Falls Flyer Restoration Started

[bham-rick]

Well I'm under way with the Demo of the 1959 Larson . Got the boat about 3 weeks ago and have been in the process of drying it out and removing all the hardware and Rub Rails. This is a challenge because all the screws are rusted and the hardware has probably never been off the boat. It had about 8 Inches of water in the Bilge and all the wood is shot. Somebody that had the boat did not like the dash so they glued a board across it that I had to remove, and the side panels between the seats were glued with construction adhesive. I spent about two hours with the heat gun and a chisel trying to remove the plywood .
I will continue with the progress on next post

[bham-rick]

Starting to look like a boat

After I got everything off the boat and semi dried out I started to grind out all the spider cracks with a dremel drill , Removed the Wood dash board and removed the front seat and got down to the stringers. No surprises yet everything looks as expected. I'm going to remove the top layer of fiberglass and put down a new mat then rebuild the seats and install some supports that go side to side like what's back in the stern. Front seats just had two 1/4" plywood strips that went side to side that were fiberglassed to the deck. I cut the Fiberglass and the wood pieces came right out. Saved for templates. I filled all the spider cracks in the hull with Duraglass filler with fiberglass strands and sanded it out. I will put another coat over the cracks with bondo that has no fiberglass to finish. It's been a good weekend and feel like I got alot done.

[bham-rick]

More shots of the Larson

Here are a few more pictures of this weekends work . I will send more as I proceed !

[Helmar]

Hey Rick.

Thats a Lot of work so far but just keep thinking of progress as that boat is going to be SO worth your effort.

[slo-mo]

Visionary...

That must be some camera, Rick. I can smell the rotted plywood and glass through the speakers! It always looks like way too much work, when sitting on
your butt staring at the screen. Way to go man...definitely bitchin' and well worth the effort.

Please keep us up to date on your progress, we've got your back!

[Tim McCrain]

Lotta progress for one weekend! Is that a missing section of fiberglass on one side where you removed the vertical ply panels? Is that why the panels were there, you think, or were they original?

Thanks for posting the photos!

Tim

[Marty Loken (Norseboater)]

Falls Flyer

Great to see another Falls Flyer in the Northwest...and you're obviously wasting little time jumping on the project. Way to go, Rick!

- Marty

[FINS]

Great work Rick! I am sure you have seen it, but thought I would point it out for those that don't waste the better half of their life crusing the internet for boat pictures and stories. This is a '57 Falls Flyer that Del restored for Tommy in Tampa Florida. Looks like he took the same approach with a new layer of glass over the hull. Keep us posted on your work!

57' Falls Flyer

[bham-rick]

Hearters59 Del

I've been in contact with Del and he sent me some very nice pictures. That Falls flyer he did is one made out of wood with a canvas covered top that's in a whole different league than mine. I'm just going to put a new skin of fiber on the inside floor and up the sides ,besides the spider cracks the hull is in great shape. He restored the exact same Tee Nee trailer that I have under the boat and I'm buying some parts from him that should be here next week. He has fender extensions with tail lights and also the rubber step pads for the fenders. He does reproduction parts . Del is a real nice guy and also set me up with John Monahan who is Mr. Falls Flyer . He lives in Little Falls Minn. and has over 300 flyers (Talk about a boat farm) I talked to him and he does not do internet and only deals with pictures and that he has anything I would need ?? I sent him pictures last week. It seems like I'm getting info from all the right people so far. I also had Union Foundry cast me some Larson Transom plates out of Aluminum (Middle one is the original) and they came out looking good. These are straight from the foundry with no clean up done yet. Now I just have to see if a short shaft Homelight will fit on the back. Bill says he has one with the Jetson looking cover so I guess I have to get with Melanie to see if hers will fit. There's not alot of room in the back for a thick motor. She lives in B'ham

Anybody have a spare Goose neck bow ornament they don't want ????

[bham-rick]

Good Eye Tim !

Lotta progress for one weekend! Is that a missing section of fiberglass on one side where you removed the vertical ply panels? Is that why the panels were there, you think, or were they original?

Thanks for posting the photos!

Tim

It was broken in two pieces so I expect that is why they did the repair? I saved the pieces Thank God they didn't glue them like they did on the Starboard side. I was able to save the inside pieces they used to screw the thing together so they will be a good template. After the Samamish run we did on the 2nd I made a pit stop over to Cross Cut Hardwoods in Seattle and got all the Mahogany I need to make a new dash and I want to build some mahogany cubbies for the back seats and do Wood fronts for the seats ???

I look like Ralphie from The Christmas Story !!

[strobee]

Rick, You are making me feel guilty about the work I am not doing on the Anthony JetCat. You are getting so good at it that I may try to get your help. I have it pretty well cleaned up and will be putting in new stringers. I am planning in foam stringers. The claim is that the foam for the stringers covered with fiberglass is stronger than wood. probably more expensive, but easier to work with and will not rot. I think I will put the Merc 800 DR on the boat since it matches the year of the JetCat. Keep up the good eork. Clint

[bham-rick]

crack the whip.

Rick, You are making me feel guilty about the work I am not doing on the Anthony JetCat. You are getting so good at it that I may try to get your help. I have it pretty well cleaned up and will be putting in new stringers. I am planning in foam stringers. The claim is that the foam for the stringers covered with fiberglass is stronger than wood. probably more expensive, but easier to work with and will not rot. I think I will put the Merc 800 DR on the boat since it matches the year of the JetCat. Keep up the good eork. Clint

Just let me know ! Looks like I see Mary in the background working ? How did you manage that?

[bham-rick]

Open and Breathing !

Got her opened up to the stringers today and now it will air out real nice. Took off the entire top layer of glass and opened it up to the bow. Just have to take out the back seat next. Looks like I'm going to have to re-place 4 stringers -the two at the very bottom and one on each side. They are not much for support they look like 1/2" x 4" boards.

[bham-rick]

No place to sit !

Got the back seat out and the top layer of Fiberglass off. Stringers look good under the seat. So now I just have to let it dry and trim off some of the wood that stuck from the bottom. When I went down to Northern California and worked on the 16' wooden tank at the Copco electric plant last summer I brought some of the wedge trimmings from the barrel stave's and it's almost like I knew I would find a place for them someday ? They have a 4 degree angle for the tank and they are thin on one end and go to about 3/4" on the thick end. CVG Fir tight grain they will be perfect for the boat.

[Mark_Denis]

Rick, love the progress pics and descriptions. She's gonna be a beauty when you're done!

Keep em coming!