38 Riviera Restoration

homer1958 · 03-15-2010, 09:22 PM

Did your stripe get scratched?

There's a S Ray at Homer's Roamer drydock.
It backed up into a rubber ducky.
The transom is torn to shreds.
I will take a picture of it and post so people can see.
I hope the duck is ok.

homer1958 · 03-19-2010, 01:20 PM

It's an honor to have so many compliments from the Commander Club. They just got wind of this painstaking Roamer restoration and though some of the photos are repeated, it's a nice compliment.

There is another Roamer 41 out there that is terrfic, you can see here here called Kelley Ann.

As some of you may know, The Commander Club website is of superior quality and one of the most heavily viewed boat websites out there worldwide.

It's a shame to lose the Roamer website, but it does not surprise me either that this would happen. No back-up files.. uhgggg... let's not go there... dahh

homer1958 · 03-19-2010, 01:34 PM

http://www.network54.com/Forum/42484...age/1268839165
/INTRODUCING+-----------%26gt%3B1969+Roamer+Riviera+%26lt%3B------------

watjam · 04-04-2010, 07:53 PM

Hey Homer, I KNOW you have been down workin on the boat, so...how about some updates? I bet she is startin' to look real nice.
(just like on the outside)

homer1958 · 10-17-2010, 08:09 PM

Well, got burned-out but am back for the final lap... She's just went from Annapolis to Nagshead via the Intercoastal.. we cruised at 30 mph, pulled into Norfolk while my buddy had a massive heart attack.. thought it was a arm muscle pull, so we tied up went up to the bar and had some double Margaritas. Nice cruise down the Intercoastal... Well, long story short... he tied her up in Nagshead and drove home to have triple bypass. He almost died on a Roamer.. but the boat pulled through despite the 7 foot swells in the Albemarle Sound.. stay tuned for some new photos as we near the final lap of restoration.. teak deck, interior polishect.

homer1958 · 10-17-2010, 08:14 PM

We are leaving Cambridge MD ... Thank God

homer1958 · 10-17-2010, 08:33 PM

Yup, that toe rail is as nice as it looks BUT, it took forever... you are not looking at varnish.. you are looking at three coats of epoxy (Maas) sanded to baby's butt smooth, two sessions of 4 coats each of Dupont 7900s clearcoat sparyed, then rubbbed... YES, you have to plastic up the whole boat to do it this way.. not recommended unless you really know what you are doing and have a place to do it. Basicaly, same as an automotive spray job.. not a piece of dust in it.

homer1958 · 10-17-2010, 08:43 PM

That's one shallow nasty piece of water there... Sheeesh, the waves were big ... soon we will be pulling into Nagshead... where she rests inside all winter for her final operation, polish off the interior, build a new single hatch and lay a teak deck which I am trying to get from Burma.. that's another hassle... I am also looking for a 12 foot bow sprit.. a hand carved mermaid would work.

Everwhere we pulled in people were asking if it is a restoration or a new one built from original plans. I said look at the deck.. it looks like crud.. but soon we will get that handled. There are more lose parts hanging on that deck.. like the chicken business.. "Parts is Parts." People don't know what a Roamer is down there.. did not know Chris made metal boats. Look closely and you can see a porta potty in the back.. my bud is a bit soft I think...

homer1958 · 10-17-2010, 08:55 PM

27 sportfish plants.. 24 out of business in the Nagshead area.. all kinds of great skilled labor there at a reasonalble price... what you won't find much of in Maryland. They have lots of attidtudes and high prices though in MD if that is what you want.

homer1958 · 10-21-2010, 03:32 PM

Restorations are tough, but for those who are doing it.. well, keep chipping away and the day does come. For those who have corrosion seeping out under your toerail.. well, you can't really stop it unless you rip it off, use the old as a template ect. You will find it is not pretty under that toerail, water gets in fresh/ or salt still gets it. If you decide to do it, seal the wood with epoxy all the way around, bed with Sikaflex 291 lot, (not Boat life.. "Garb") overdrill your station holes fill with Colida Silica mixed with West System and you wont ever have the problem again. 4200 3M is OK, but Sikaflex 291 lot is way better.. I've tried them all.

When it comes to wood/brightwork.. use Maas over West. When it comes to structural I prefer West. Maas does not blush, is more clear and and has UV in it whereas West blsuhes and does not have UV. UV is critical or it will peel off! West says they have a new product that does, but not sure? I have found Maas as an epoxy base then multiple sprayed Dupont 7900s clearcoats is the best way to do it. Now there is a more clear plastic/automobile clear look to 7900s than varnish which has its own look, but I just did not want to spend my life vanishing. Dupont 7900s is easily fixable by spraying and rubbing out.. it is also a softer clear coat than some so works better with wood/exoxy systems with the natural flex expansion and contraction. Though you can't see here, there is a one inch border on either side of the nonskid. We mixed 3 parts rough sand and 2 parts fine sand (Awlgrip sand) in the Awlgrip and it looks like it came out of a mold. So much of this is technique... and hope you have a lot of patience. Yes, all the glass is new tinted safety glass. I prefer safty glass to tempered because it is more soundproof and is not at all wiggly like tempered can be and usually is. No the stantion caps are not on here, that is only closeline for now.. need to put on the new cable first.... We really enjoyed the trip, mostly blowing by new Sea Rays and all those kinda boats in something different that goes even faster than the new ones. This is not a sport, it's a disease and terminal immaturity is part of the disease's symptoms... they have not found a cure yet.. oh well.

Again, this one is a 1969, hull #5 of the 7 made in aluminum. They made 12 in steel in 1969 so there are very few 1969 38'ers left. The 37 is nice which they made between 1965-1968, but the helm top was one foot shorter.. that and the one foot in the hull is the basic difference.. so not much anyway.

Last but not least.. one of the nice features of alumimiun other than high strength to weight ratio is that is does not "mustystink" like old wood or old fiberglass... it can't absorb water so it can't attract mold. A midew smelling boat is MOLD simple as that and we all know it is not healthy to breath. Aluminum is a hull to desire, it truly is. Roamers are a perfect boat to restore, but the commitment is really big. So, a great one to choose, but be prepared, it will test your fortitude over and over. If you are thinking of doing it or are doing it now, PLEASE do it right.. I mean right, you will stop the show everyplace you pull in... there is something special about Roamers.. something strikingly classic people just like to look at... perhaps it brings them back to an era in America so many of us miss who are old enough to know the difference.

1969 was Detroit and Michigan at the top of the American Golden Era... That's cool, That's the real America.. the latter days of the real Chris Crafts... an era gone by, one I hope you too will try to restore and keep the memory alive.

I Remain,

HOMER

Oneiros · 10-23-2010, 12:10 PM

Hello Homer nice to see you and youre boat..

Seafarer · 10-23-2010, 08:12 PM

Welcome home... errrr...

Roamer's looking good, and "almost done" (as they say about New York City... nearly there, just a few more weeks and a few more tweaks.)

homer1958 · 08-26-2011, 02:50 PM

Enjoy photos.. almost there if she survives Irene... that is.

Mexican terrorist getting ready to shoot Dupont Chromaclear 7900s over two coats of superbly prepped Maas Epoxy. No drips, no orange peal... can we say Bentley?

homer1958 · 08-26-2011, 02:56 PM

Getting ready to shoot.. built-out, all electric in helm area, new breakers/wiring.... no more bending over under the seat.. ouch.. dumb Chris Craft on that one. BUT... you must have hydraullic steering mods to do this because otherwise the original steering pipe is in the way.. plus you need to build-out the helm to do it.. it's not recommended.. a real big job.. how patient are you? Oh boy.. tough one here.

homer1958 · 08-26-2011, 03:01 PM

Please don't mind all the disorganized sandpapers.... sign of a mad water-logged scientist. Trick is to master prep, then call in the pros for a few hours.. that's how you do it right and cost effectively.. but good prep is a real discipline and patience is a virgin. They don't call em she's for nothing:-)