Got a plastic classic?

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by chris95040

Here's my plastic classic, 1964 Rhodes Reliant built by Cheoy Lee.

Work I've done: New compression posts, couple new keel bolts, new rudder post (detachable from rudder on these boats! Tapered/keyed fitting), steering pedestal top-end rebuilt, exhaust system rebuilt, bilge bulkheads replaced, with new tabbing (embedded fiberglass plate into them so they are 3/8" thick tabs, then 4200 + bolted the bulkheads to that beefy tabbing), new aluminum fuel tank, new prop shaft, stern bearing house (+bearing), and stern tube... (Figured 50 years for an invisible piece of bronze hidden in some wood was good enough service life.) Some chainplates replaced, more to come, some standing rigging replaced, more to come... Added a bimini... Oh, and varnishing, and varnishing, and sanding, and varnishing, and scraping, and varnishing.

Work I'm doing this winter: Removed fasteners and and pulled teak from deck, for the most part they came up in one piece, boring out + plugging the old fastener holes, cutting new rabbets, repairing some core in the fiberglass deck underneath, sealing the ~1000 or so fastener holes in the deck, covering with a new layer of glass to be sure, and reapplying the old wood (still a good 3/8" thick) with TDS bonding epoxy. Also having a new aluminum main mast made by Klacko in Canada. And varnishing. and sanding, and varnishing, and scraping, and varnishing.

One of these days I'll get to improving the creature comforts!

The Reliant is one of the granddads of all the classics, one of those I lust after. The Bounty II and Pearson Rhodes 41 along with it, all beautiful boats. Have you looked at the bluewaterboats.org site? There are links in the comment section to a complete collection of photos of a total refit of a Rhodes 41.

[Don C L]

Here is the first link of the Rhodes 41 refit. I'll post the others at the group.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=54dcd7dc0b

[Wainui]

1966 Cal 48

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Wainui

1966 Cal 48

Ahh, that is a very nice one too!

[Celestialsailor]

My current vessel is a Hallberg Rassy, "Joli Elle" (Pretty girl).
My Ingrid was "Silver Wolf" when I married her and renamed "Faiaoahe" (Fayaway)
My Tartan Blackwatch was "Brigadoon" which I renamed "Faiaoahe"
My Olympian 34 was "Gamblier" which was re-christened "Radiance"
Attached Thumbnails

[Captain Puget]

Rawson 30 PH ('79) on the hard with engine, all tanks, hoses and electrical removed .... just completing the rigging & electronics .... and ordered new sails

Target April 1st launch (no joke)
- new Yanmar engine
- new electrical with a solar add (all DC with breakers, not fuses)
- new tanks (Bladders for diesel & water/ hoses)
- new bilge pumps/ hoses
- new upholstery
- still figuring out refrigerator & stove

Next year .... maybe a paint job w/ new PH window & SS port lights, water maker? depending on $$$

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Captain Puget

Rawson 30 PH ('79) on the hard with engine, all tanks, hoses and electrical removed .... just completing the rigging & electronics .... and ordered new sails

Target April 1st launch (no joke)
- new Yanmar engine
- new electrical with a solar add (all DC with breakers, not fuses)
- new tanks (Bladders for diesel & water/ hoses)
- new bilge pumps/ hoses
- new upholstery
- still figuring out refrigerator & stove

Next year .... maybe a paint job w/ new PH window & SS port lights, water maker? depending on $$$

That's a stout classic!

[Don C L]

Kim Gregory, thanks for adding the shot of your boat!

[Blue Stocking]

Chris95040, what is your CL hull no ? Bluestocking is # 1583, launched July '65. I have her yard sign-out certificate, signed by Mr. Lee Sum. When I gutted her out and ground all the paint off the hull interior, we could see the layup notes Chinese characters.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by TheThunderbird

PS My Boat is built in 1989, it is just classic to me :-)

I hear ya.

Mine's the first year of production, which stopped around 2008. However, it qualifies as a Plastic Classic for our yearly race here on SF Bay. 'Least mine does, has to be 30 years old.

[Rhapsody-NS27]

Certain older boats get my attention like Bristols, Albergs, Cape Dory's and similar looking boats. I've been working on my Nor'sea and have a lot more to go before she sees the water again. I have had my eye on a Cape Dory 27 and sometimes I look at CD-Typhoon's too, but keep thinking the $$ can go into my current boat.

I like to say I saved my boat from the Previous Owner. The good things he did was get a trailer and new sails.

* I've replaced one seacock, with 5 more to go and two more likely to get patches.

* Replaced the head with an Airhead (haven't used it yet) and found a 2-3" hole in the old holding tank. installed a vent for the Airhead on the deck. replaced head lighting to LED strips

* cleaned up after a bee infestation

* replaced all 9 chain plates, finding one of them had broken

* pulled the engine out into the cabin myself so I can get to replacing the fuel tank (in progress)

* partial rebuild of the engine (still in progress too)

* fixed and refinished the tiller

* removed old electronics for upgrade

and plenty of other projects along the way. Even with all the work I've done and still have to do, I love my boat and wouldn't have it any other way.

[sailor1924]

My current "new" boat 1966 Pearson Countess designed by John Alden. And my old, old boat a 1924 GL Watson definitely not CCA. But both were big projects.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by sailor1924

My current "new" boat 1966 Pearson Countess designed by John Alden. And my old, old boat a 1924 GL Watson definitely not CCA. But both were big projects.

A Pearson Countess! Now there is another boat you don't see everyday! Beautiful. I am loving all the posts here...

[Don C L]

Anyone have a Columbia Constellation? That would be a rare gem to find too...

[Nicholson58]

The oldest of my plastic Classics.


1968 Tornado hull # 186 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornado_(sailboat)


I have updated the rig to 2000 specs with spinnaker, launcher and big main. This is one of the fastest boats I have ever sailed. It must be experienced. Nothing has ever passed me. Pure macho buzz. The decks were delaminated and most of the fittings were pulling through the balsa-core. New paint. GO BLUE!