Author Topic: "New" Ship  (Read 2874 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Oldfishguy

  • Donate members
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 452
"New" Ship
« on: September 27, 2017, 10:00:30 AM »

Late this summer I picked up a "new" pontoon boat; a 1974 20' Weeres. 

 

Needless to say it didn't look like this when I bought it off Craigslist for $1100.  It was pretty sad, with a tarp for a canopy, worn carpet, and a tired looking 2 stroke motor attached.  I let the pontoon sit for a few weeks after the first viewing to soften the price; I knew nobody in their right mind was going to by that pontoon but me.  :)

But yet I could see everything was there: original aluminum chain link fence, newer wood deck, intact canopy frame, and straight undented tubes.  I believe this is the last year the chain link fence was used. 

I had been looking for an old Weeres to restore for a bit when I stumbled on this one.  You see, my last name is Weeres and the original inventor of the pontoon, Ambrose Weeres, was my second cousin.  He was a blacksmith in Richmond , MN that is widely credited for the pontoon concept in 1951.  By 1955 though he was out of the pontoon business, but yet his name remained on the brand until 2016, which was the last year Weeres pontoons were produced. 

I knew Ambrose as a kid, a simple man that I would fish along side with a cane pole from shore.  I doubt he was wealthy, but in this neck of the woods especially during those times even if one had money you didn't show it.

   

The old 2 stroke Johnson 50hp attached I had sold ($200) before the pontoon hit my driveway.  I found a 2002 Honda 30hp 4 stroke I bought off a ragged pontoon for sale for $1000.  The motor had been neglected and needed a new prop, water pump, paint, plugs, and carb work.  But it powers the old Weeres now.

   

I had the unrestored pontoon in the water for a day just to see if the toons leaked.  It was so ugly I couldn't stand it, and pulled it out and went to work on it.  The pontoon deck was stripped down to the wood floor and thankfully someone had replaced the wood decking recently with a treated product.  I installed a composite decking (1/2 thick) product over the top of the wood for flooring. (Menards Quick Deck, $400)  the weight addition is miniscule with this product but it is anything but "Quick" to install with about 500 hidden fasteners.  New stainless hardware was used throughout. 

The canopy was made by a local shop.  I picked out a color and design I thought was fitting for the era and the "W" logo was embossed into the canopy.  We pulled the original W design from an old facebook page and played with the size and surround color for a bit before settling on it; I think we nailed it! ($400)

The W on the sides is not original either.  It is made of stainless  that I had a local company cut out with a plasma cutter and backed with a painted aluminum plate to make it stand out. ($100)

 

The center pedestal is original but I rattle can painted it to match the ship and added an old looking helms wheel off of ebay ($60) for a retro look.  The rear deck chairs are 1950's metal chairs I had restored a few years back for our house deck and the front adirondack chairs are new. 



All the wiring and light switches have been replaced with LED technology and even some non original LED lights have been added around the canopy and under the decking.  This is a sunset cruise machine that has an ambiance like no other. 



This Weeres pontoon was probably inevitable.  About ten years ago I bought the sign off of the old assembly plant building in St. Cloud once it closed down ($100).  The 16 foot sign hangs in my garage now as it hung on the factory exterior wall for decades. 



While the pontoon is not original I think I made it better than original.  An artistic original no doubt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhWcreNZFxg



1972 1/2 Glastron CV 16
1973 Chrysler 120

Offline Plugcheck

  • Donate members
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3267
Re: "New" Ship
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2017, 10:18:13 AM »
What a great story, thank you for sharing.  Love the picture of you and man's best friend overlooking a calm lake, kind of a Norman Rockwell print feeling.  I like pontoons myself, they serve a purpose that my Carlson's cannot. 
Michael
1979 CVZ-18 388 CI Vortec Mouse
1980 CVX-16SS 140 Mercruiser
1979 CVX-16 Johnson 175
2002 Bennington 2275CC 90 Mercury
1985 Intimidator project
1989 Lowe 200 Redneck fishin Toon
2001 Godfrey Sweetwater pontoon 115 Rude

Offline Hyperacme

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13464
Re: "New" Ship
« Reply #2 on: September 27, 2017, 12:00:57 PM »
Nice job on the restro  Dave !
Love the story behind it ...