Catching up 1 - Crestliner Viking 14

Steve Sanford

Well-known member
All~


I have been largely absent from duckboats for the past couple of months - mostly because of family stuff - with visitors from friends Phoenix and Berlin - and many local friends and family as well. I have had to forestall my usual fare of boats and decoys - but my "ban" on such work has not been complete.


One such departure from shopping-cooking-feeding-traveling-visiting has been this "birthday present to myself" from up on Lake Champlain. Our next-camp-neighbor gave me this '57 runabout - from his childhood.


17 - Etesse Crestliner 2 - 6 July 2022.JPG



It is the Model 710 "speedster" - from the catalog. It never had a windshield.


17A - Crestliner - Viking  14 - 1958 catalog.jpg



The steering and remote controls were added later.


11 - Viking 14 BEFORE - Cockpit.JPG



I love her lines - nice tumblehome aft and a not-quite plumb stem. I will be restoring it this Winter.


19 - Etesse Crestliner 3 - from bow.JPG



The aluminum is amazingly sound. No missuing rivets or dimples or creases. But, all the wood needs replacing.


22 - Viking 14 BEFORE - Transom.JPG



I've removed all of the original marine ply from the transom and will likely replace it with Coosa Board, fastened with aluminum and bedded in 3M 5200.


23 - Viking Transom - stripped of paint and adhesive.JPG



It came with a 1970 manual start Ski-Twin. I found an electric start din Connecticut. I just need to swap[ its long shaft for the original short shaft. Another Winter pastime.


My Dad built the motor stand in the 1950s or 60s. I reinforced it and added the casters - as I'm getting too old and infirm to wrassle 150-pound power plants.



24 - Evinrude Ski-Twin e-start 1970 on stand.JPG



To thank my neighbor I made some shelving for over his work bench.


25 - Jerry's Shelving.JPG



I also re-built and installed a bench vise. He was pleasantly surprised to discover both when he returned from Minnesota last week.


26 - Shelving and Bench Vise for Jerry Etesse - 19 July 2022.jpg



More catching up in the next post. Please let me know if you have any experience with vintage tin vessels.


All the best,


SJS

 
That is one very cool old boat!! I like my Smokercraft but I would love to find one of these!!
 
Steve you asked about experience with old tin boats - ancient duck boat history "readers rigs" my early 60's 14' wolverine from 20 years ago. Boat finally died but of all my tin boats (3@ 14-ft) it may have been the best compromise hull.

Scott
 
Scott~


Nice rig!


My main Long Island gunning partner had a Wolverine long ago. He picked it up when he lived in Illinois in the early 70s. I recall one especially good Broadbill shoot - during our long-forgotten January 5-bird bonus season - in the 1980s - when it got us to a good spot.


All the best,


SJS


 
Steve

Your absence has been noticed but I figured you had many irons in the fire and we'd hear about them when you came up for air. The lines on that boat are quite eye pleasing. Looking forward to seeing it become beautiful again. Thomas and I went to West TN a couple weekends ago to pick up a project boat for him. It's a War Eagle 1542 and he also bought a project Tohatsu 2 stroke 25hp to go on the back. So my shop will too be hosting a tin boat restoration.

Eric
 
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