner and founder of Ford’s Antique Boat and Motor, where he designed and fabricated Fordcraft Boats.
John was one of the founders of the Finger Lakes Boating Museum in Hammondsport, NY. The hull is purportedly cold-molded plywood, however, as shown in the clip, she presents as single (carvel) mahogany planked over oak frames and mahogany battens.
The double-cockpit hull is purportedly cold-molded plywood, however, as shown in the clip, she presents as single (carvel) mahogany planked over oak frames and mahogany battens.
She is powered by a 442 Flagship big-block V8 stroker engine that puts out 502 HP.
Her original West System finish was badly aged, and had to be stripped to bare wood. What a challenge it was, but it is behind us now.
Next, we will flip and finish her West no-soak bottom before we flip her upright and begin final sanding, followed by bleaching, staining and sealing with Smith’s Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer.