Skagit 20 on Ebay

[Helmar]

I was reading this fellows ad that he has put up to sell his third owner boat and not sure on his date. I am hoping that he is wrong but (Bruce, or Tim) can have more details about how many of these were made in 1958..It was my understanding that 1958 was the year Skagit produced the most boats.

She is setting on a single axle trailer which I am not real keen on. My 20 Skagit offshore, I hauled down from Canada to Sandy Oregon and you had better not use low quality bearings or pack extra ones with you.

Not sure if he will get his starting price as it has not been restored, just kept inside all these years.
Interesting read anyway.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/141898312683...2683&viewitem=

[bruceb]

Helmar and all-
Yes, I know this boat pretty well. Was owned by Jerry Smith, former Skagit Plastics employee who purchased it not long after he stopped working there. It's a very rare color combo that we've never seen, actually a light gray/red.
So when it was known that Jerry wanted to sell, I was asked to go along and photo the boat for a prospective buyer and ended up doing a survey, ha, even though I'm not "qualified"..... but found it to be in exceptionally good condition. If it's like the seller says in this ad and he's had it in covered storage, it's in good to very good condition. I saw the inside of the transom area and it had no water damage whatsoever. Very factory "original" and he did a fine job of having new canvas made, it appears.
If someone's interested, I have a full set of photos of what this looked like before the gentleman transported it back to Indiana.
In a history of Skagit Plastics, Marty Loken lists the production #s for 1958 at 250. I would guess that's based on information from Jack Henriot and quite accurate. Try to imagine they made 50 20 foot hulls, 125 14 foot, and around 75 16/17 hulls.
The serial # on this gray/red boat is 13 boats after my 20'.
Here's a shot of it on Big Lake, Skagit County, July 2010.

[Helmar]

Hi Bruce.
First, I am glad you came in and gave the real story behind her first off, Thanks.

I went and looked at my post and after looking at it a little harder, does look like it might be a tad negative but that is Not what I meant.
My main thing was about the "production years" as that did not sound right to me..

Still not sure how fare you want to haul one of these girls on a single axle trailer as they do weight in a bit on the heavy side.
Remember mine with all that oak cabinet stuff inside, she is heavy

My 20 offshore looks to have the original transom in it, bulkheads look stock and pretty darn good too so its not to surprising to find them like that.
In all honesty, I hope he can get the asking price. I mean she Is Turnkey, no fuss, no muss so if you were just looking for a Boat, in comparison to other, Just boats, its the price is right. I wish they all would go for more money just like the surveyors that looked at some of the boats that came out of Island Boat Shop. They rated our boat (Skagits) safer than the new boats being produced. I am liking that.
I think our classics have been sold too cheap to start with !!!

I am sure you have looked at some boat ads and they say they need a Little TLC and we look at the pictures and think, uh, no, it needs Allot of TLC or restoration.
This just go to show you how well the Skagit boats are built.
Personally, they are the best built boats that I have worked on to date.

[bruceb]

Oh, Helmar- didn't think it was a negative thing you posted, I question some numbers out there, and in the history of some glass boat makers have noticed some nearly phenomenal numbers. Especially when the long term observation of the boats out there don't seem to have very many "survivors". One NW glass boat maker (back in 50s and 60s) had 3 factories spread around the country making boats and the numbers are in the thousands, but reality tells me they must have been pretty poorly made boats, as there just aren't very many left.....
The boat in the ad, gray/red, as I recall, cost the owner 2,200-2,500 for putting it on a flat bed for the trip east. Wise idea, as I suspect, as you say, single axle older trailer has a tough job on long hauls.
I've texted the owner between Jerry and the present to check out the eBay listing. It was a sad day when the boat left the NW- maybe it'll come back ?

[John Nelson]

I should get it cut it apart and make a new set of molds. I can make new ones that don't sweat, weigh a third less and never rot out materials have changed since then . Say 25 57s and 35 more 58s Think replicas would bring a new price??

[bruceb]

John- Oh, man, this boat is too nice to cut up. There are plenty of other candidates out there for pulling molds off of.
In the Skagit world, the most needed item is new helm boxes to replace ones that are missing or have too many instrument holes. Second, would be a nice one piece FRP transom insert that would sit into place and cover the forward vertical bulkhead, transom shelf then run up the vertical transom surface to waterproof that whole area. Much like the molded transom area of Helmar's 16 Skimaster. The third might be a flat FRP panel to fit the cockpit floor. Oh, geez, forgot windshield frames with "new" 1956 Ford windshield glass... it goes on and on....
To reproduce new hulls, going to a marine architect might be in order to make more "V" to smooth the ride. Then, of course, the cost issue...... manufacturer's liability insurance......
Noticed this gray/red eBay boat has one offer now. I think this was the boat originally commissioned by Texaco (in their corp. colors) to use at their refinery near La Conner/Anacortes.

[Helmar]

Another item would be the Hard Tops for the 20's.
Also, Marty and I talked about the TeeNee trailer fenders.

[bruceb]

Helmar- yes, you nailed it, the hard tops.
Someone is reproducing the little Cadillac fins for Tee Nee fenders, along with a wiring kit for the built in brake lights. They look like maybe a 1956 Caddy light. It's funny, would think they would repro the whole fender and fin with light.
Kevin Mueller is reproducing the Cadillac Sea Lark, a true one off, and he'll be selling them eventually. The cost might be incredible, but then, there are collectors in the midwest that love the small finned lake boats.

[bruceb]

Sooo, going back to the original subject of this link, the light gray/red 1958 20 express on eBay, sold to only bidder @ $6,500.
Now it's just wait and see if the new owner posts anywhere in the fiberglass web universe or shows up at a meet in NW ?
One of it's "happier" days, cruising with 3 other Skagits, Lopez Island, San Juans, 2010.