After 20-plus years of vibration and pounding on the water, the molded plastic console on my 2001 Lund® boat was riddled with stress cracks and broken pieces. All of the fastener-mounting points were stripped out or broken. As often happens with older boat components, replacement parts were no longer available. I’d have to repair the console myself.
By Gene Steely
This is the story of the Norway boat, a 20′ sailboat manufactured in Norway in 1956 by the Ejvinds Company. This boat sailed from Iceland to the east coast of Canada, then down to Miami. From Miami, it sailed south to St. Croix and the Virgin Islands. After a few years in St. Croix it was brought to the Florida Keys 1967 and had two or three different owners. I purchased the Norway boat in the Florida Keys in 2003 and brought it to my home in Murray, Kentucky for restoration. Continue reading
By Meade Gougeon — GBI Founder
It was 100 years ago this spring that Joshua Slocum departed Boston Harbor on the first single-handed voyage around the world. What made this feat even more amazing was Slocum’s boat: the 37’ oyster dragger was rumored to have been over 100 years old when it was given to him in 1892. She lay rotting in a field when Slocum began a restoration that took two years of hard work. He also modified her original design, making her more seaworthy and easy to sail single-handedly. He named the boat SPRAY. Continue reading