Frisco Flyer Sailboat Restoration Project: Tarp off for good?

Between 1957 and 1970 Cheoy Lee produced approximatley 133 folkboats originaly sold as the the Offshore 25, better known as the Frisco Flyer.

There were three versions of this small blue-water boat. 91 in all wood and 42 in Fiberglass with wood. There were 55 Type I's and II's and 78 of the Type III's. The Type I (aka the Pacific Clipper) was an all wood boat, had a mast that was stepped through the deck, a traditional folkboat fractional rig and a smaller cabin. The Type II's had a larger teak trunk cabin and a masthead rig. The Type III's had a larger teak dog-house cabin, some "standing" headroom and a masthead rig stepped on deck. The earlier Type III's were solid teak built onto a fiberglass hull and the later Type III’s (1966-1970) were made entirely out of fiberglass with teak paneling.

This boat, Yard # 1507 is one of approximatley only 30 Type III's left. It was out of the water for the previous 16 years when I got it and then about another 5 more while I rebuilt it. It was an empty, cracked hull when given to me and needed a complete restoration/refit. It took about five years of long nights and weekends of working outside under a tarp, in the garage or in the boat during cold winter nights, wet rainy afternoons and everything in between. The occasionally eager assistant on the project was my four (now ten) year old daughter who can have this boat as soon as I convince her mother to get another one. This blog is the record of all the work that "we" have done to the boat as well as some other somewhat related events with friends and family. Eventually, this will be put together in a book which will stay with the boat.

She still has plenty more to go but for now, Jackaroe has been in the water for a couple years now and thats all that matters...

To see past projects, use the links below.

Questions and comments to Matthewearlgarthwait@gmail.com

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Tarp off for good?

So, the deck is just about ready for the fiberglass. I have to still level a spot here and there with epoxy/filler/sanding before doing anything else. It looks good and I’m kicking myself for taking so long to do it.

This is the first time that the tarp has been off the boat. I had made a replacement for the frame that the previous owner had made for it. This created a nice “room” to work in whenever the weather wasn't so dry. Even in the summers, I've had the tarp on the boat if there was over a 30% chance of rain. Now, with the decks watertight, I took of the tarp and as long as the companionway, port lights and forward hatch are closed tight or covered then everything should be dry…