Just bought a '58 Skagit 20 Express...

[Steve_Kiesel]

Here's the stuff I used on the Seafair. Works okay. Just not a fun job removing old paint no matter how you do it.

http://www.citristrip.com/

[Helmar]

Oh and I also noticed the original gelcoat colors on this boat are the opposite of Bruce's colors...see pics.

Window frames are dark and the cabin is the light color. Kinda cool if I could strip all of this paint and find some good gelcoat! Any ideas to strip the paint without harming the gelcoat?

Tim Jones AKA McSkagit, had found a product that would remove the paint but not the gel coat but I forget what it was called. I know he used it on his Skagit Tender (Dingy) that he found.
I even used it and remember it was pretty skookum, not toxic like some of the stuff that would burn the hair out of your nose.

I am looking for the name of it as I am not sure how to get a hold of Tim now.

I have seen some that would take them down to the gel coat and then use the gel coat patching for the little hull boo boo's that are normally found due to beaching the boats.

Bruce's boat is the original gel coat and the Only one I have ever seen that color. Pretty sure he holds the title for the color scheme and being stock. Real jewel for sure.
Hell, at one time I had a picture of his Skagit as my screen saver ;-)

[bruceb]

Kelly-
Going to guess the plate you found may not have to do with a Skagit build plate, never seen one like that before. As for the color combo under the surface on your boat, have found other "mystery boats" with similar paint/gelcoat. There's this one 20 express we found near La Conner with a red/burgundy under white on the hull,(almost looks like a primer) with white gunwales and light blue cabin top. Inside, has an identical scheme as my cabin with gray paint and burgundy gel coated trim panel wrapping below windows. Clint Strobel has a 20 express that looks like the factory painted over the original colors with gel coat. Over time, owners change colors on these for numerous reasons, saw a friend's boat's colors, wanted to match a towing vehicle, or perhaps some other reason..
Then I'm attaching this cool 57 17 express from Tacoma that is a color scheme (original gelcoat) similar to what you've found on yours- gives you a nice idea of what it might look like, I like it.....first two pics- same boat ! Last pic- Tacoma boat
Finally, only way I might do that removal is very careful sanding to remove outer layer, very time consuming, boring work ! then more time consuming use of graduated paper to polish it up to final gloss. Using Brian's process, super great write up, there.

[Kelly]

Oh and I also noticed the original gelcoat colors on this boat are the opposite of Bruce's colors...see pics.

Window frames are dark and the cabin is the light color. Kinda cool if I could strip all of this paint and find some good gelcoat! Any ideas to strip the paint without harming the gelcoat?

[Kelly]

Bruce I'd like the info on the guy that remakes the Skagit ID plates. This is all I found on mine:

I know it's not original, but I wonder what it was put there for?

[Kelly]

My new to me trailer...just did the swap yesterday in the pouring rain. Another thanks to Karl for loaning me his trailer!
I'll be bringing the boat home next week (my weekend).
Tim you're welcome to come by and check it out
20160623_162301.jpg

[Kelly]

Thanks Bruce. I saw a good deal on one but didn't think it would work but wanted to be sure.

[bruceb]

Kelly-
By putting a longer shaft motor on a 20" transom, the motor projects lower in the water, causing more drag with the lower unit- that decreases your speed. Generally, the 20 Skagits were 20" or long shaft transoms except for some that were cut down to 17" to fit short shaft (usually) 35 hp Johnson/Erudes of the day, or oddly enough, long shaft OMCs that were about 22 1/2". Depends on your boat, but putting an extra long shaft on this boat raises the center of gravity up and you'd have to do that with a jack unit. Extra cost there, nothing really gained by doing that. Best to look for a 20", if that's your transom size.

[Kelly]

Will an extra long shaft outboard work on this boat?

[Helmar]

hey Helmar-
Earlier today wrote a response to your post and the server on my end messed up so when I have a chance will try to write that again ! Your build plate has some differences from others I've seen- it is a 1959 (9) 20'(2) the S is a puzzle, and suspect that because yours is an I/O, and Skagit was an early installer of the units, could mean "special" (S). They certainly never made 8,596, but plausible that by mid 1959, for instance, 596 could be a reasonable #.
More later when I'm on a better server....bb

Thanks Bruce.
I remember looking all over for that plate but it wasn't until I pulled the vent out of the hole and happened to look in with the light that I found it.

Not sure who told me this but as the story went, Skagit was doing the customizing of the boats to the customers needs or wants.

My first Skagit was the 1958 and I have only seen one other boat that had the seating like it had and then with its B16 and same Volvo outdrive as I remarked that the boat had all those clean lines and the boat seating was all right angles other then the very top of the back of the seats. The remark was, geeze, didn't the Glass guys and Wood guys get along as the seating didn't fit the lines.
I think it was BillR that said those were factory and shared another picture showing them. Most had those jump seats in them that folded down.
So, I have seen lots of different configurations and it does make sense they could have modified the boats to the customers needs and wants.

What really surprised me was how mine ran up. Someone spend a Lot of time on the inside of mine with all that oak roll up cabinet work that was done, all the upholstery with the tuck and roll.
I have never weighed her but she has to be heavy. The surprise to me is even with those dual carbs that were on it, she would run up to 28 mph.
I had to work the trim tabs which are electric to do that but I was WOT for sure.
After putting on dual weber carbs, which I think were 34H's, she would get up on plane even faster.

My thinking is once I start eliminating boats, I will end up with the 20ft Skagit Offshore ( I did spend the night in it at Oak Harbor) as the bucket list is to make it to the San Juans as well as down the Columbia River from Portland to Astoria and back.
Then I will restore and keep the Dorsett Catalina that was Chucks. The ride is exceptional and with my back, I need a smooth ride. The Skagit will stay in the family, I hope.

Maybe the S was for Souped up

[bruceb]

hey Helmar-
Earlier today wrote a response to your post and the server on my end messed up so when I have a chance will try to write that again ! Your build plate has some differences from others I've seen- it is a 1959 (9) 20'(2) the S is a puzzle, and suspect that because yours is an I/O, and Skagit was an early installer of the units, could mean "special" (S). They certainly never made 8,596, but plausible that by mid 1959, for instance, 596 could be a reasonable #.
More later when I'm on a better server....bb

[Helmar]

Hi Bruce.
So, you have all the data on the Skagits ?
I don't think I remember us having access to that other then I remember Bill had it.
Boy, if you had a list or something or was wanting to share that, I would sure put it on the site for others to help identify what they had.

I found mine Way up high on the port side and with mine being a I/0, I had to pull a vent out and spotted it painted over.
Here is mine but I forgot what I was told about it other than, yes, its a 1959. It was really hard to get a picture of it.
.

[bruceb]

Kelly-
The stainless grab handles were not a factory option in 1958, according to the factory brochure, they were most likely added by a previous owner.
Factory production plates on 20 express models of that general era were located in the port splash well facing forward. Some owners would later place them somewhere else, but that's where they were when they left factory. You might look in the cabin side pockets to see if po had taken it off and placed there. If yours can be located, it should read= 8 2X ___. The eight is year -1958, 2 is for 20' and last three digits- hull #. I can verify that 20' hull #109 from 1958 came out of factory in last week of June.
Good luck on the search, oh, and the registration from po should have the accurate hull #s in the right sequence. Nice that things went well at DOL.
Know of a boater that's found a source to have a repro plate made if you want to get that fancy !

[Kelly]

I haven't looked for the build date on this boat yet, but I've noticed one thing in particular that indicates this is a very late '58. Almost all of the aluminum trimmed '58s I've seen in the club and online do not have the grab handles on the cabin roof however, all of the '59s have them. Does anyone know this sort of detail? I'm sure they could have been added by the buyer, or dealer accessory, but I imagine it was a conceptual idea that manifested from a few Skagit design employees in a smoke filled room one late night in LaConner...
Ok, maybe a little dramatic!

[Kelly]

We've had the build date vs. model year date in the classic car circle for years. I for one go by the year it was released to the public for purchase. It makes sense for me to carry that logic into the boating world.
I went to the local DOL and told them I'd like to change the the date on the title. After showing them the one brochure and the significant differences between a 58/59 she made one call to the state office and all I had to do was sign a letter stating I wanted to change the title. Easy as that, no extra fees, no hassle. I was pretty happy.