Northwest Classic Boat Club ~ Vintage Wood and Classic Fiberglass Boats

New Events Calendar Posted January 6, 2010

Restoration Resource Guide
Compiled by NWCBC Member Marty Loken

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Author's note: If you have additions or corrections you'd like to suggest, please get in touch with me via e-mail: marty@islandboatshop.com. I'm always eager to add descriptions of your favorite sources of upholstery work, boat tops, boat lumber, vintage-outboard repair...and any other category you might be able to help flush out. Thanks!

CHROME-PLATING SHOPS
Specialty Plating - 1443 Dominion Street, North Vancouver, B.C. V7J 1B3. (604) 988-8366; e-mail info@specialtyplating.com, or check their website, www.specialtyplating.com. Specialty Plating is more affordable than any U.S. chrome shop we've used, and they generally turn things around promptly. If you have specific questions, ask manager Simon Leung.

Queen City Plating - 11914 Cyrus Way, Mukilteo, WA 98275; phone (800) 617-1995, e-mail queencityplating@verizon.net, or check their website, www.queencityplating.com .This is the shop to use if you want the very best in quality, and budget is not your number one concern. We've used Queen City for years when customers demand show-quality plating.

FOUNDRIES
New Found Metals - 240 Airport Road, Port Townsend, WA 98368; phone (360) 385-53315, e-mail nfm@newfoundmetals.com, or check website, www.newfoundmetals.com. New Found has a variety of patterns for traditional boat hardware, and they can make new castings if you have an original or pattern.

Port Townsend Foundry - 251 Otto Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368; phone (360) 385-56425, e-mail ptf@olypen.com, or check website, www.porttownsendfoundry.com. Port Townsend Foundry offers a variety of patterns for traditional boat hardware, and they can make new castings if you have an original or pattern.

Creative Casting Co. - 3762 South 60th Street, Tacoma, WA 98409; phone (253), e-mail Nyland@creativecastingco.com, or check website, www.creatingcastingco.com. The company has some patterns for marine hardware, and if you have an original or your own pattern they can make new castings. If you have a question, ask for the owner, Dennis Nyland. We've used Creative for some classic-boat emblems, and they've been nice to work with.

Boise Foundry - 221 Carrie Rex Avenue, Box 34, Melba, ID 83641; phone (208) 495-1220, e-mail boisefoundry@prodigy.net, or check website, www.boisefoundry.com. We haven't yet worked with Boise Foundry, but their described as an old-fashioned outfit willing to do small runs at reasonable prices. Sounds like our kind of operation.

BOATBUILDING LUMBER
Edensaw Woods, Ltd. - Main warehouse, 211 Seton Road, Port Townsend, WA 98368; phone (360) 385-7878, e-mail info@edensaw.com or check website, www.edensaw.com. Edensaw also has a branch operation at 8032 South 194th Street, Kent, WA 98032; phone (253) 216-1150; using the same e-mail and website addresses. We buy virtually all lumber and plywood products from Edensaw, and they have it all. Good customer service, friendly staff, huge inventory...what else do you need?

Crosscut Hardwoods - This is a good bet for club members in Southwestern Washington and Oregon, since Crosscut has locations in Seattle, Portland and Eugene. Seattle - 4100 First Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98134; phone (206) 623-0334. Portland - 3065 Northwest Front Street, Portland, OR 97210; phone (503) 224-9663. Eugene - 2344 West 7th Place, Eugene, OR 97402; phone (541) 349-0538. Website for all locations, www.crosscuthardwoods.com .

What's the best lumber store in Spokane, or elsewhere in Central or Eastern Washington, if you're looking for boat lumber? Or British Columbia?

RUBBER TRIM AND RUBRAILS
Wefco Rubber Manufacturing Company - 21000 Osborne Street, Unit 2, Canoga Park, CA 91304; phone (818) 886-8872, e-mail sales@wefcorubber.com, or check patterns on website, www.wefcorubber.com. This is the place for every imaginable need you might have, including rubrail replacements, window-gasket rubber and other types of rubber trim. If you can't find the pattern you're looking for on their website, cut a small sample of your old rubrail and/or window rubber and send it to Pete at Wefco; chances are they can match it. Rubber products are available in your choice of black or white, with black often being less expensive. We recommend that you attach rubrail with 3M 5200 Slow Cure adhesive, not the Fast Cure since it will break down and create runs that stain the side of your boat when it comes in contact with water. Also, just a tip: Unless you're applying the rubber in hot weather, which makes it more pliable, we recommend soaking the coiled rubrail in a tub of hot, soapy water just before applying it to the hull-this will make the job easier, especially when working with the heavier rubrail patterns.

REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELDS
Middy Plastic Products - 9320 151st Avenue Northeast, Redmond, WA 98052; phone (425) 883-4600. Before visiting, call to be sure someone's there, and/or call Skip's Seattle number, (206) 459-7521, to see if Middy has a pattern for your particular plexiglass windshield. (They have patterns for many 50's-vintage Northwest-built boats, along with others. If you want a replacement for your cracked, crazed, fogged-up old windshield, they are a good solution...although be prepared to pay a decent price-this kind of work, and the materials that go into windshields, won't be cheap.)

UPHOLSTERY
Kathy Dow - 23913 Northeast 54th Place, Redmond, WA 98053; phone (425) 868-0921. Kathy is the wife of Dick Dow, club member and also the current president of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of ACBS, the Antique & Classic Boat Society. She's made boat cushions and custom seat upholstery for a wide variety of classic boats. Kathy works out of her home on a part-time basis, so please call first to discuss your project and make an appointment-this isn't a regular, commercial walk-in shop...but she's good, and her prices are reasonable.

Any other upholstery recommendations from NWCBC members?

CANVAS TOPS
Doug's Boat Tops - 2822 A Street, Tacoma, WA 98402 (near the Tacoma Dome); phone (253) 572-7130, e-mail doug@dougsboattops.com, or check his website, www.dougsboattops.com. Doug has been recommended by club member Bill Roberts, who sought competitive bids on a full camper top for his 1956 Skagit 20' Chinook, and was very pleased after working with Doug. Good price, quality work, done in a timely manner.

FIBERGLASS SUPPLIES
Fiberlay, Inc. -- 24 South Idaho Street, Seattle, WA 98134; phone (800) 942-0660, e-mail sales@fiberlay.com, or check their website, www.fiberlay.com.
Fiberlay is a one-stop source for all fiberglass-related supplies, and they're set up to ship products to your door.

Glen-L Boatbuilding & Marine Supplies - 9152 Rosecrans Avenue, Bellflower, CA 90706; phone (562) 630-6258, e-mail info@glen-l.com, or check their website, www.glen-l.com. Glen-L has been supplying boat plans, hardware and supplies for more than 50 years, and their prices are quite competitive on most items.

USED MARINE HARDWARE
Pacific Marine Exchange - 700 West Holly Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; phone (360) 738-9263, or check website, www.pacificmarineexchange.com. This is one of the largest used marine-hardware stores in the Northwest...along with the next one mentioned.

Dunato's Second Wave - 3601 Greenwood Avenue, Seattle, WA 98103; phone (206) 632-4371, e-mail inquiry@secondwave.com, or check their website, www.secondwave.com. A good source for used marine hardware, old engines, props and whatever else you can imagine, with a second location at Shilshole, also in Seattle.

Port Townsend Marine Exchange - 2706 Washington Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368; phone (360) 385-4237; e-mail Mxbob@olympus.net, or check their website, www.themarineexchange.com. Best source on the Olympia Peninsula for used marine stuff.

Fairview Marine Supply, otherwise known as Boat Parts USA - 22231 Northeast Sandy Boulevard, Fairview, OR 97024; phone (503) 492-4608; e-mail boatpartsusa@comcast.net, or check their website, www.boatpartsusa.com. Used project boats, boat motors and miscellaneous hardware.

NEW CLASSIC-BOAT HARDWARE
Classic Boat Connection - 75 Navaho Avenue, Suite 5, Mankato, MN 56001; phone (507) 344-8024, e-mail mail@classicboatconnection.com, or check Jeff Hanton's website, www.classicboatconnection.com. Good source of restoration-related supplies; free catalog.

Skipper's Classic Boat Hardware - New and salvaged boat hardware; e-mail walter@lindsaycomp.on.ca and request catalog.

Classic Boat Hardware - Joel Lemanski's collection of vintage wooden boats, hardware and miscellaneous parts. Phone (651) 248-7314; e-mail joel@classicboathardware.com, or check his website, www.classicboathardware.com.

Southern Crown Boatworks - 316 Chestnut Drive, Atlanta, GA 30340; phone (800) 746-3857 and ask for catalog, or check their website, www.southerncrownboatworks.com. We've ordered silicon bronze screws, bolts and other fastenings from Southern Crown, which often beats the prices of other sources.

CLASSIC BOAT INSURANCE
Hagerty Marine Insurance - Box 87, Traverse City, MI 49685; phone (800) 762-2628 or (231) 933-3765; e-mail marine@hagerty.com, or check their website, www.hagerty.com.

INSTRUMENT RESTORATION
Clawson Classic Instruments - 2402 30th Street, Anacortes, WA 98221; phone (360) 299-8636, or check Mark's website, www.markclawson.com.

CHARTS, INSTRUMENTS, MARINE BOOKS
Captain's Nautical Supplies - 2500 15th Avenue Northwest, Seattle, WA 98119; phone (206) 283-7242, e-mail sales@captainsnautical.com, or check their website, www.captainsnautical.com. This is the best place in the Northwest for charts, marine books, binoculars and various marine instruments.

OUTBOARD MOTOR REPAIR & PARTS
Norm's Outboard Repair (Norm Boddy) - 8320 234th Southwest, Edmonds, WA 98026; phone (425) 670-0840. Norm works on outboards under 50 hp; he's a member of the Antique Outboard Motor Club, so he's comfortable with older engines.

Seaway Marine - 2501 Harbor Avenue Southwest, Seattle, WA 98126; phone (206) 937-7373; e-mail davel@sea-way.com, or check their website, www.sea-way.com. Seaway Marine is the best source of vintage outboard parts in the Northwest.

Twin City Outboard - 600 Canterbury Road, Shakopee, MN 55379; phone (952) 496-1951, e-mail tcoutboard@tcoutboard.com, or check their website, www.twincityoutboard.com. Twin City probably has the world's largest collection of used outboard parts. When I needed a used-but-like new plastic front-cowl logo emblem for my '57 Johnson 35hp, I called Twin City. They had it in the mail the next day.

Vintage Outboard & Marine Supply - 604 West 19th, Spokane, WA 99203; phone (509) 747-9960, e-mail dbrooke1@vintageoutboard.com, or check their website, www.vintageoutboard.com. (Doug Brooke specializes in old Merc parts, but he also has a lot of parts for Johnson, Evinrudes and others.)

Vintage Merc, Homelite and Bearcat Outboards and Parts - Bill Roberts, Box 1592, Coupeville, WA 98239; phone (360) 678-4235, e-mail boatzz@comcast.net, or check website, www.robertsmaritimesystems.com .

Grubb's Marine - 3363 West Ridge Pike, Pottstown, PA 19464; phone (610) 495-7774; e-mail grubbs@oldmercs.com, or check their website, www.oldmercs.com. Grubb's is a major source of parts for vintage Mercury outboards, but they also carry parts for OMCs and others. (Their website includes a guide to help identify all early Merc outboards-a nice resource.)

OUTBOARD MOTOR PAINT
Peter McDowell, North York Marine - 2 Madsen Crescent, Unionville, Ontario L3R 4P3, Canada. Phone (905) 470-7205 before 9 p.m. EST; e-mail peter@nymarine.ca, or check their website, www.nymarine.ca. If you need perfectly-matched paints for your old outboard, Peter McDowell probably has what you want, in aerosol or cans. He has another job, so only packs orders on Saturdays, for UPS shipment on Mondays. (Orders going out on Monday must be received by Thursday p.m.)

- Updated, Jan. 2009