Tasks ahead of me

A little background on me: I have restored numerous boats throughout my life, including three Verity Skiff restorations. I started restoring wooden boats at Senga Marine in Center Moriches after school at a young age. It was a nice gig; I was being paid for what I enjoyed doing for free at the boat yards. There is just something about the musty smell of old wood, canvas, and mold of the yards that makes me full of life. There was an old Verity Skiff at the abended marine on Atlantic Ave. in Center Moriches. As a young boy, I would spend any time I could with her, dreaming of fixing her up someday. Sadly, one can not afford such a dream of cutting lawns and selling bait. I was "wood old" in the world of shiny fiberglass. My godfather, Billy Wright, told me, "If god had meant us to build fiberglass boats. He would have grown fiberglass trees." I spent a lot of time at boat yards, from Fred Scopinich's yard in East Quoque to Weeks in Patchogue. I landed at Nickerson's Boat Yard junior and senior high. I worked my way up to lead mechanic (painter, travel lift driver, and every other job there was.) Best of all, I was able to work on old wood Egg Harbors. I also worked off-site on Verity Skiffs.

For those of us who have done restorations, we all know that there are a minimum of three major setbacks that are not planned. This restoration is my first time dealing with someone(s) taking a Verity Skiff and making it something sellable in the fiberglass world. Grandpa made her for fishing. Small cabin and place for a "bucket." She was his go-out in anything and fish boat. Well, when he died, the Skiff disappeared in 1961 and reappeared in 1964. The cabin sides, bulkhead walls, and even the engine box were reborn into "maintenance-free." They were covered with white and orange, low-maintenance, and better than fiberglass... 1960s Formica. Yes, it was a countertop Formica. It saddens me that after Grandpa's death, people took his last boat and separated her from her lineage. Her hull, engine, and decks are mainly intact.

Below is the start of the changes I am trying to implement. Some changes were made to items, such as relocating the engine blower exhaust. A 2" hole in the side of the Skiff is not a good location.

The wood butchery over an oversized windshield.

The image on the left is where the original windshield was cut to enlarge it, framing it with flimsy 3/8" plywood.

We may give her the standard Fall top for a Verity skiff. See below, from a "to scale" line drawing I have of a 1948 Verity Skiff. Sorry, I gave my word to Fred Scopinich a long time ago I would not publish them in their entirety, over 40 years ago.

Someone added an engine blower to the boat. During the install, they put a 2" hole on her first plank down, midship. Like putting a port hole in the side of the boat with no glass.

Who ever committed that crime covered up the sin with a cheap aluminum cover. Yes, It wakes me up at night. Sam Verity also said "Verity Skiffs won't let you down". I think a 2 inch hole in a bad location would void that saying.

I knew from the start it was grandpa's skiff by the lines and workmanship in her hull. I know there were changes made which was no big task. It saddens me that the boat was left unclaimed at the marina after grandpa's death. My journey has become fixing the vandalism done to her to make her look like a fiberglass boat. It seems that someone thought putting kitchen Formica laminate on white oak was a great upgrade to make an easy sale.

I look forward to the day when I finally get her in the water and feel a true Verity Skiff under me again. She will be back to an original, wood boat with upkeep.

The entire cabin sides are covered with sheets of plastic. Some of the wood on the cabin has been replaced with knotty plywood to give sleeker lines to her sides.