Well some might think I am crazy, but here it goes again: another project. This one is for all of my Michigan family - and my former boss Everett Marshall, who owns the boat and was kind enough to let my students work on it as a class project. We are now embarking on the restoration of a very cool mahogany outboard runabout, an early 1950's Wagemaker Wolverine manufactured in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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Isn't she a beauty? Okay, I completely see her potential.  |
This Wolverine model is a cold-molded mahogany hull, constructed using technology developed during World War II to produce strong lightweight nose cones for airplanes. The hull is solid with only a few small soft spots near the transom. The front decking, front cockpit area and seats are in desperate need of some TLC. While the initial survey seems positive, there is no doubt that there will be many surprises. I floated the boat today with no major issues or leaks, so we can be reasonably sure that the hull is stable and in need of only minor repairs and a good refinishing. Enjoy the pictures, and I will keep the updates coming as the project progresses.
This boat is how I found your site. Growing up we had a similar boat to this one. Since my Dad has passed on I can't ask any more questions as he would certainly have remembered. The inside of our boat looks almost exactly the same. Our Wood Boat would sleep I think 4 people under the hull. Could be more, but I think that is a fair call at this point. Slept under the hull many a night as a kid out camping. Mom said she thought the boat was an 18 ft as she can remember. We had twin Mercury Motors on the back end and I loved water skiing behind it....Thanks for you pics and writings.
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