Bell Boy owner

[WY caver]

Hey all, my name is Drew. I've been following this group for a couple of years now and am just starting to share what I have and looking for guidance on my latest boat, a 21' Bell Boy. Some of you all might recognize it from a recent CL ad. The 21' on the left and my 1957 18' on the right.

[bruceb]

Hi Drew-
Thanks for the pics of the rest of the 18 and 21 BB Express. Cool that you got the big boat to WY from Olympic Peninsula, that's a project in itself and sure a commitment. If you're looking for info on these boats, this site has some experts, for sure.
Having seen a 21 stripped down to the hull on inside, I'd consider raising the floor/deck in the cockpit area and forward to the bow by at least 4 inches. The stringers (from the factory), if you want to call them such !!! were what appeared to be wrapping paper cardboard rolls covered by glass cloth. Very sub-standard for the stresses on a hull that length. I'd put in 4-5 inch tall glass stringers, bow to stern, hollow, formed over 2x6s. Structural cloth. You'd have to make sure the hull is straight and supported properly to tab these in.
Just my 2 cents, Helmar has hands-on experience with 21 BB's.... have fun enjoying the 18 !

[Kelly]

Drew, I applaud your efforts and desire to bring that 21 back to life! Many locals and not so locals were after that boat but never fully committed. Looking forward to seeing progress pics. Welcome to the forum btw!

[frogpond]

Welcome to our club Drew look forward to your restoration in the future years. Paul

[WY caver]

Thanks all! I've dug thru all the 21' Bell Boy posts and pictures I can find on the site and after tearing out the floor I'm really curious about about a couple of things. Amazingly I found the hull ID behind some nasty carpet and it's in remarkable shape. What do you all think of what I found beneath the floor? If need be I can move this thread to another page if you want. I've got all sorts of pictures to share

[Helmar]

Thanks all! I've dug thru all the 21' Bell Boy posts and pictures I can find on the site and after tearing out the floor I'm really curious about about a couple of things. Amazingly I found the hull ID behind some nasty carpet and it's in remarkable shape. What do you all think of what I found beneath the floor? If need be I can move this thread to another page if you want. I've got all sorts of pictures to share

If it keeps going, we will move it.
I will have to go back and dig into the Bell Boy 21 pictures I think I still have of that build to see what the stringers were for sure.
I do know the 19 had those half round stringers that with enough sand under the floor would almost sand them down to nothing.
The one I did for Jack Dando, I used glass matt over each one of them as you could step on them and they would crack..
Here is the link to that build I did. Its a clunky website of my own making and some what broken, but this part of it works.
http://www.helmarjohanesen.com/Johan...Boy/index.html

Here is the 21 I did and I have one of her sisters in my shop right now.
http://www.helmarjohanesen.com/Johan...hje/index.html

I also have the little 16 Express that needs Everything. Love those cabin designs as much as the Skagits, which I still own 3 of them.

A lot of the boys on this site have done some pretty nice work as you will see.
Thanks for sharing, joining the club of of course, Enjoy
Helmar

[John Nelson]

V OMC motors like the one on your 18 can run out of gas and burn pistons above 3/4 throttle. There good below that. Wood is not compatable with fiberglass. Ill start you google The Hard Core facts-power and motor yacht.

[TheBronze]

Drew,

Congratulations on the 21! I had a chance to get the one from a local restoration shop (Island Boat Shop) years ago, but it was just too big for my yard space. Ended up with a '59 18 foot 404. It is just about fully restored. Just a few odds and ends left. I love the hand writing and corrections on your hull ID sticker. Mine was also under nasty carpet. You should also be able to find one on the underside of the deck in the same neighborhood if it hasn't been painted over.

Your 404 looks nice. Is that a missing windshield on the port side? Any interior pics you can share?

Regarding stringers. On my 404, they were supported by wood and heavily glassed in. I left them alone and used flotation foam to fill the voids when I put the new deck in.

You are in for a projoect on that 21 for sure. Just about everything looks rotten! Cheers to you for saving another low count hull.