BBSB Restoration

B

Bob Reitmeyer

Active member
Long story short I have sneak box that I am finally able to restore to use. It was built by my Great Grandfather Carl Adams in the mid seventies and may be the last he built before passing. He built mostly 25' to 40' custom fishing boats as far back as prohibition, but built other boats and carved decoys as needed. Its all fiberglass over cedar planking. I believe the glass is mostly intact with only a couple small bubbles that at the very the least I will clean up and patch. I've done a few amateur restorations, but not for a while. I currently have it turned over until I can get working on it.

Since I didn't do the existing glassing, is there a way to know if it is epoxy or polyester? If it is epoxy I may be more willing to hold off on bringing it to bare wood, but then again I'm not getting any younger.

Second major question is the motor. I have a good 9.9 four stroke that has low hours, but it is heavy (97 lbs.) and this is a displacement hull. I will be replacing the motor board any way so should I simply angle it Back a bit and if so how much? Or should I look to acquire a 2 stroke?

Thanks in advance for your input!
Bob
View attachment 295.JPGView attachment 292.JPGView attachment IMG_0130 (00000002).jpg
 
Bob,

If it were me I'd sand a bit of the material and smell it. I suspect that if it's poly it will have a pretty strong odor.

Can't help with the second question as I've never had a BBSB. In a boat that is only 12 ft. long I would think a lighter motor would be preferable.
 
Bob~


What a great provenance - good for you!



The smell test suggested by Carl is what I would do. That styrene "fragrance" is powerful and unmistakable. But, the key question is adhesion. Whether polyester or epoxy, if the skin fits nice and tight, you're good to good in my opinion. And, any patches I did would be with epoxy resin in either case.



I put a new motorboard on my friend's VanSant Sneakbox last year. I did rake the new board aft a bit - by sawing a bevel into the 2-inch Locust.



CLICK to enlarge photo:



View attachment sm VanSant 02.JPG



We have not yet tested her under power - but we will be trying a 6-horse and a 4.5-horse - both 2 strokes. Intuitively, we feel the smaller motor (36 pounds ?) will be better for this displacement hull with respect to trim - and either will provide sufficient power.


Will you be bringing this vessel to Tuckerton?



All the best,


SJS






 
Pete McMiller said:
Bob,

If it were me I'd sand a bit of the material and smell it. I suspect that if it's poly it will have a pretty strong odor.

Can't help with the second question as I've never had a BBSB. In a boat that is only 12 ft. long I would think a lighter motor would be preferable.
Click to expand...

Thanks Pete! Good suggestion, and I know I?ll be doing a bit of sanding.
 
Thanks for your input Steve. With certainty, any patching or glassing I do will be done with epoxy. I should be so lucky that a couple patches and a fresh coat of resin will be sufficient. As far as Tuckerton goes, maybe. I will be there selling decoys for sure. My Dad did a restoration on a flat sided sneakbox his grandfather built and I might tow that up for him. Plus I won?t have a lot of free time for a few weeks to get started.

My Great Father apprenticed with the Van Sants in Atlantic City in the early 1900?s before going out on his own. My first sneakbox was a 1943 Van Sant and needed a lot of work. Wish I had pictures of that!
 
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