A Down East refit
Welcome to The Swamp Yankee Chronicles, a new blog that will follow the restoration of a 1991 former commercial boat into something that will work for a family that has grown to include two...
View ArticleRight down to the skin
There are literally a gazillion potential project boats scattered across the hinterlands, but finding the right one is sort of like choosing a significant other: It can be a beautiful thing or it can...
View ArticleThe hole truth
“A little putty, a little paint,” sing-songs Swamp Yankee boatwright Charlie Koller, “make her what she ain’t.” Charlie is transforming a tired 22-year-old Down East skiff into a younger and updated...
View ArticleKeeping her afloat
Until we grow gills, keeping the water on the outside of the boat is a pretty good way to ensure longevity. But one day you could find yourself sloshing around in shin-deep water, especially if you...
View ArticleGetting (fuel) tanked
Most powerboat problems can be traced to two areas: fuel and electrical. On our 22-foot project boat, Swamp Yankee, we tried to reduce potential fuel issues by properly installing the tank. (Ethanol...
View ArticlePaint, power and a new console
A boat starts looking more like a boat once you install the console and hang the engine. A little paint doesn’t hurt, either. That’s where we are with the Swamp Yankee project boat this week. Paint The...
View ArticleWhat is a Swamp Yankee?
What’s in a name? Since I began earlier this year to rehab the 22-foot Sisu named Swamp Yankee, I have been asked by a number of people: “Just what is a Swamp Yankee?” This seems as good a time as …...
View ArticleLife’s too short for an ugly console
“It’s been my experience with these kinds of projects,” says Bob Birdsall of Birdsall Marine Design of West Palm Beach, Fla., “that they take twice as much time as expected, and they wind up costing...
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