Barn Find: 1958 Borum Ranger, 15' Cruiser
by Johnny
(Central Florida, USA)
Barn Find - As Found after 35 years
Found this old boat on the local for sale ads.
Went to look at it, thumping all the places I could get to with a
rubber mallet and my hand.
Everything seemed solid and sound.
It has been sitting on a trailer in a barn for over 35 years.
The first thing that I checked was how the boat was riding on the trailer bunks.
As we know, a heavy boat, over time, will give into the pressure and create the inward cupping that is a sure sign of bad things to come.
Well, after 35+ years of sitting on hard pine, the bottom was PERFECTLY flat.
No indication of soft spots or weaknesses.
I would not hesitate to put this
boat in the water as is - just for fun.
But, over the years, the mud wasps had claimed it for their Hotel Hilton and every nook, cranny, crack and crevice had a mud wasp home in it.
The boat had a 1960 Johnson Super Sea Horse 40hp outboard motor that had also succumbed to the mud wasps.
It needs a total overhaul and rebuild.
Upon trying to find what works to remove 3 layers of flaking paint on the bow, I came across a few soft spots and delaminating plywood.
These issues were addressed
in the regular marine wood fashion and now I will be glassing over the entire bow wrapping the glass around the lip where the rub rail is mounted.
The current plan is to only remove loose and scaling paint, prime and repaint.
Top of bow will be painted 2" Faux Mahogany Deck Planks with white painted bedding stripes to simulate the Chris-Craft look and the sides will be 5" Faux Mahogany Boards
to simulate plank built sides.
Since the boat is in such good condition, I should be able to get all this done in a week or so . . .
I want to spray the interior with a white/brown spatter epoxy paint.
The motor, will of course, take much longer.
The seller thinks this boat is a 1958.
But since the motor is a 1960, the boat may be a '60 also.
Any notes, suggestions, etc will be most welcomed.
Johnny in Central Florida