A progress report on the refurbishment of the Don Hill boat: 

  I've finished with the bottom, the rock shoe install, the chine and a new stem.  Finished up the sides while it was upside down, too.

  Flipped it over and...sighed.  More, a lot more... basic sanding, staring me right in the face. 

  I put three coat of Dura Tuff clear coat finish on the outside.  This is the finish that Don Hill used.  I called the fellow who bought out Don Hill's patterns and plans.  He seems like a nice guy but I don't think he is doing many boats or kits anymore.  I could be wrong..that was just the impression I got, I didn't actually ask him outright.  He passed on the info about the Dura Tuff, as I couldn't really identify what was on there.  

Then I called the makers of this finish and consulted with their tech guys, who said I could re-coat with a good sanding, even though there was some flaking and weather checking.  I have used their paste wood filler in the past on floors and furniture and that is an outstanding product.  The Dura Tuff on the frames  on this boat is in almost perfect shape, so it is good stuff.

Between coats I gave it a good sanding.  The rock shoe is 1/4" Hydrotek with 3 coats of West epoxy, the final two coats infused with Barrier Coat additive and graphite powder.  I installed it with #6 x 1 1/4 SS wood screws, bedded in Dolphinite.  I used Boat Life caulk along the frame lines and put two coats of West epoxy on the 1/2" original bottom after patching and re-fastening that, as needed.It came out nice and shiny.  Note the chine rub strip of white oak.  That went on with 1 1/2" #8 SS wood screws and was bedded in Sika.  The Van in the background (my daily driver now that diesel fuel prices have made me park my big 4X4 truck)  it is probably older than the Don Hill boat...it took more work to re-furbish, but like the old dory, it gets the job done quite well with a little TLC and they don't make new vans like this any more.the outer stem was replaced, as was the rusted out ring eye bolt.  I found one at True Value hardware.

  I now have the gunwales off and sanded.  The carriage bolts and cap screws were in dire need of replacement, too.  I ended up cutting slots in many of the carriage bolt heads and using heat to bust the rust loose in the cap nuts.  Many of the bolts would just spin in the dry holes.  I went back this afternoon and filled the outwale with a thickened West mix, to re-capture the new carriage bolts.  I made a 'tool' that mimicked the square under head shank of the carriage bolts.  Then I trowled in the epoxy mix (with the boat up on it's side) and cut some little nappies of plastic food wrap.  Put a square of that on the gunwale then pushed in the plastic wrap with my 'bolt head duplicator tool to make a place for the bolt.  I will ream the 1/4" hole again and install new bolts and cap nuts with some Dolphinite.   I have found almost no bedding compound or caulking in this whole boat.  The condition of the fasteners is a result of everything being 'slammed in dry'  Still, it lasted many many years and it's a fine old boat.

I have perhaps one more full day of sanding..then it will go back together.

 I plan on taking some rough measurements, in case someone should want another one like this from my shop in the future.

  Don Hanson