# 1976 Dixie Skiff rebuild



## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

This is a rebuild that I've actually been working on since last July as time has permitted. I'm a partner in a startup media company here in the Charleston area so I've been busy. The last boat I rebuilt was a 1967 Sears skiff that turned out great. I sold that one and have regretted it since. I also had to build that one out in the open, which frankly sucked. So in the meantime I built a structure to work under that has made life a little easier:


I purchased a 1976 Dixie Skiff hull that I liked the lines of, with a decent trailer last July for $750.


Not in awesome shape, and the PO had slapped down a sheet of heavy-ass plywood to cover up the weak floor. 




Stay tuned


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## fsae99 (Apr 8, 2010)

That will be a sweet little skiff when rebuilt.


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## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

The floor was completely rotten as expected and a casting platform had been removed at some point. 



So, I got to work cutting out the floor and digging out the old wet foam. I've found that a Roto-Zip tool with a diamond wheel is great for this kind of work, along with an angle grinder and sanding wheels.


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## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

Thankfully, the stringers were rock-solid. The transom was a real mess. I can't even imagine hanging a motor off that rear end.. 


So, the rub rail is removed and the cap taken off. 


And the rest of the transom is scraped / ground / sanded off. Easier said than done. Grinding out old fiberglass is my favorite part of this job.


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## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

This is meant to be a budget-friendly rebuild so as with my last project, the transom and floors will be cored with MDO plywood. It's easy to get and will last plenty long enough for this boat. 

So, a paper template is created and transferred to sheets of 3/4" plywood. 



And loosely fitted into place. No need for exact tolerances here, all voids will be filled with thickened epoxy.


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## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

Once the transom had been glued up, it was attached to the existing skin of the transom making sure to fill all voids with thickened epoxy. I prefer using microballoons for this, mixed with a little ground fiberglass if necessary. Then, the stringers were re-joined to the transom. with multiple layers of fiberglass tape, thickened epoxy. 

The next stage was to re-foam the floor. No rigging under this floor, it's going to be self-bailing. Foam was poured and after curing was cut down using a long bow-saw blade.


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## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

The floors were cored with 1/2 MDO. After getting the shape right, I coated the bottom and exposed edges with epoxy before gluing down into place with SikaFlex on the stringers and edges. 



I let that cure for a week before then filling/fairing in all edges with thickened epoxy, using fiberglass tape over the top of each seam. 


I'll probably catch flack from some of you for not sanding all the way to bare fiberglass but trust me, the epoxy is bonding file to 40 year old gelcoat.


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## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

This is not going to be a technical poling skiff, but built for practicality and ease of maintenance. I did want a simple casting platform. The original livewell / bench seat will stay in place as will the original side console for max use of space. 



I decided to build in a second bench seat with storage. It will have a hinged lid with two swivel seats mounted to it.


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## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

At the paint stage, I decided to stay in stingy bastard mode so forget about $200 gallons of paint. 2 coats of Rustoleum high-build primer, applied with a roam roller, sanded between coats on the interior. Any pinholes or gaps were filled as needed.


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## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

For the topcoat, I went with a color that was not too far off the original green gelcoat. This is a Sherwin-Williams industrial enamel mixed to my specs. $40 per gallon. This was sprayed on, adding a little hardener to the mix. It's a nice hard finish. It's about the color of the Spartina marshgrass around here. 3 coats of paint, with a week in between coats, light sanding between coats. 

I don't think I'll see another one like it on the waterway. 


I cleaned up the original aluminum rub-rail and this was riveted back on, securing the cap to the hull in the same step, exactly as the original.


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## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

Ok, we're pretty much caught up to present-day status. The interior of the boat was painted with a sand-color enamel to be easy on the eyes, and I went with a dark brown color on the non-skid. It's possible that the darker non-skid may get a little hot during the summer but the majority of the time I've got on some kind of footwear. The wide stripes really reinforce the retro style as well. 



So that's it for now. I'm waiting on some hardware to arrive that I'll start installing next weekend. Still shopping for the right motor, probably a 4-stroke 40hp.


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## D. C. Ward (Oct 26, 2015)

I like it, I've been wanting to find an old Dixie skiff and rehab it


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## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

Question for motor experts: I'm looking for a 40-50hp, preferably a 4-stroke. I want to be able to get to plane easily with 4 adults when necessary. Weight is a consideration on a boat this size.. anyone have an opinion on what I should be looking for? Not sure I can bite off the cost of a new motor, but EFI sounds like it would be nice to have. Please chime in if you have some thoughts on this.


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## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

D. C. Ward said:


> I like it, I've been wanting to find an old Dixie skiff and rehab it


This one is super-sweet looking. http://saltwatercentral.com/ftopict-36123-.html
They're easier to find in eastern NC, close to where they were manufactured.


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## D. C. Ward (Oct 26, 2015)

ive seen that one, a guy in my hometown, southport NC... Bought it. THere was one for sale in Wilmington over the summer for I want to say 1000 bucks without a motor I wish I had jumped on it. Probably could have be had for less


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## CodyW (Jan 26, 2016)

what kind was the 67 skiff? I have 13ft dixie skiff and have not seen another since I got it.


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## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

CodyW said:


> what kind was the 67 skiff? I have 13ft dixie skiff and have not seen another since I got it.


The '67 was a Sears branded hull.


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## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

Not a ton happening right now, got some sapele to build the bench seat tops with, shaped and got a coat of varnish on


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## CodyW (Jan 26, 2016)

LOL, the dog is losing it patience...... C'mon dad lets get the boat done. I am ready for that boat ride!


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## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

Sorry for not updating in a while - All of the cosmetics are basically done. The new wiring is done with led nav lights, battery switch and Blue Seas switch panel. Really just needs a motor and controls and will be ready to hit the water. Oh yeah, it's for sale. I found another hull I wanted, a 16' Privateer. Ad is posted on Craigslist in Charleston for way too cheap.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

bostick29412 said:


> Not a ton happening right now, got some sapele to build the bench seat tops with, shaped and got a coat of varnish on


Looks like you've done this before. Love the color and decking
Just how many pets do you have


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## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

permitchaser said:


> Looks like you've done this before. Love the color and decking
> Just how many pets do you have


The gal in that picture is Lucy, she's a Deutsch Drahthaar. Total of 3 dogs, 3 cats, 2 horses and a donkey that are all on the payroll.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

bostick29412 said:


> The gal in that picture is Lucy, she's a Deutsch Drahthaar. Total of 3 dogs, 3 cats, 2 horses and a donkey that are all on the payroll.


Yep they eat like a horse. Good luck. Let's see that bueaty in the water and some slime time


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Forgot to ask does Lucy hunt


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## Litlreridngal (Jun 26, 2018)

I just purchased the exact model as the one you have restored! Mine however was practically all original (except the outboard upgraded in 1996) and an one owner barn find. However the previous owner had torn out the weakened floor section behind the Livewell and died before he could get it repaired (according to his widow). I would love to know if there’s a trick to creating a template to cut a new piece of wood & did you redo the surface with fiberglass before adding non-slip stripes (which I really like btw) 

Also the driver’s seat is missing a pedestal/platform. It apprears there was a box of some sort attached to the wall from the pattern left in the fiberglass on the sidewall. I noticed in one of your earlier pics you had a pedestal like the one mounted on the casting platform in mine. Would you happen to still have it & interested in selling it (with or without seat)


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